The Social Empowerment Agency (SEA) on Thursday launched an all-male youth workshop aimed at boys aged 12 to 16, as officials warned that rising violence, peer pressure and increasing encounters with the justice system are reshaping adolescence for many young Barbadian males.

Held at the 3Ws Pavilion at the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill, the workshop, titled The Blueprint: Designing the Man You Want to Be, brought together representatives from the Barbados Police Service, drug counselling agencies, health professionals, legal representatives, the Probation Department and educators to equip boys with tools to navigate an increasingly complex social environment.

Deputy chairman of SEA Carl Applewhaite said the agency was intentionally creating a space where young males could feel acknowledged and supported.