Youth hostel sells holiday crafts
As we’ve seen on this newscast over the last few weeks, the people making local products for Christmas range from expatriate housewives to hardened prison inmates. Today, we discovered how the work of some young people not usually associated with handicrafts just may keep them out of Hattieville.
Helen Rosalez, Supervisor, Youth Hostel
“Society might think that they are not worth much, but today I want to tell them that these children have worth, they have talents, and today’s display is basically to highlight the talent that can come out of them.”
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
The display demonstrate what can be achieved by children who had a difficult start in life, but through patience and proper guidance are taking the steps needed for positive change.
Helen Rosalez
“Most of our residents are coming from situations where they are faced with challenges that they themselves, along with their families, find it hard to cope with. Unfortunately, the residents of the institution are brought to us through the court.”
The residents who are between nine and sixteen years old, participate in various life skills training programmes that help to build their self esteem and control anger. The exhibition is the compilation of two months of work the youths did in their art and craft class and completed just in time for Christmas.
Helen Rosalez
“We are happy for them and we know they are happy to have this advertisement, so that people can look at them in a different way.”
There are twenty-two boys and two girls at the Princess Royal Youth Hostel, who are involved in activities that range from sewing to woodwork.
Dale Augustine, 14 years old
“I never know to sew and the officer just showed us how to do it and that’s how we learned by ourselves and practised it and get with it and start sewing by ourselves.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Have you sewn something special for mom and dad?”
Dale Augustine
“Yes, I sewed a cushion and they are teaching us how to sew the bags and pillows. Everything they tell us, once you have the ingredients, it’s nothing hard to do it because it’s easy to sew.”
Jacqueline Woods
“So mom will not only be getting to see her son this Christmas, but receiving a special gift as well?”
Dale Augustine
“Yes, because that’s the first thing I thought of when I start the sewing. Let her know what I’m doing at the institution and let her know that they teach us well and everything, that we want to learn they just show us and we learn it.”
That feeling of achievement is shared by all the residents, who have only three more days at the institution before they go home for the holidays. Reporting for News 5, Jacqueline Woods.
The money raised through sale of the crafts will be used to fund the programmes at the Princess Royal Youth Hostel. Meanwhile, if you saw something you’d like to buy, you can place an order by calling Rosalez at telephone number 021-2115.
