VPA Newsletter - April -June 2022

Gooden of Chalky Hill Primary and Infant School in St Ann. They are winners of the four to five year old category.

Meanwhile, the winners of the 6 to 12 year old category are: Christopher Laraque of Old Harbour High School in St Catherine, who was placed first; second place winner is Alecia Hall of Sunbury Primary School in Clarendon and Ajanni

The Peace Guardian Journey to Harmony - Light the Passion, Share the Dream (Beijing 2008 Olympics)

Volume 6 Issue : April – June 2022

Children Offer VPA Solutions to Nurture On Welcomes How Greater Peace Peacebuilding Can Be Achieved ininTheir 2022 Communities Grants Pen Exercise BarsWork for Peace The community Several childrenofhave Grants offered Pen welcomed an exercise forcan peace, suggestions on howbars peace which is aimed at providing an addibe achieved in their communitional outlet for mental stimulation ties through peace letters that and release, decreasing the werephysical written in observation of chances of seeking negative and International Peace Day in Sep- violent means to resolve conflicts. tember in a competition that was organised by thewas Violence Pre- to the The equipment presented vention Alliance (VPA), the Miniscommunity by the VPA, Island Diaries/ try of Education, Youth and Cremo, ATL Automotive, SpyInforTraining mation and at thea Early Childhood and Premix ribbon cutting ceremony held in the community on June Commission.

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The ofIan theMuirhead, competition The winners Reverend who has are: Douglasfor from HollybeenZorian instrumental more than two wood Basic School in St. Ann decades in bringing about a dramatic who was placed first; Akaysia shift from the violence-plagued comNorthover of Hillside Primary and munity to one in that Infant School St now Maryenjoys who isrelative the second place winner and third place winner, Abby-Gail

peace in communities such as Grants Pen and commended the collaboration in equipping the existing peace park with the equipment.

Glendon Nam (third left), director of Island Dairies/Cremo and Dr Elizabeth Ward (fourth left), chair of the VPA cut the ribbon to officially open the exercise bars for the Grants Pen Peace Park. Sharing in the moment are (from left), Joy Cotterel, councillor of the Division ,Pastor Ian Muirhead; Delroy Chuck, Member of Parliament for the area and Minister of Justice and David Tulloch, People’s National Party’s caretaker for the St Andrew North East constituency

calm said the facility will further strengthen the peace initiative in the community.

Dr Elizabeth Ward, chair of the VPA stressed the importance of maintaining

Glendon Nam, director of Island Dairies/Cremo said his organisation decided to donate the equipment because it was important that they invested in their own backyard and uplift the community. Member of Parliament of Grants Pen and Minister of Justice, Delroy Chuck underscored the importance of continued maintenance of peace in the community.

David Tulloch, People’s National Party’s caretaker for the St Andrew North East constituency noted that the initiative is to be commended .

Fletcher’s Land Wins Easter Peace Championship Competition

Thirty-two football teams from South St. Andrew and neighbouring West Kingston participated in the “Easter Peace Championship”

Inside this issue: Children First Agency Celebrates 25 years

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Oceans for Everyone Makes a Difference in Children’s Lives

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CRP Expands to Provide Training 3 in Peace Resiliency and Wellness Violence is the Root Cause of

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NCDs Photo Highlights of Start-Up Entrepreneurship Training

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Peace Day Letter from Little AbbyGail

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the promotion of a peaceful community.

The police, are always engaged as a critical stakeholder in maintaining the peace as well as promoting positive community/police Fletcher’s Land celebrating their win. relations.”

The VPA joined other benefactors to execute competition, hosted by the Craig Town Youth Foundation April 14-18, this initiative that im2022. pacts the lives of the Children at the West Haven Children’s Home Colleen Wint-Bond (right) of the VPA youth in a positive presents prize to third place winner, Penn Although the competition took a two way. Their cash incen- Street representative.

