Operation Future
Greater Achievement for Every Child
January 2012 Issue #5
Also in October Operation Future's member Dr.
Mary Jo Cannon and students from the International
School of Medicine and Health Sciences (St Kitts)
initiated an addictions awareness campaign in the
schools of the Federation. Dr. Mary Jo is a medical
doctor with a Masters Degree in addiction
counseling and Operation Future is pleased to
include her in our membership. Her input into
Operation Futures latest drug education
presentation "Its All About Change" is invaluable.
Operation Future was features at a four day CARICOM
Sub-regional meeting on Youth, Gangs and Violence
October 4th to 8th, Georgetown Guyana. The
conference was part of CARICOM's program to
develop a Caribbean Community Action Plan for social
Development and Crime Prevention. Contingencies
from Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and
St Kitts & Nevis were addressed by Operation Future's
P.C. Lauston Percival and Dan MacMullin on topics
such as Gang - Culture, Code and Consequences on
Families and Community and the importance of early
intervention and community education in developing
strategies to address the rising gang problem.
In addition to Operation Future the conference featured
Regina Anti-Gang services and Chief Troy Hagen of
Regina Police Services. Following Operation Future's
conference "Rescue fro the Abyss" in August
CARICOM identified Operation Future, RAGS and
Regina Police Services Community Policing
Philosophy as best practices that should be introduced
regionally.
Dr. Mary Jo Cannon and students from The
International school of Medicine and Health Sciences
(St Kitts) making a presentation on additions to the
students of Basseterre Secondary school.
Operation Future is proud of its work that has brought
it regional recognition.
While in Guyana P.C. Lauston Percival and Dan
MacMullin were invited to a secondary school to
demonstrate part of their intervention program.
Operation Future's secondary school gang education
presentation "Gangs & Violence: A Dead End" was well
received by the students.
In our visits to the school it has become apparent
that Bulling is a problem in our community.
Furthermore, what is a gang but an extension of
bullying. As such Operation Future decided to
declare November as "No More Bullying" month and
designed a new presentation to educate youth on the
issue of bullying. Between the last week of October
and the end of November Operation Future visited all
but two schools in the Federation with their antibullying campaign. In addition a section has been
added to our website giving students an ability to
Greater Achievement for Every Child
PAGE 2
educate about bullying. Two questions are frequently
raised, how do we report bullying and what about
bullying in the community. In an effort to address
Operation Future has added to our website a section
on bullying and included a link to report. The reports
are anonymous and go to members of Operation
Future and in due course all school counselors for
action.
Operation Future intends in the new year to address
the community issue by creating a new bullying
presentation for teachers and parents and introducing a
community parenting program. Where homes in each
community will be identified as safe homes and will
display a sign so children will know they can seek
refuge in the residence when feel threatened. This
Rags to Riches opened in December in the
program is modeled after the highly successful Block
Rams Business complex upstairs next to Choice
Parent program in other countries.
FM. Operation Future is able to provide this
service thanks to the generosity of Mr. Kishu
Chandiramani and IFG Trust Services Inc.
If you have items or time to donate to this
project please contact Joann at 662-9888.
As well as doing, Operation Future's members
spend a great deal of time planning for the future in
our attempt to live up to our motto "greater
Achievement for Every Child". Experts agree early
intervention is the most successful means to
address the problem of the gang culture. The earlier
the better and this is why much of our work is done
in the primary schools however, efforts must be
made to reach those of secondary school age
before they are lost to the gangs.
In January Operation Future is launching a new
gang awareness program "Back Against the Wall: A
Course in Life". This program is being piloted at
Cayon Secondary School and targets "at risk" youth
There is no question that the world economy is in rough Form 2 to 4. The program targets 25 to 30 youth
shape and our Federation has not escaped this
selected by school faculty. It will take place over
problem, money is tight and this is a stress factor in
seven weeks, and will combine 7 classroom
many peoples lives.
sessions and 6 field trips. The program designed by
Operation Future in partnership with Professor
Melanie Nimmo, School of Criminal Justice,
In addition Operation Futures program have a fiscal
cost, our members are all volunteers however there is a University of Winnipeg, Regina Anti-Gang Services
staff and clients, Community Cohesion Foundation
financial cost to our programs a simple example is the
and of course the staff of Cayon Secondary School,
Anti-Bullying Campaign we produced and distributed
the facilitators come from a diverse background.
2,000 brochures to students during November, we
design and create our own brochures but sundries can
add up.
Preliminary feedback on the program is exciting, and
the potential for the program to have broader
application is clear, both Professor Nimmo and
As a means to address both of these issues Operation
Regina Anti-Gang Services believe the program is
Future has opened a goodwill store in Nevis "Rags to
Riches" the store receives donations of clothing, books, ground breaking and are considering how a similar
program can be introduced in the schools of
toys and household items and sells them to the public.
In circumstances where a client needs an item however Winnipeg and Regina, Canada.
does not have the funds then arrangements can be
made where items can be exchanged for items the
Finally, January 28th Operation Future will be
client no longer needs themselves or they can volunteer hosting its 3rd annual Silent Auction at Four
time in exchange for the item. The store is staffed by
Seasons Resort. This is the fund raiser that
volunteers and plans on being open Tuesday,
allows us to do the work we do and we hope to
Thursdays and Saturdays.
see the support we have seen in previous years.
Please contact Joann at 662-9888 if you wish to
support by making donations or for tickets.
Please keep in touch with our work through our website
www.sknoperationfuture.com