The Peace Guardian
Journey to Harmony - Light the Passion, Share the Dream (Beijing 2008 Olympics)
Volume 7 Issue : January – March 2023
VPAto Nurture Greater Peacebuilding Work in 2022
Children Offer Solutions On How Peace Can BeAchieved in Their Communities
VPA Expands Drumming for Peace Programme
Several children have offered suggestions on how peace can be achieved in their communities through peace letters that were written in observation of International Peace Day in September in a competition that was organised by the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA), the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and the Early Childhood Commission
As part of its Peace Day celebrations, the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) expanded its drumming programme ‘Drumming for Peace’ to five additional schools.
Dr. Elizabeth Ward, chair of the VPA, stated that the Drumming for Peace project is an expansion of the Drumming Therapy Project, the latter being part of a collaboration with the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) where children in children’s homes operated by the CPFSA, were engaged.
Town Primary and Junior High School in St. Ann and the Salvation Army at Hanbury Home in Manchester.
The winners of the competition are: Zorian Douglas from Hollywood Basic School in St. Ann who was placed first; Akaysia Northover of Hillside Primary and Infant School in St Mary who is the second place winner and third place winner, Abby-Gail
“The Drumming Therapy Project has done very well over the last two years and we think that the initiative would have greater impact if it were expand-
ed; based on this, over the next few months, we will be launching the programme in five new schools,” she informed. The institutions to be engaged are: Jones Town Primary School, Kingston High and the Kingston Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) School Leavers Institute, Steer
programme to train university students, community leaders and professionals in Peace Resiliency and Wellness (PRW).
We teamed up with Sistren Theatre Collective, Groots Jamaica, Island Coffees Ltd and peace ambassadors to launch ‘Creatives For Peace’, an initiative that will enable young people to
The launched of the expansion took place at the Kingston YWCA on South Camp Road on Tuesday, March 7. The day’s activities included a small private reception, featuring a drumming circle which was supported by professional musicians who have volunteered to lend their time and expertise to the initiative. Meanwhile, for other Peace Day activities, Peace and Love in Society in collaboration with Project STAR staged a Peace Day Concert on the same day at the Calabar Infant, Primary and Junior High School on Sutton Street in Kingston.
National Peace Day 2023 Celebrated Under the Theme ‘Be the Peace’
National Peace Day was observed on Tuesday, March 7. The VPA and its partners had a slew of activities in observation of the day. Here are highlights from PALS & Project STAR, along with VPA engagements.
Inside this issue: Dr Deanna Ashley, Trailblazer in Public Health and Violence Prevention 2 Break the back of Cultural Norms that encourages Domestic Violence
Detective Corporal Hammond 2 Child Resiliency Programme Trains 42 students in Peace , Resilience and Wellness 3 Child Resiliency Programme Sports Day and Medal Awards Ceremony 3 Creatives for Peace Competition Culminates with Top Three Talents Emerging. 4
Says
Damion Hylton (right), senior technical project officer at Project STAR interacts with students at Calabar Infant, Primary and Junior High School.
Students at Calabar Infant, Primary and Junior High School pose for the camera.
Students of the Kingston YWCA and members of the Rotary Club of St. Andrew participate in a drumming circle.
Dr. Elizabeth Ward (second right), VPA chair, Jesse Golding, (right) drummer and students at the YWCA participate in a drumming circle.
Dr Deanna Ashley, Trailblazer in Public Health and Violence Prevention
International Women’s Day was celebrated on March 8 under the theme ‘Accelerating Equality & Empowerment’
This year we celebrate the work of Dr Deanna Ashley, Executive Director of the VPA.
For the past 19 years, Dr Ashley has led the VPA and with a small dedicated team and spearheaded several intervention programmes aimed at encouraging individuals to resolving conflicts peaceful.
Some of these VPA interventions include: CAMP Cornwall, a child centred initiative at the Cornwall Regional Hospital, which is aimed at identifying children and youth with violence related injuries and seeking interventions for them that will support their emotional and mental wellbeing; the Child Resiliency Programme, which is geared to rescue ‘at risk’
children exposed to violence or who have behavioural problems .
Dr Ashley is a retired director of Health Promotion and Protection Division at the Ministry of Health which she served with distinction from 19702006. She is a paediatrician and public health specialist and has worked as paediatric clinician, a parish medical officer of health, senior medical officer for maternal and child health and primary care, and principal medical officer for secondary and tertiary care.
Her outstanding service in health was recognised with
two national honours the Order of Distinction (OD) 1983, for her work in the 1982 polio epidemic and the Commander of Distinction (CD) in 2005 for her contribution to the health services. She was recognised by the Women’s Leadership Initiative in 2012 as one of three women to make a significant contribution in shifting the paradigm and cultivating a systems approach to public health and violence prevention. We asked her: “HOW HAVE YOU BEEN USING YOUR OWN SPHERE OF INFLUENCE, AND ARE RISING TO THE CHALLENGE TO CREATE A SPACE FOR YOUR VOICE, AS WELL AS THAT OF
OTHER WOMEN AND GIRLS, TO BE HEARD?”
RESPONSE: As someone who believes in the importance of the development of children and youth, I invest my time to support many young persons through my work at my alma mater, St Andrew High School for Girls. As a director and former chairperson of the St Andrew High School Foundation, I have provided expertise to support the development of the students and the school’s facilities to ensure the provision of excellent education opportunities. Although I have no children of my own, through my interest in children and young persons I have many ‘adopted children’ who I have nurtured and guided into well-adjusted adults, who are now giving back to help other children and youths to grow into responsible and productive adults.
