Reintegration Into Society for Ex-offenders (RISE) Program Officially Launched on Friday
The Reintegration Into Society for Ex-offenders- RISE program had its official launch on Friday June 6th at the Royal Montserrat Police Service RMPS parking lot.
The initiative was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Minister for Youth Affairs, Honourable John Patrick Osborne, says the RISE programme is a vital initiative designed to help ex-offenders reintegrate into society with dignity.
He says the Government of Montserrat acknowledge and support their right to re-establish themselves into the community.
Programme Manager of Adult Learning, Training and Development within the Department of Community, Youth and Sports Services, Denelta Weekes, says that this initiative is a powerful tool to help ease the burden of the justice system and ensure participants are better prepared for their return to society.
Superintendent of Prison, Bennette Kirwan, encouraged the public to continue to support and not stigmatize ex-offenders and further appealed for the public to donate educational books and other material for the inmates.
The participants themselves have voiced their strong support for the initiative.
Two representatives spoke on behalf of the participants, describing the program as transformative and expressed gratitude to the Department of Youth and Sports and commended their teachers for their dedication and professionalism.
The programme, facilitated by the Department of Community, Youth and Sports, will run for two years in the first instance, will incorporate a 6-month assessment geared towards reviewing the success of the programme