Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, the Hon. Charles Griffith, addressing members of the media during the press launch of the National Summer Camps Programme 2024.

There will be 46 National Summer Camps in 2024 under the aegis of the Ministry of Youth, Sports & Community Empowerment, catering to approximately 3,500 young people between the ages of four to 17 years. Camps will be held from July 22nd to August 23rd, 2024.

Speaking at a press conference from his SKY Mall, Haggatt Hall, St. Michael offices Monday, July 8th, the Minister of Youth, Sports & Community Empowerment, the Hon. Charles Griffith in announcing the 2024 theme, “A new hope, developing critical life skills in a new age”, emphasized that the “camps are not art and craft camps, but full developmental camps in terms of how we treat to our young people”. He noted that all camp staff has been extensively trained and will be equipped with visual identification cards as part of the safeguarding process.

In addressing the provision of lunches, Minister Griffith confirmed that the partnership with the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training will continue this year and lunch will be provided to all campers under the Summer Nutrition Programme (SUN). Expressing thanks to the Prince Godwill D Fomusoh Foundation and AffinityPlus Credit Union, for partnering with the MYSCE in the National Summer Camps programme, the Minister made a call to the private sector to follow suit and add to the experience for campers.

“There is still an opportunity for the private sector to be involved in the camps programme and this is our future we are talking about, and I want to encourage you to participate in the programme,” Mr Griffith stressed.

Permanent Secretary in the MSYCE, Joy Adamson, says she’s looking forward to a very successful camps programme this year. She encouraged parents and guardians to register their charges and confirmed that everyone will be contacted, including persons where the camp locations had to be changed.

Director of Youth Affairs, Cleviston Hunte says the Ministry has sought to ensure “camps are located in all the constituencies across Barbados because it wants to ensure equal access by all children to a location they can reach”.

He noted that there were a number of specialised camps, including the National Disabilities Unit – Camp Reach and others, facilitated under the Division of Youth Affairs: Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme’s Experience Enterprise Camp, Pathways Camp Employing Minds 2024 and the Next Steps Training Initiative Programme’s Summer Arts and Digital Media Camps along with the National Sports Council 2024 Summer Sports Camp will provide excellent summer enjoyment for campers.