Sunshine League To Hold Tag Day On Dec 6th
Bermuda’s oldest charity, The Sunshine League, is holding a tag day on December 6th. The organisation was founded in 1919 by Miss Agnes May Robinson, who was concerned about social issues in her day and decided that she needed to help.
During its almost 95 years of existence, The Sunshine League has taken on many roles in Bermuda for the betterment of Society, ranging from feeding centre, to home for boys of no fixed abode, to day care centre, to residential home for foster children.
In the last few years, the organisation has undergone a period of transition and restructuring, but continues to provide programs and services that are of benefit not only to the foster community but to all Bermuda’s children, young people and their families.
A spokesperson said, “Since February of this year when we celebrated our 94th anniversary, The Sunshine League has been actively involved in our community. As well as our own activities, we partner with other organisations, such as Tomorrow’s Voices, PRIDE, Team Street Safe, The Coalition for the Protection of Children and the Faith Deliverance Centre to provide space for their events, programs and training sessions.
“The Sunshine League’s main initiative at the moment is the implementation of the transitional living programme that they have developed. This programme will address housing needs, educational needs, employment needs, and assist with health care needs for youth between the ages of 18 – 25, who are not yet ready to live on their own as healthy productive members of society but who find themselves in the position of having to leave their childhood homes at the age of 18.
“This program will be available to youth that are ageing out of foster care, those that are referred from other helping agencies, and those who voluntarily seek assistance. The program will include life skills training, counseling where needed, money management training and assistance with skills of daily living.
“We will ensure that each individual in the program has completed secondary school or is enrolled in a GED program, and we will assist the clients in moving toward their higher educational goals, be they academically inclined or interested in vocational training. As well, we will assist with employment goals, apprenticeships, resumé writing and job interview skills.
“Or paramount importance is the realization that this program is not an extension of dependency, but a path to independence and toward goals that they themselves will set.
“Programs and services that we have delivered this year include:
- Provision of a life skills summer camp for 14 year olds – a group that often is underserved at “camp time.” This program, on which we collaborated with PRIDE Bermuda, was offered to children across the spectrum of Bermuda’s society, as we feel that all youth can benefit from life skills trainings, regardless of their background or living circumstances.
- Provision of backpacks full of school supplies for children that are under the supervision of various different divisions of the Department of Child and Family Services.
- Implementation of a professionally developed educational curriculum for Foster Parents on a variety of topics that would be of interest to parents in general. This is a twelve month program, with one session per month. For this year’s pilot series, we are focusing on educating Foster Parents only, but are considering opening the seminars up to parents in general going forward.
- We funded several children in the Foster System or otherwise under the supervision of DCFS to attend summer and mid-term camps: swimming, equestrian, dance, BUEI and outward bound
- We partnered with the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club on a program to provide a 1 – 2 week sailing camp experience for children under the supervision of DCFS – an experience in which they would have otherwise been unable to participate. The instructors at the RBYC are keen to work with some of the youth again, and the exciting thing about this program is that for talented and interested students, this could parlay into a scholarship opportunity for overseas colleges and universities.
“More than 100 children and their families have been affected and their lives have been touched by these programs. As we continue to move forward in our new directions, we know that we will be able to reach out to even more members of our community.
“We will continue to offer these programs, in conjunction with our transitional living program, because all these programs work together to help minimize rising youth crime, unemployment and gang activities, but providing a safe and nurturing environment, where youth can experience a sense of belonging and community in a healthy space.
“We have been blessed with many partners, both corporate and individual, as well as government and other non-profit organisations. We would like to thank everyone who donates on our tag day, and receives one of our classic red and gold Christmas poinsettia tags, for continuing to support Bermuda’s oldest charity, The Sunshine League. We would also like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy holiday season and a very Merry Christmas.”
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