NCDA Hosts Symposium For Men In Westmoreland Feb. 18

The National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) in Westmoreland will be hosting a symposium to inspire men in the parish to better fulfil their roles as fathers and to become positive role models for youth and adults.

The event, which is dubbed ‘Big Man Thing’, will be held at New Market Oval in Savanna-la-Mar on Friday, February 18, in partnership with the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), the Peace Management Initiative (PMI), Ministry of Health and Wellness, Ministry of Justice, Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

It will engage youth from the communities of Russia, Dalling Street, Dexter Street, now under a zone of special operations, and other communities.

Substance Abuse Officer, NCDA, for the parish, Henry Hill, said the event will bring together community members, in particular men, several social agencies, and professionals to discuss the social issues that have led to dysfunctional homes and crime and violence in the targeted communities.

“What we have found is that in that [New Market Oval] community, in particular, about 59 per cent of the households are headed by males, but speaking with and interacting with the community members, we find that the males are not really playing an active role in their children’s lives,” Mr. Hill said.

He noted that there are those who are not in a position to actively guide their children, because of the surge in crime and violence in their community.

“This has been impacting the behaviour of the children in the community,” he continued.

According to Mr. Hill, male participants will be able to access knowledge on various topics, including their role in the family and how to access psychosocial help in the parish.

He further said the men will also have the opportunity to enhance their conflict resolution management skills, money management skills, and how to develop skills of effective communication.

Another key feature of the event will be health, wellness, and educational discussions.

“We’ll be doing all the basic screening [for] hypertension, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and high cholesterol and we will have someone from the Misty Blue Cancer Foundation, sharing best practices on how to [treat with] cancer,” he added.

Participants will also be engaged in panel discussions on child development and good parenting practices.