Participants of the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services’ Retiree Adolescent Partnership Programme (RAPP) all agree, that one day is simply not enough to show their love and support for our senior citizens. This was the general consensus that was shared during a visit to the Tony and Juliet Heavenly Care Senior Citizens Home, by mentees who are enrolled at RAPP’s La Horquetta Centre.
Residents of the Home were treated to services of their choice which included massages, manicures and pedicures. Students also had the opportunity to provide lunch and to entertain residents with some of the other skills which they acquired during RAPP’s Annual Vocational Skills Camp. The activities formed part of the Ministry’s official commemoration of International Day for Older Persons, which is celebrated on October 1 annually. However, the students and mentors of the programme, will continue similar efforts throughout the month of October.
According to RAPP’s Coordinator Ms Brenda McCree-Hunte, the visit was one of the many activities that is geared towards bridging the generation gap between senior citizens and youths. Such events serve to promote inter-generational bonding, as well as, the development and strengthening of positive values, attitudes and behaviours between the two groups. Ms. McCree-Hunte further highlighted that for those participants whose grandparents were no longer a part of their lives, the visit was quite sentimental. For the latter, they were inspired and intrigued by the stories which were shared by some of the senior citizens.
The Retiree Adolescent Partnership Programme (RAPP) is an after school programme under the purview of the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services. The programme focuses on the mentoring and empowerment of vulnerable youth between the ages of 9-21 years, and is hosted in five (5) communities across Trinidad. Further information about RAPP can be found on the Ministry’s website at http://www.social.gov.tt