Goal: Building safe & harmonious communities
INTRODUCTION
The Ministers of Education in Jamaica over the past 12 years, have consistently asked the churches in Jamaica to become more involved in assisting schools with appropriate programmes in order to support the school management, and also in assisting the Ministry of Education and the Jamaica Constabulary Force in dealing with factors which often lead to the outburst of anger-which often result in anti-social behaviour and violence among children and young people in schools.
It is against this background that UNITAS of Jamaica, a registered charitable organization owned by members of the Moravian Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, is embarking on an Anger Management pilot project and Training programme with 20 schools in the Parishes of Manchester and St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, which will impact a total of 10,000 students.
The Anger Management and Training Programme will assist students in learning how to manage anger that can lead to violence, and to learn how to learn and adopt skills in impulse control and how to channel anger which can result in violent responses and criminal behaviour.
MISSION
To reduce anger and violent incidents in schools (St. Elizabeth and Manchester (Nazareth Primary School, Mizpah Primary School, Lititz All Age & Infant).
Effective violence prevention through awareness building, anger management training and support services.
Developing a curriculum that uses evidence based prevention and intervention strategies to address violence in schools;
ABOUT THE PROJECT
This pilot project will be working out of these three(3) schools that will be the base for the training of 20 trainers who will in turn train 200 teachers in detection of tendencies toward violence, early intervention, and anger management; The approach is standardized through the use of a comprehensive manual developed by the project.
Students will receive 1,000 hours of training in anger and violence awareness, anger management strategies, and harmless outlets. Parents will receive ongoing training through monthly sessions on positive parenting skills which is expected to reach every member of the community numbering 200,000 over the three periods.
We will design a programme to be implemented under the following headings:
Will consist of the training programme to assist the school guidance counseling department to control anger and violence.
Will assist the institutions to development the curriculum to make it better able to deliver the education as set out by the Ministry of Education.
Development of Learning Environment
Will assist the institutions to development the curriculum to make it better able to deliver the education as set out by the Ministry of Education.
Sensitive the community on making them owning the schools.
methodology
Unitas of Jamaica will select a number of resource persons qualified in the subject areas to prepare curriculums, workshops, seminars and deliver the content to the community trainers who will have direct access to the school communities.
A memorandum of understanding will be worked out with the Ministry of Education schools so that the project can be included in the everyday activities for the school years. From these materials developed a comprehensive manual will be developed to provide a standardised approach that will be replicated throughout the island. Students will receive 1,000 hours of training in anger and violence awareness, anger management strategies, and harmless outlets. Parents will receive ongoing training through monthly sessions on positive parenting skills. A telephone communication system will be used for consultation with professionals’ trainers while students will have accesses to have one to one discussion on subjects relevant to the project objectives.
approach
Unitas of Jamaica will select a number of resource persons qualified in the subject areas to prepare curriculums, workshops, seminars and deliver the content to the community trainers who will have direct access to the school communities.
A memorandum of understanding will be worked out with the Ministry of Education schools so that the project can be included in the everyday activities for the school years. From these materials developed a comprehensive manual will be developed to provide a standardised approach that will be replicated throughout the island. Students will receive 1,000 hours of training in anger and violence awareness, anger management strategies, and harmless outlets. Parents will receive ongoing training through monthly sessions on positive parenting skills. A telephone communication system will be used for consultation with professionals’ trainers while students will have accesses to have one to one discussion on subjects relevant to the project objectives.
expected results
This pilot project will deliver a comprehensive Anger Management Programme that will assist 10,000 students in learning how to manage potential conflict situations while looking for alternatives to violently behaviour and building peace-giving and peace sharing initiatives.
It is expected that:
- 75% of students trained demonstrate restraint and non violent means to settle disputes and reduction in violent incidents among students in project’s schools and communities.
- 60% Increase in parent participants practising principles of positive parenting at home who are trained by parent leaders on parent involvement develop the capacity of parent trainers to recruit other parents 75% of all community members (children, parents, organizations, citizens, etc.) that participate in prevention programs increase their involvement in community activities.
monitorinG and evaluation
A comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework will be developed which will include data gathering, focus group sessions along with other indicators and other monitoring and evaluation exercises. A steering committee as well as sub committee will be established by and chaired by a specialist from Canada with representation of all stakeholders including, parents, children, Churches teachers and the communities.
This oversight body will have regular monthly meetings with a structured reporting format to ensure communication and follow-up takes place for a period of six months after the roll out of the programme. Social scientist from the Christian Diaspora in Canada has express interest to assist with the implementation of the project and also provide technical expertise in making the transition from a project to a programme. Other interested parties (Jamaicans) in England, Canada and USA have consented to volunteer their services to conduct the monitoring and evaluation aspect of the project.
Risk Analysis and Mitigation Measures
The Project design has been deliberated adequately by all stakeholders (Local and Central governments, experts, private sector, etc.) with an aim to minimize the risks associated with the Project. The willingness to implement academic and non-academic reforms is an essential pre-condition for participation in the Project to be fulfilled by the Institutions and the Ministry of Education.
Only those institutions that are willing to reform will be selected under the Project. The Project has been designed as a bottom up approach and the institutions and Ministries have been encouraged to ensure project ownership as part of their school curriculums.