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Youth At Healthy Lifestyles Workshop

A large number of Anguillian students from the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School turned up for a week-long Caribbean Healthy Lifestyles Workshop this week.

Members of the Anguilla Youth Association in song

The workshop, which ran from Monday, April 4, to Friday, April 8, was organised mainly for the membership of the newly-formed Anguilla Youth Association. The youth body was launched at Government House on March 7, where the members were welcomed by Governor Alan Huckle.

The workshop is sponsored by the Commonwealth Sports Development Programme, in conjunction with the Organisation of Caribbean Administrators of Sports and Physical Education and the Caribbean Netball Association.

P. S. Foster Rogers addressing members of the Anguilla Youth Association

During the opening ceremony, on Wednesday, the welcome remarks were given by Physical Educator, Rollins Richardson. He was followed by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Development, Foster Rogers, who spoke on behalf of the Minister, Evans McNeil Rogers.

He noted that that in the Caribbean, for example, there were many diseases which were not only causing financial burdens on the countries, but burdens of sickness. He observed that the ailments were common diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer and others. He cautioned that if such diseases were to be controlled, there was a need for persons to change their lifestyles such as avoiding fast foods.

Members of the Anguilla Youth Association

The main facilitator for the workshop was Kathy Harper-Hall, the Barbados-based Coordinator for the Commonwealth Sports Development Programme.

She praised the young Anguillians for the interest they showed in the workshop and outlined some of the matters to be dealt with.

Kathy Harper-Hall (third from left) with Education, Health and Youth Workers of Anguilla

“The idea is, first of all, to create an awareness in our young people of the importance of living healthy lifestyles,” she explained. “By healthy lifestyles we do not only mean physical health. We mean mental health, emotional health, social health and spiritual health.”

Members of the Anguilla Youth Association

The workshop sessions included such subject areas as self-esteem, goal setting, conflict resolution, kicking AIDS out, decision-making, leadership, team work, nutrition and sports not drugs.

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