He’s not only about sports. Even though his name is synonymous with sporting activities across the island and the National Sports Council (NSC), Adrian Donovan says there is a side of him that some people may not know about.
He is an avid community man and a mentor for the youth.
“I love helping people, especially young people. My daily routine, you see me travelling to old persons’ homes signing pension cheques, assisting them with letters to the bank, to the court,” he said.
Donovan, who is a Justice of the Peace, said lots of people call him for his services in some areas. Additionally he goes to the probation department to assist a parent with a son who is in trouble, or to HMP Dodds, to give advice to a young person who unfortunately went astray and is serving time.
For the past 35 years or more, he has dedicated some of his time to the service of others. He said he was exposed to that world at a tender age when his father was Superintendent of Prisons.
Donovan first made contact with inmates who would visit the family home at Christmas. His parents would prepare meals for them and give them gifts and some toiletries – that way he got to hear their side of the story.
However, Donovan said, things have really changed compared to years ago but some changes, particularly in the education system, could help counteract the situation.
He said he sees a major problem with children leaving school at the age of 16.
“We are putting babies on the street to the whims and fancies of the evil and those who prey on and take advantage of young minds.
“Years ago they used to leave school at 14, but times have changed. Years ago there were persons in the community who would readily give advice and would see someone going wrong and straighten them out. They were even allowed to put some lashes on them,” he said.
His solution to the problem: fifth form should not only focus on academics but also cater to those who are not performing well in the classroom and may need help in some areas.
Donovan said that although there are systems in place for school leavers to go to skills training programmes or the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic, that is aimed at those who are successful and want to continue.
“There should be something compulsory. What about the ones who just simply drop out when they leave school, what about those?”
Donovan said he has had some success in reforming youths through sports. Working with children at the NSC, he said they assist the various social agencies through sports when he gets calls from magistrates’ court, the probation department or guidance counsellors asking to enrol children in a sports programme to keep them off the streets and keep their minds employed through recreation. Some even come as a form of community service.
The programme succeeds when they say thank you at the end of community service or after the sports programme, or the parents call and show appreciation.
