89 Graduate from Inner-City Parenting Programme

Eighty nine persons from inner-city communities across Kingston and St Andrew today (March 30) graduated from a parenting programme organised by the Kingston Restoration Company (KRC) and the Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP).
At the ceremony, held at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel, in St Andrew, the participants received certificates for completing training in first aid, nutrition, dispute resolution and fire safety.
Executive Director of the KRC, Morin Seymour said the programme targeted parents from 10 communities. These were; Cassia Park, Trench Town, Rockfort, August Town, Hanna Town, Denham Town, Mountain View, Ambrook Lane, Grants Pen and Kencot.
He explained that though the KRC is heavily involved in restoring buildings in Kingston communities, social development programmes are also critical to the process of renewing the city. According to him, if the residents of these communities are empowered, then the city will renew itself.
“Each person should take responsibility to reposition Kingston as the number one city in the Caribbean to live, work and play,” he challenged the graduates.
A point repeated throughout the ceremony was the positive impact training in the areas covered under the programme could have on crime levels in the participants’ communities.
One of the trainees in the nutrition programme, Althea Blackwood, said she would be passing on the knowledge she gained about good nutrition. She aid she learnt that malnutrition could lead to increases in crime and violence.
Another of the graduates, Michael Lawson, who participated in the fire prevention workshops, said he has also been sharing the knowledge he received with individuals in his community.
“Because of being there and learning what I have learnt, I have already started the process of getting the fire hydrants in my community repaired,” he shared.
The parenting programme was developed by the KRC with funding from the CSJP. A new cohort is expected to begin training next month under the programme.
The CSJP was established in 2001 and is aimed at preventing and reducing violence. Funding for the CSJP is covered by the Government of Jamaica and the Inter-American Development Bank(IDB).