A strong partnership between the Bordelais Correctional Facility (BCF) and the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF) through the Community Re-Entry Program (CREP), continues to play a critical role in supporting the rehabilitation and reintegration of incarcerated individuals into society.
This collaboration was highlighted during a graduation ceremony held at the Bordelais Correctional Facility recently for participants of the Behavioural Transformation and Reclaim You Programme. The programme, facilitated by Callistus Jean Louis and Anya Charles, forms part of a wider rehabilitative approach supported under CREP, which focuses on preparing residents for successful reintegration into their families and communities.
The Behavioural Transformation and Reclaim You Programme is a therapeutic intervention aimed at addressing trauma, emotional challenges, and behavioural patterns that often contribute to conflict with the law. Through individual counselling and group sessions, participants are guided in developing self-awareness, emotional regulation, mindfulness, and positive decision-making skills. These interventions are intended to reduce reoffending and support long-term personal and social stability.
Director of Corrections at the BCF, Kerwin Albert, commended the graduates for their commitment to change and underscored the importance of partnerships such as that with SSDF. He emphasized that rehabilitation is a continuous process and noted that structured programmes, supported by strong institutional collaboration, are essential to achieving meaningful outcomes.
Executive Director of the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund and head of the Community Re-Entry Programme, John Victorin, explained that the partnership is rooted in the belief that individual transformation leads to broader social improvement. He noted that supporting behavioural change among incarcerated persons positively impacts families, particularly children, and ultimately contributes to safer and more resilient communities.
Through CREP, the SSDF works alongside the Bordelais Correctional Facility to provide targeted interventions that support behaviour change, strengthen life skills, and improve readiness for reintegration. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to reducing recidivism, restoring dignity, and creating pathways for formerly incarcerated individuals to become productive members of society. The graduation ceremony served as a tangible outcome of the ongoing collaboration between the BCF and SSDF and reaffirmed the value of coordinated, people-centred approaches to rehabilitation and social development.