-year break due to the COVID-19 tive for the winning pandemic, citizens turned out in team as well as the runner- Winner of the competition their numbers and vendors enjoyed up teams and leading goal was Fletcher’s Land, second the boost as it resumed this year. scorer were supported by prize went to Second Street the VPA along with other from Lower Trench Town and According to one of the organisers, partners. The VPA supported third place went to Penn Omar Marsh, “This annual initiative the third prize of $20,000.

Street of Jones Town. has been very instrumental in

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VPA NEWS

Children First Agency Celebrates 25 Years of Social Interventions Children First Agency, which offers social, educational and training programmes for youngsters in the 10-24 age group while empowering their parents and guardians to overcome poverty and enhance daily life is celebrating 25 years.

Claudette Richardson- Pious, founder and executive director of Children First Agency is beaming with pride of the accomplishments over the last 25 years.

“I think in this struggling time in Jamaica, it is really good that Children First has managed to keep the doors open for 25 years. Our programmes and interventions have been impactful and some of the best students have emerged from our institution,” she said.

Children First is Jamaica’s largest programme of this type, offering social, educational and training programmes for youngsters and parents and guardi

which ensures its young clients full involvement including decisionmaking at the Board of Directors level.

Some of the life changing projects include: Bashy Bus Kru, which provides Claudette Richardson-Pious, founder of Children First Agency sexual and reproductive health information services -ans to overcome poverty across the island to empowthrough successful skills training er young people to make and small business projects. healthy life choices; an advocacy, literacy and empowerChildren First has been recogment campaign aimed at nized at home and abroad for its reducing Gender Based Viocreative, participatory approach, lence (GBV) in Jamaica. This

project aims to impact, empower and re-socialize vulnerable young men through targeted interventions and skills training.

Other projects include: AntiBullying Project, which aims to build the capacity of key stakeholders and caregivers to identify and respond to bullying, and equip them as to how to reduce bullying in their environments.

Recent projects include the Spotlight Initiative, which is a global campaign launched in 2020 that aims to aid in the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls by 2030.

“We looking forward to another 25 years. This organisation is here to stay as we continue to impact the lives of the vulnerable,” said Mrs RichardsonPious.

Oceans For Everyone Makes a Difference In Children’s Lives Through Boating Captain Rayon Carruthers, Founder and Chairman of Oceans For Everyone Inc is exposing Jamaican children to boating and the ocean in a format that will educate, encourage and excite them about the possibilities that boating can create.

He said the experience has positively impacted the children who benefited from the exposure. He made the disclosure during a presentation to VPA Steering Committee meeting in March.

“I think it is our responsibility to create a world that is easier for kids where they have more opportunities to see things and have more experiences that are going to boost their existence and to help them in their devel-

opment because they are going to develop one way or another but I think it is our responsibility that as they develop they have experiencChildren enjoying a boat tour organised by the Oceans for Everyone Inc. es that are going to put them in a better and give it to them. I think that position to just be happy,” he in of itself will show them they noted. live in a world that in some way cares about them and is looking The aim of the programme is to out for them,” he informed. enrich the lives of many Jamaican children so their characters The initiative commenced in can be positively motivated. “The 2019 and so far hundreds of goal is to create an opportunity Jamaican children have benefit-

Jamaican children have benefited.

Research has shown that exposure to the ocean can improve the human brain.

“It actually changes your brain wave frequency and stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system which makes you calmer, more relaxed. There has been studies on how this can positively benefit the body,” he said.

“Ultimately my goal is been able to pull off several trips a year offering thousands of Jamaican children the opportunity to go to sea.” Through the programme, small groups of kids benefit from customized trips out to sea centered on fun, education and familiarization with the boating world.

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Child Resiliency Programme Expands to Provide Training in Peace Resiliency and Wellness The Child Resiliency Programme (CRP), which is operated by the VPA has expanded its programme to train university students, community leaders and professionals in Peace Resiliency and Wellness (PRW).

