SOME 70 youths with disabilities are benefitting from the President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG) programme which sees them involved in a number of physical, community and skills training activities.

Back in January of this year, PYARG made the move to include Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in the programme as a means of facilitating the inclusivity of all citizens.
It is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Social Cohesion, Department of Culture Youth and Sport, geared towards youth development and President David Granger serves as patron.

For three hours weekly, the youths between ages of 16 and 24 participate in physical recreation at the pool and gym; community tree-planting, clean-ups and feeding as well as other skills training activities.

All events, especially physical activities, are catered to suit the existing disabilities for those who are deaf, blind, mute or face other challenges such as cerebral palsy and dyslexia.
In an interview with the newspaper, Executive Officer of PYARG, Alistair Collins, told of an upcoming Adventurous Journey expedition which will see the youths undergo a weekend in nature.

It will present a safe outdoor experience for hiking and camping where parents will also be allowed to tag along.

Collins said thus far the programme has been a huge success even as the ministry continues to work along with other organisations such as the University of Guyana and the Police Force for the best outcomes.

He added that what may be perceived as aggressiveness meted out by PWDs, many times may be cases of persons who are misunderstood and in need of other forms of engagement.

“They are generally shy because they think their disability is an impediment, it’s something to be ashamed of. They think that they’re not normal people, so when they see that you are treating them as human beings with that respect, that you have patience for them and you go the extra mile … it helps,” he said.

“At the pool, when you take those who are wheelchair-bound and you put a chair in the pool to have them just sit there and have the water splash on them, as simple as that, it relaxes them and it changes their mood.

“It’s so beneficial because they don’t always learn in this classroom kind of setting like other children; they tend to do well with activities,” Collins said.
As such, he is urging parents of children with disabilities not to “shut their children away” because they are embarrassed of the realities but to enrol them in the programme today.
The organisations participating are Gifted Hands, the Deaf Association, Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre, Sophia Special School and Open Doors Centre.