Dr Kim Scott-Fisher, USAID consultant, addresses the launch of the parenting intervention package at the Knutsford Court Hotel on Tuesday. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

With hundreds of the nation's young people engaging in illicit sexual practices, crime and violence and drugs, Jamaica's Solution to Youth Lifestyle and Empowerment (JASTYLE) on Tuesday launched the parenting intervention package for parents with adolescent children.

The parenting intervention package includes, among other things, the parenting curriculum, which is a training manual consisting of participatory exercises for parents of adolescents. The topics range from building self-esteem to parent-child communication on sexual and reproductive health.

According to JASTYLE, the purpose of the curriculum for parents of adolescents is to increase parents' knowledge and confidence levels so that they will be able to communicate with their adolescents about sexual and reproductive health, violence prevention, drug use and HIV/AIDS.

The curriculum consists of six topic areas divided into structured lessons that allow participants to practise parenting skills and discuss their experience with others. It can be used among all literacy levels.

Active participation

It is intended for use by non-governmental organisations wanting to meet the needs of parents. The facilitators help the learning process by: presenting activities that draw on participants' experiences, knowledge, attitudes and skills, encouraging active participation in order to master new skills and concepts, among others.

Speaking Tuesday at the launch of the manual, held at the Knutsford Court Hotel, Dr Karen Hillard, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) mission director, said the problems young people face today are more complex than the problems her generation faced when they were growing up. She noted that, in order for young people to become good leaders, parents have to give them the guidance they need. The manual, she said, has been tried, tested and proven, even by her, a mother of three adolescents.

Dr Kim Scott-Fisher, USAID consultant, said the curriculum was developed to increase parents' knowledge and confidence in their ability to more effectively parent their adolescent.

Good parenting skills

In her endorsement, Dr Eva Lewis-Fuller, director of health promotion and protection in the Ministry of Health, said good parenting skills are important for the optimal development of children. She noted that Tuesday's launch was critical in addressing this need.

Samora Bain, research officer at the Early Childhood Commission, who endorsed the programme on behalf of Professor Maureen Samms-Vaughan, chairman of the commission, said the parenting package was another piece in the puzzle in helping to improve parenting practices nationwide.

Reverend Ian Muirhead of the Grants Pen Ministers Fraternal said he was very excited about the manual and the potential that it has in helping to build a better community in Grants Pen.