Casco Viejo program for Youth at Risk

A PILOT   program to help San Felipe “youth at risk” is off to a promising start and could become a model for other communities in Panama.

Sixteen young people are the initial participants in the venture named “Esperanza San Felipe”.

It began with a retreat at a hotel in the mountains of Penonomé with the primary purpose of a team of psychologists the opportunity to interact one on one in a neutral environment where and develop a psychological profile .
“Participants vary widely in age, education, history and other factors,” says a report on the venture “so having accurate profiles allows the team to create a personalized development plan for each participant, and have a power base from which to measure progress.” Besides diagnosis, the group held workshops and discussions to create the rules of the next 10 weeks of the program.
Classes are initially focusing on what is called The Foundation , punctuality , personal hygiene , 

interpersonal relationships , group work , self-discipline and communication.

It also includes motivational activities such as tours to hotels to begin to see career opportunities while performing daily exercises and self-defense classes .
In the weeks following the program will revolve around values , tools for daily life and eventually vocational tools including finding work.
A proposal to be implemented later is to form a community volunteer corps named COMPAHs ( body management and maintenance of heritage ) , which would allow them to act in the community and contribute to the solution of everyday life issues that affect them and the houses in which they live.
The report says: We think COMPAHs can become a force in the neighborhood because it would facilitate the link between the graduates of the program and maintain active participation in neighborhood activities. ( You can imagine a cross between Guardian Angels and the local Rotary Club ).”
It calls on the local community to provide encouragement to the participants to continue in the program when they seem them walking in the streets. “The opportunity to be accepted socially is a big motivator for them.”
The report concludes with a call for volunteers willing to give a helping hand. “There are actually a very small number of youth at risk even in San Felipe , and we may give most of them at least a fair chance to make something of their lives.”