 The Boys Training Center, BTC, is this year celebrating 60 years of service to the nation's young men, providing protection and direction to them. The BTC has recorded success with its intervention program. We hear more about that in this report. The Juvenile Rehabilitation and Detention Center houses boys in conflict with the law, as well as those in need of care and protection. Over the last 60 years, the Boys Training Center, the BTC, has evolved in its service offerings towards the institution has therapy sessions, technical and vocational programs, agriculture and sporting avenues. A source of pride is the musical band sponsored by the Amy Winehouse Foundation. Wang Songson is the general manager of the BTC. We have agriculture, we have auto mechanics and welding, and we have woodwork. Sometime last year, we decided, well, two years ago, we decided to try for the Caribbean vocational qualifications. This is something that had never been introduced to Boys Training Center. We had never had a boy, prior to this, come to Boys Training Center and leave with a certificate. The first boy was assessed for level one welding, and he passed, and he also went on to do level two. Now, this was a boy who was there for care and protection. But I'm happy to say, this year, we have two boys who are here as Juvenile offenders. And in August, which is last month, they were assessed in auto mechanics in welding, sorry. We got level one passes, and that was a major success for us. The sports program Mr. Songson says has helped the center in transforming the wards, giving them new attitudes to life. Currently, a group of boys are making hits on the national under-19 rugby team. Last year, 2019, we took a group of 19 boys to Grenada to participate in a football tournament, which is called the Caribbean Children's Charity Shield Soccer Tournament. And out of teams from across the region, Trinidad, Barbados, Grenada, St. Vincent, we were the only Juvenile attention center there. And at the end of the tournament, we were able to get the award for most disciplined team. So that is a big step in changing the stigmatization associated to the center. Mr. Songson says the BTC receives troubled boys that staff must mold into productive citizens. Critical to that process is continued intervention. The center runs an aftercare program which involves job placement and housing. Massey stores St. Lucia, along with other private sex entities, Songson says, have been of tremendous assistance. The involvement of former wards also inspires the boys. We had a program recently, it was called Being the Change, where we invited persons probably former wards of the center to speak to the boys. And I know that we invited a police officer who was a former ward at the center. In conversation with him, he mentioned a customs officer who was here with him at the time. He also mentioned a prison officer. He mentioned a fireman and he mentioned persons that are successful overseas. So there are a lot of success stories. It's just that it's a little and far between but there are genuine success stories. But we find that the boys do best when they have the family support or when they have the support system around them. Because most of the boys who are successful, when they come to the center, we will know whether they will be successful or not. Because some boys would come here and they would be here for an extended period of time. You wouldn't see one family member coming to visit them. The boys' training center on July 23, 2020 received $50,000 from the proceeds of the annual Prime Minister's Independence Ball. From the Government Information Service, Lisa Joseph reporting.