‘Break the Back of Cultural Norms that Encourage Domestic Violence’, Says Corporal Hammond tion’.
Detective Corporal Damion Hammond, Centre Manager for the Portmore Domestic Violence Intervention Centre said that it was important to break the back of cultural norms that perpetuate domestic violence.
“We need to break the back of some of these thinking and acceptance [physical abuse] that people gravitate towards because it is having a negative impact. People will be saying ‘after a little lick not killing anybody’ but we shouldn’t be putting our hands on anybody.”
He made the statement while addressing the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) Steering Committee Meeting in February where he was the guest speaker. He presented on the topic ‘Domestic Violence - The impact of Culture and Socializa-
He said some women still held the belief if their man do not beat them, that man does not love them.
“But this is a cultural perspective where they have come to know so it is like nothing to them. Domestic violence is intimately related to socialization. Socialization is the learning process in which individuals are taught and internalize the models, values, social norms
and behaviours that they are exposed to in their environment,” he explained.
He said one of these social norms taught to boys is to be strong and independent, preserve their ego and to obtain
privileges and become intolerant of a situation.
“This holds true to even today because of how you were raised impacts on how you raise your own family and sometimes these upbringing are passed on unless at some stage you say that you do not think this is the correct way and this is how you want to do things,” he said.
Detective Corporal Hammond said that the Jamaica Constabulary Force was addressing reports of domestic violence through a multi-agency approach where the different government entities work together to guide victims of domestic violence to a referral pathway and to ensure that they get the necessary help and justice they need in their particular situation.
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Detective Corporal Damion Hammond
Child Resiliency Programme Trained 42 Students in Peace Resiliency and Wellness
Forty two students from the Peace Institute at the International University of the Caribbean (IUC) were trained in building Peace, Resiliency and Wellness (PRW).
The PRW has been integrated into the Masters in Educational Administration, the Bachelors of Education and Guidance and Counselling courses at the university.
The training was completed recently as the CRP continued in the provision of training in building PRW to university students and to those persons involved in providing care for children “at risk” or emerging from trauma.
The Child Resiliency programme has also continued to build Resiliency in children and their parents at Boys Town and Mountain View Primary for the January-March school term.
The cohort of 60 referred children ages 10 to 11 years identified to be “at risk”; from Edward Seaga, Trench Town , Boys Town
St Alban’s and St Annie’s Primary were continued to be supported at Boys Town and another 25 children
identified to be at risk supported at Mountain View Primary School.
Literacy and nutritional support, life skills training, creative activities and sporting activities to reinforce life skills training and parent training, counselling and home visits for the families of the children referred were provided. The follow up of football talent continued this term with 12 CRP children competing on Saturdays at the Constant Spring football field.
This term culminated in Sports Day and Medal Awards Ceremony held on March 28-29 at both sites. The Boys Town and Mountain View Primary School sites continue to serve as community-based and in-school models respectively for research and practicum learning assignments for the university students.
Child Resiliency Programme Sports Day and Medal Awards Ceremony
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Members of staff of the CRP participate in Peace Building in School Conference , which was hosted by the Peace Institute of the IUC at Alhambra Inn in March.
Creatives for Peace Competition Culminates With Top Three Talents Emerging
Calvin Palmer (K-Palmer), Raymond Gallimore (U See It), and Alfred Thompson (Shady Natural), winners in the Creatives for Peace Competition are elated to have emerged the top three winners from a field of 125 contestants who entered the competition.
Creatives for Peace was established in 2022 as an initiative between the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA), Island Coffees Limited and other community based organisations. The competition which culminated recently sought to enable at-risk youths from inner-city communities to become positive influencers and role models for their peers and the younger generation through creative arts.
For Calvin Palmer, who was placed first in the competition, this is a great accomplishment for him. “When I came first in the competition, I realized that it takes preservation and hard work and I feel good within myself. I feel a level of accomplishment as I can tell my children about it to encourage them,” he said.
‘Healthy Behaviour for
The 35 year-old who is from Jones Town said that he hopes that the competition will open more doors of opportunity for him. He is currently in preparation mode to enter the Jamaica Cultural Development Competition this year.
“The outcome of the competition was excellent. I really worked hard and I invested in myself. I would love if they
Project Implemented
Some 150 persons in Trench Town, Rose Town and Jones Town were engaged through a mobile health clinic and provided counselling services during a community pop-up event organised by the VPA and Children First.
The event, which was held in February was facilitated through a grant from the Aids Health Foundation to implement the Healthy Behaviour for Life Project. This was to raise awareness about the project’s objectives and proposed activities. The event saw members of the communities receiving HIV/STI testing, counseling, condoms, as well as participated in activities geared towards exploring and building knowledge on 'Safe Sex'. , tailored for persons aged 16-24 years old.
Workshops are currently being undertaken, focusing on the topics: Sexual Reproductive Health, Conflict Resolution, Peer Pressure, Drug & Substance Abuse, Self Esteem and Goal Setting.
could have the competition again because it helped to motivate young persons in city communities,” he
Raymond Gallimore who placed second in the competition was equally happy.
“I feel good about it,” he said, noting that he enjoyed performing songs from different genre in the finals. He said his favourite genre was Ska.
Alfred Thompson, third place winner said his lyrical content and strong positive music gave him the edge above his other competitors and aided him in placing third.
“I enjoyed the free spirit of the competition. You got the opportunity to showcase your talent, and express yourself,” said the resident of Jones Town.
VPA Team Participates in EU 5KRun
ping stone for greater things which
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Raymond Gallimore (left), Calvin Palmer (centre) and Alfred Thompson show off their trophies.
Life’