Stakeholders engage in discussion on juvenile delinquency |25 September 2017

Several stakeholders took part in a forum for further discussion on juvenile delinquency in Seychelles.         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           The half-day forum, held last week at the Citizens Engagement Platform of Seychelles (Ceps) conference room, was organised by the newly registered Seychelles Empowerment-Based Social Workers Association (Sebswa), which promotes support of and respect for social workers.
The theme of the forum was ‘Juvenile delinquency and the future of the youths’.

The forum was to get further views and suggestions on the outcome of a survey and forum on juvenile delinquency held by the association in September 2016.

The survey, to raise the awareness of juvenile delinquency, was held during the week of the June 2016 national day celebrations.

In the first forum with key stakeholders it was found that juvenile delinquency is on the rise and very alarming with case load of young people engaging in anti-social and criminal activities.

Such cases of delinquent manifestations are displayed in many secondary schools which are becoming the norms.

But it revealed that all of the above mentioned is based on assumption and perception as there are no statistical evidence to support the claims.

So, there is a need to provide support and mentors to young people at risk of deviant behaviour with collaborated efforts from professionals and agencies.

In her opening remarks to launch the second forum, Tracy Jerome, student from the National Institute of Health and Social Studies (NIHSS) and member of Sebswa said that with all stakeholders onboard, it is hoped that the lives of many young peoples could be turn around and fewer will engage in delinquent acts.

“We are convinced that the issue of juvenile delinquency affects us all, whether directly or indirectly, and it therefore goes without saying that we should all partake in the solution,” she added.  

Apart from members of Sebswa, present were the principal secretary for social affairs Linda William Melanie, representatives from Care, churches, police, social workers, members of the juvenile court, schools, other ministries, among others.

Sebswa chairman George Nicette and member Lindy Nancy gave an overview of the 2016 juvenile report and evidence based models of intervention and prevention that could work to deal with juvenile delinquency in Seychelles. Participants also engaged in group work on three among other recommendations that came out from the 2016 forum. They discussed and gave inputs on the setting up of a juvenile centre, mentoring programme and community-based prevention and intervention programme.

At the end of the forum, chairman Nicette said the main guideline from the forum as a way forward, agreed by the stakeholders, is to definitely have in place a juvenile centre and to work collaboratively together if they want to tackle juvenile delinquency.

He added that the report of the forum will be made available later.

From the 2016 survey 82% believed that juvenile delinquency was a problem and on the increase partly due to parental neglect (37%), peer pressure (31%) and poor education (15%) as the youth blamed themselves (35%) for the cause of the problem.

The survey also revealed that at home (34%) is the best place for prevention of juvenile delinquency and with counseling and therapy (36%) as the best solution for helping a juvenile delinquent.