In a landmark milestone for intervention and second-chance education in Antigua and Barbuda, a cohort of formerly school-disconnected young men with past ties to gang activity have crossed the graduation stage at the Antigua and Barbuda Institute of Continuing Education (ABICE), capping off a two-year rehabilitation and skills-building programme designed to redirect at-risk youth.
Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne made the formal announcement of the graduation this past Thursday, extending heartfelt congratulations to the graduates while framing their successful completion of the programme as tangible proof that young people entrenched in gang life can be guided toward positive, productive paths through intentional education and consistent, targeted support.
The programme itself grew out of urgent action to address rising community violence across the nation. After Prime Minister Browne held direct talks with active young gang members amid growing public concern over surging violence, the administration rolled out a targeted plan to reconnect out-of-school youth with learning opportunities. That plan centered on enrolling interested participants in vocational and continuing education tracks at ABICE, also widely known as the Harrison Centre.
Unlike traditional academic secondary institutions, ABICE specializes in hands-on technical and vocational training that prepares graduates for immediate entry into skilled workforces. The institute offers accredited programming across a range of high-demand trades, including automotive repair, carpentry, electrical wiring and installation, plumbing, welding, and refrigeration and air conditioning maintenance. These skills provide graduates with a tangible foundation for stable employment and economic independence, key factors in supporting long-term desistance from gang activity.
Speaking at the announcement, Prime Minister Browne emphasized that the successful graduation of this first cohort proves rehabilitation is achievable when communities invest in at-risk youth. He went on to call for expanded cross-sector collaboration, urging private sector businesses, faith institutions including churches, and broader civil society organizations to deepen their engagement with youth intervention programmes. Browne noted that more coordinated, multi-stakeholder action is necessary to address the underlying social and economic conditions that push vulnerable young people toward gang involvement, crime, and violence in the first place, framing the graduates’ success as a proof of concept for what scaled investment can achieve.