Male Adolescents
Men in Jamaican society have often been free to move in and out of
parenting relationships avoiding responsibilities for the maintenance,
nurturing and upbringing of their children. They have never been able
to model a real father, therefore it is difficult for them to relate to
any family life situation. Fathers in our society cannot continue to be
elusive and a realistic approach to the problem is to coax the numerous
adolescent boys - drop-outs from the school system roaming the streets
of May Pen - into a structured program to enhance their well being.
A survey which was conducted in 1994 shows May Pen having as many as
200 boys within the age range 8 - 25 years who are aimlessly roaming
the streets.
Fatherhood has never been real to many adolescents, given the matriarchal
nature of our society.
These street boys are unskilled, drop-outs from the school system and
prime targets for drug peddlers and other criminals. Needless to say
this has accelerated the teenage pregnancy rate. It is from this group
of young men that the Male Adolescent Program (MAP) recruits its
clients.
The program is geared towards attitude change and incorporates family
life education, personal development, parenting skills and vocational
training, in a package which seeks to inculcate in young men a
responsible an independent male image.
General Information
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Male Adolescents
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The UAP2 Programme
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