STAKEHOLDERS ADDRESS YOUTH VIOLENCE DRIVERS FOR SUMMER INITIATIVE

Community leaders, parents, youth advocates, educators, camp organisers and other stakeholders gathered on Wednesday evening for a candid national discussion on youth violence, gang recruitment, and the growing social and economic impact of crime as the National Secretariat for Human Security and Wellbeing continued consultations on its upcoming Own Your Summer initiative.

The consultation, held on 6th May, 2026, at the National Solid Waste Management Authority

Conference Room, was led by the Secretariat’s Acting Programme Director Hance Richards and Coordinator, Eartha Carey, as part of the Secretariat’s ongoing engagement process under the broader Summer of Intervention programme.

The session focused on identifying practical solutions to keep young people positively engaged

during the summer months, while also confronting some of the deeper issues affecting communities across St. Kitts and Nevis.

Mr. Richards shared research and data highlighting the heightened vulnerability of young people

during the summer period, noting that the break from school often coincides with increased exposure to gang recruitment, antisocial behaviour, and risky social environments.