YMCA holds leadership course at Hattieville Prison
A leadership course is presently underway at the Hattieville Prison for inmates who will soon be leaving prison and returning to the outside world. Hyacinth Latchman was at the prison this morning.
The course came about after the Public Relations Officer for Hattieville Wayne Moody approached Mervin Lambey of the Young Men’s Christian Association with the idea and they agreed to help.
Mervin Lambey, YMCA
“Basically we entitled it a leadership training because it entails a couple things. It entails them to clarify their own values because it is obvious that the values they had before were the values that got them in prison. Drug use, robberies, murders and that type of thing. So obviously they have to change their values and they have to develop that self-esteem to believe that they can change and that people outside can accept the change. And, that people will give them another opportunity.”
Lambey says that the course will bring back the credibility of the inmates that was lost because of the pressures of being in prison. The eighteen participants of the course all feel very positive about taking the course as they have come to the realization that they did make mistakes in life, but it is time to put them all behind and start looking ahead.
Kevin Myvett, Inmate
“Well this course is bringing out the real Kevin Myvett. For instance I used to be very ignorant and through this course I learn to deal with people on different issues. I now talk to people about different things that I plan. Commitment, we have to be committed. We have to win back our credibility from the people in society because people view prisoners as something bad but we want to show people that after this leadership program we can make a change.”
Delaine Lewis, Inmate
“This course will help me to learn from my mistakes. First I used to be aggressive but now it shows me how to handle people and now it shows me how to be humble and handle people around me and it allows people to react back to me.”
Q: “So do you think this is a good thing for the prison?”
Delaine Lewis
“This is the best for the prison.”
Theophilus Gabourel, Inmate
“For me this leadership course is teaching me how to change my life and be somebody. In my whole community people know me as a thief. I only have two more months. I want when people look at me when I come out of jail they see somebody who learned and changed. My life change.”
The eighteen prisoners participating in the course will be freed from the walls of the Hattieville Ramada in just a couple of months. Hyacinth Latchman for News Five.
The leadership course ends next week. Prison authorities say they will have courses like the one offered by the Young Men’s Christian Association and they encourage others in the community to volunteer to help the inmates with their transition to life on the outside.
