A 60-member delegation from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) joined forces with representatives of the Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP) on May 13 to carry out a number of community outreach projects in six inner-city communities in St James.

The projects were undertaken in the CSJP-adopted communities of Granville, Mount Salem, Farm Heights, Canterbury, Salt Spring and Glendevon, and received strong support from residents of those areas.

In Farm Heights, a section of the community centre which has been earmarked for the staging of parenting workshops was painted; and books were donated to the library at the Salt Spring Primary School, where the group participated in school-gardening activities.

Books were donated to the library at the community centre in Canterbury while members of the group participated in life skill sessions with students at the Mount Salem, Glendevon and Granville primary schools.

Speaking to JIS News in Farm Heights, senior coordinator at CSJP, Orville Simmonds, said the support from the IDB group was a timely gesture as the work that was being done will go a far way in improving the facilities as well as the overall outlook of at-risk students with whom they spoke.

He said the mission is part of the work that CSJP has been doing in its 50 adopted communities across the island, especially since 2001, under an IDB-US $54-million support programme.

Meanwhile, IDB representative Laura Jaidman, said her organisation is extremely pleased to be participating in the community outreach projects in the six St James communities.

She noted that members of the group are very supportive of the work being done by CSJP and they will continue to work with at-risk youth, in order for them to improve their lives.

Ms Jaidman said the work being carried out forms a major core of the IDB's five-year programme with the CSJP.