The PRW curriculum developed by the Child Resiliency Programme has been integrated into the Masters in Education Administration and the Guidance and Counseling Curriculum as part of the initial offerings of the newly launched Peace Institute of the International University of the Caribbean. Church leaders, community leaders, case managers at the Ministry of National Security along with university students and other private individuals attest to greatly benefiting from the support of this training course.

persons completed the PWR course recently.

Meanwhile, 65 children “at risk” and “at promise” referred from Trench Town Primary, Edward Seaga Primary, Boys Town, St Albans, St Annies and Red Hills Primary schools were provided with literacy support and life skills training (including spiritual development) integrated into sporting and creative activities.

Counseling, parent training and home visits were also provided for the families along with nutritional support throughout the course of the programme.

Graduates of the CPR show off their certificates at their graduation ceremony

“Persons have been empowered to maintain peace and build on their own resiliency and wellness as they work to impact the

lives of persons in challenging circumstances,” said Dr Kim Scott, Programme Director of CRP as she informed that 100

The children were presented with certificates of participation, behavioural prizes and showcased their talent in dance, drumming and songs.

Violence is one of the Root Causes of NCDs – Dr Elizabeth Ward Dr Elizabeth Ward, chair of the VPA said that one of the root causes of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Jamaica is violence.

“All across the spectrum of our non-communicable diseases we are seeing these increases and violence is part of the root cause,” she pointed out.

Dr Ward made the link while making a presentation at the monthly Steering Committee meeting of the VPA on June 14 where she was the guest speaker.

She said children exposed to violence are twice as likely to experience heart disease; 2.3 times for cancer; 1.5 times for diabetes and obesity; two times likely to be involved in alcohol and drugs abuse; 2.8 times likely to be a smoker; 3.6 times more likely to be practising unsafe sexual practices.

The VPA chair informed that according to data from the Centre for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) children affected from childhood trauma are Dr Elizabeth Ward, Chair of the VPA 12 times more likely to commit suicide, 4.4 times likely to suffer from depression and 7.5 times more likely to perpetrate violence or become the victims of violence.

Citing some of these adverse childhood experiences, which lead to development of NCDs, she said this include: abuse; neglect and household challenges such as intimate partner violence, mental

illness, incarceration, parental separation or divorce and substance dependency.

She however noted that prevention was key.

She informed that programmes and policies can be developed to target the social and economic determinants of violence. She however added that when prevention fails, it can be treated.

Dr Ward however underscored that children need reassurance of safety, routines, regulations and relationships, which she said are the core components of resilience. She also recommends safe, clean, green spaces with supervised activities.

The VPA chair pointed out for prevention to work, programmes have to be designed to suit the problem. She said when the interventions are executed, they should be done properly by using the evidence to guide the interventions. In addition, they should be targeted with the right dosage. She however noted that community engagement was also critical in yielding success as without the involvement of the community the interventions might not work. According to data from the latest Jamaica Health & Lifestyle Survey, 29 per cent of Jamaicans 15 years old and older are obese; 12 per cent are diabetic and 34 per cent are hypertensive.

VPA NEWS

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Photo Highlights of Start-Up Entrepreneurship Training Programme The VPA hosted a group of young men from the communities of Whitfield Town and Trench Town to improve their income earning capabilities and reduce their involvement in gang related activities. They were taught entrepreneurship skills equipping them to become entrepreneurs.

Peace Day Letter - Little Abby-Gail

VPA Hands Over Tablet

Dr. Sidney McGill (second left) board director, Violence Prevention Alliance presents tablet to Zorian Douglas from Hollywood Basic School in St. Ann who won in the Peace Day letter competition in the four to five year-old category, which was organised by VPA in observation of International Peace Day, recently.

Sharing in the moment are Claudett CardCannigan (left), principal of the school and Nickesah Soares-Douglas, mother.