Mercy Wings Vocational and Day Care Centre

ment teaches preparing meals and operating a tourism or hotel environment. Cosmetology teaches how to care for your hair, nails, and skin in a salon environment. The programme focuses on job readiness, not only within their skill area, but the overall trainees’ development. As such, Maths, English, Computers, Physical Education, Music, and the Adolescent Development Programme are required courses. Mercy Wings offers remedial, moderate, and advanced English classes so that any level of language skill will be accepted and taught accordingly. Computer class begins with the basics of using a keyboard and mouse, and upon graduation the trainee will have proficiency of Microsoft Word, Publisher, and Windows OS. The Adolescent Development Programme focuses on Self-Awareness, Spirituality, and Parenting so that the trainees can envision and achieve their desired future, no longer being a victim of circumstance. Music and Physical Education taught on Fridays with Music offering both drums and wind instruments. Mercy Wings was founded in the spirit of Mercy, as articulated by the Sisters of Mercy. Therefore, we offer a second chance for those who have struggled in the standard schooling system. We offer free, nutritious lunch every day to ensure the trainees’ ability to focus on their school work. The cost for enrollment is $21,000; a nominal fee to represent the trainees’ investment in the programme. At Mercy Wings, we hope that no trainee’s circumstances or background will be a barrier to future success. As long as the trainee is dedicated to work and reform, we will make every effort to accommodate and support their education. History Mercy Wings:

Mercy Wings is a Vocational Centre established in Sophia in January 2000 and is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy in Guyana. It is located in Region 4, two miles east of Central Georgetown. Bordered to North/ South by the Railway Embankment; West/ East by Eastern Highway; East/West by Cummunings Lodge Community; South/North of Guyhoc Park. The area is made up mostly of female headed extended families living in very small dilapidated buildings, crowding each other, and there are many cases of teenage pregnancy. Most of these women themselves have only a primary education and are employed as guards or vendors. As a result their children are left unattended. Without parental supervision they become at risk as targets for drug use, thievery, “hand faring” (begging) and early parenthood or prostitution. Based on a needs assessment conducted by the Sisters of Mercy in collaboration with University of Guyana lecturer Mr. Neberne Scott, a specialized personality in community practice, and the leaders of the area; it was found that a number of young people between the ages 15-19 were at home, unemployed or not in school. The experience of these young men and women has been one of marginalization and failure. They failed the Secondary School Entrance Exams (SSEE). They entered a community high school where most of them were at the bottom of the class, and later either dropped out of school or failed the Secondary School Proficiency Examinations (SSPE). The end result was that, many of them left school without the basic knowledge of the primary subject areas such as Mathematics and English. The problem now is that many of them are unable to compute and read at their developmental level. This group was the major concern of the residents of the area because they were considered ‘ripe’ for criminal activities. As such, it was agreed upon to invest in this group in the areas of literacy, self development and skills training. In order to better work with this group a Day Care facility was provided for youth who were parents, wanted to develop themselves and had no safe place in which to leave their children. In January 2000 Mercy Wings opened its doors to twenty-five trainees and six staff members who provided training in Carpentry and Masonry. Since then the Centre has trained over three hundred and fifty trainees, some of whom have gained permanent employment. Several new programmes have also been introduced.