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14 volunteer mentors signed on with FCS

November 21, 2022 4:30 pm

In an ongoing effort to restore young offenders’ lives, the Fiji Corrections Office has signed on 14 volunteer mentors through their Sow A Seed programme to help rebuild a group of young inmates’ lives.

Commissioner Francis Kean says the programme aims to provide much-needed parental guidance, love, and care to the young inmates.

Kean says this is a mammoth task that requires a collective effort.

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“The work in corrections, those of us in uniforms and some civilian staff, the professional physiologist and counselors, our chaplain … we cannot do this alone. The work of rehabilitation of our young kids here today is a mammoth task. A whole of nation effort is required.”

He says the volunteer mentors are from different faith-based groups in the country.

Kean reminded the young inmates that they are fortunate to be selected for this programme, and not to waste this opportunity to have a second chance in life.

Since its inception in 2018, 23 mentees have been discharged from the FCS Sow A Seed programme and have progressively pursued other interests in life.

The Fiji Corrections Service has dubbed the programme as an effective tool for instilling and equipping basic mentoring skills in the mentees.