The director of a programme which puts unruly youngsters back on the straight and narrow claims the support and commitment of both staff and parents is vital to the scheme's success.

Speaking at the weekly Hamilton Lions luncheon yesterday, Angela Fubler, who heads the Centre for Adolescent Development, Education and Training (Cadet), also claimed the scheme offers rebellious teenagers the best environment to sort themselves out.

The centre, which has now been running for a year, is based at Warwick Camp and caters to up to 21 teenagers who have been taken out of mainstream schooling because of behavioural difficulties.

Mrs. Fubler suggested that parents did sometimes express concern that their children would fall behind academically when sent to the facility. But she said once behavioural problems had been ironed out, "the sky's the limit'' for youngsters who want to go on and achieve academically.

"We have parents whose main concern is that the students get their academics -- our concern is that their behavioural problems are addressed,'' Mrs. Fubler said.

"Once they have overcome the behavioural issues, they can then focus on the academic issues and then the sky's the limit.

"It would be very difficult to have students in the programme without parental support. Students aren't going to be supportive of the programme unless we work really hard and get both the students and parents to come and build.

"But we have a service that can provide them with some really good things -- there's nothing that we can't do.'' Outlining the structure of the programme, Mrs. Fubler stressed that students received a great deal of individual attention, with three teachers, three paraprofessionals and a counsellor on hand to work with a maximum of 21 students.

And she emphasised that only the most disruptive teenagers were sent to the school.

"The criteria for entry is that individual student behaviour which is non-compliant, disruptive, aggressive and volatile must be of such intensity, frequency and duration that interventions attempted, with the support of educational therapists, have been unsuccessful in bringing the student's behaviour to an acceptable level within the typical school setting,'' she said.

Mrs. Fubler also acknowledged the role the Bermuda Regiment plays in making sure errant youngsters toe the line.

"This component is an integral part of the student's total experience,'' she said. "Students are involved in such adventure-based activities as first aid, leadership training drill, field craft, map reading, radio communications, life skills and some physical sports.

"The Regiment also assists with disciplinary issues in extreme cases of insubordination and act as mentors and advocates for students.'' Mrs. Fubler ended her presentation by reading a letter from a former Cadet student who claimed that, before her spell at the Centre, she had no respect for her teachers.

Mrs. Fubler was happy to report that the young woman was now a model pupil.