Peer Helping– A student peer to peer support based programme established in 2000, this programme has been conducted more than 85 times in secondary schools in Trinidad and Tobago

Focus: Peer Helping is a service whereby trained students offer continuous support to their peers by educating and empowering them to make healthier decisions for challenges they face as adolescents. This programme consists of an initial week of training at participating schools, once-per-term follow up visits and sessions and set missions / tasks for all active schools.

Method: Families in Action comes to your school to do three to five (3-5) full day- morning and afternoon sessions that focus on:

• The Role of the Peer Helper,
• Developing Positive Self Esteem,
• Managing Negative Emotions,
• Developing Effective Communication,
• Conflict Management,
• Managing Negative Peer Influence,
• Sexuality,
• Spirituality,
• Teamwork

Peer Helpers also receive certificates and support through Follow up visits per term.

Girls Stand Up (GSU) an all Girl Gender-Based Violence prevention programme

Focus: Established in 2015, this 6 month long programme trains a cadre of student leaders to serve as the first line of defense in preventing violence against girls and ultimately women in our society. These students are equipped with the knowledge and skills they require to form GSU groups in their respective schools to educate, support and empower their peers to prevent or manage gendered violence.

Method: Families in Action visits your school to conduct a five day training programme- (morning and afternoon sessions) and provides both interschool joint workshops and follow up visits and guidance to establishing working GSU groups. Focus is placed on :

• Overview/ Key Definitions
• Roles/ Responsibilities of the GSU Clubs
• Understanding Healthy Relationships
• Gender Based Violence
• Responding to Violence in relationships
• Leadership Skills
• Using Positive Peer Influence
• Mentoring & Coaching
• Active Listening

NP: There are other programmes that work to target Boys alone and others that utilize both Boys & Girls to stand against Gender Based Violence. Please contact us for further details.

Prefect Training  a programme focused on developing Prefect’s specific Leadership role

Focus: The Leadership/Prefect Training workshop aims at exposing participants to fundamental interpersonal skills that will help them foster positive relations with their peers while undertaking their role as School Prefects.This training has been executed for over 10 years and is constantly revised to be relevant and beneficial to its participants. Since implemented we have seen:

Method: Families in Action comes to your school to do two to three (2-3) days of sessions (morning and afternoon) that focus on:

• Developing Trust & Leadership
• Developing Self Esteem & Self Confidence
• Managing Negative Feelings
• Developing Effective Communication Skills
• Conflict Resolution
• Goal Setting & Teamwork

YOUth LEADership Academy a premier holistic Leadership development programme

Focus: The YOUthLEADership Academy aims to provide leadership opportunities and engagements to foster continuous introspection and development to maximize the leadership potential of our youth. It exposes participants to real life scenarios, exposure to external leaders and a civic engagement activity.

Method: Student leaders from secondary schools apply to attend the Academy and are selected trained at 1 location over the space of 10 days in the July- August period that focus on:

• Effective Leadership
• Effective Communication
• Self Confidence
• Financial Management
• Coaching
• Civic Responsibility
• Time Management
• Conflict and Problem Solving

Train the Trainer Professional Series “The Art of Facilitation”  a high quality personal and professional development training.

Focus: This training is available to both companies and the general public and is designed to equip participants with the skills, knowledge and capacity for successfully planning, executing and evaluating workshops and group engagements. The discipline of facilitation can be applied to any personnel who has the responsibility of facilitating meetings, conferences, presentations, briefings, workshops, trainings, ice breakers, group work and public speaking.

Method: Participants attend interactive workshops that develop theoretical and practical applications of the skills, tools and techniques demonstrated as a facilitator. Training Sessions can be conducted on Saturdays or customized to suit organizations availability and focus on these areas:

• Adult Learning Theories
• Starting Workshops
• Planning a Session/Workshop
• Facilitation and Co-Facilitation Skills
• Evaluating Workshops

NB: We also provide Professional Development Workshops on varying topics. Contact us for more information.

Peer Mediation a peer to peer and administrative support group to address student related conflicts

Focus: Through this programme, identified student leaders are trained to identify and educate their peers about conflicts and to utilize mediation techniques to resolve minor conflicts amongst their peers.

Method: Peer Mediators are trained over 2 full days to be able to handle issues related to the following topics:

• Understanding Conflict and Peer Mediation,
• Developing Effective Communication Skills,
• Anger Management,
• Mediation Techniques and Procedures I & II

Peace Monitor Training  student’s support programme in Primary schools on Conflict Resolution.

Focus: The Peace Monitor training equips a group of students with the skill to create peace in their school through the use of positive peer pressure and helps them diffuse situations of conflict where there is a potential for a negative outcome.

Method: Families in Action comes to your school twice a week for two (2) weeks to do morning or afternoon sessions (four sessions in total) with 15 students that focus on:

• What is a Peace Monitor & Developing Leadership Skills
• Developing Self Confidence
• Understanding & Managing Peer Pressure
• Understanding & Managing Conflict

We also provide Follow up sessions to assess the Peace Monitor’s progress

Programmes that fall under this category can be customized and tailored to suit the needs of clients requesting the intervention. These include: 

Together we Achieve Growth (TAG) a joint parent and child interpersonal skills building programme

Focus: Since 2008, this programme has been conducted in 18 primary and 26 secondary schools in Trinidad and Tobago. It is conducted over a 1-year period and targets ‘at risk’ students in primary and secondary schools and their parents/guardians.  These students and their parents participate in individual and joint life-skills building sessions as a means of mitigating risk. These areas can be broken down to form core messages and modules designed to the target group over the cycle of the programme.

Broad areas of focus for Students include:

• Self,
• Relationships,
• Emotional Management,
• Effective Communication,
• Conflict Management

 Broad areas of focus for Parents Include:

• Parent/child Roles,
• Balancing Parent/ Child Needs,
• Listening &Communication,
• Effective Discipline,
• Emotional Management (Stress, Anger, Self Care)

Other Personal Development workshops-

 Focus: Since 2001, these workshops have been conducted in primary, secondary, tertiary, technical and vocational institutions across Trinidad and Tobago. They are custom-tailored to achieving the goal of developing individuals holistically. It can include one-off sessions or accommodate longer programme schedules.

Topics include: Transitioning from Primary to Secondary School Life, Self Development, Respect for Authority Figures, Developing Healthy Relationships, Sexuality, Bullying, Managing Peer Influence, Emotional Management, Effective Communication, Conflict Management, Teambuilding, Time Management, Goal Setting, Study Skills etc.

 Contact us to see how these can be applied and tailored to your programmes, schedule and objectives.

Peer Helping…

“The Peer Helpers’ Programme has taught students to think about issues affecting their peers, to be proactive in their approach and to be part of the solution.”

Secondary School Teacher, SAGHS

“As a student of Point Fortin West Secondary, I think that the Peer Helpers programme is a wonderful way to get young people educated and informed.” -Secondary School Student,
“The Peer Helper Programme has had a huge impact on the students in our school who were heading down the wrong path in life by offering a listening ear and support system to turn their lives around positively.”  Mayaro Secondary, School Safety Officer,

PEER MEDIATION…

“…I’ll forever be grateful for the opportunity given to me by Families In Action because even though it was an exercise done whilst I was in school I was able to apply everything learnt to my adult life thus making it easier for me to resolve conflicts on a daily basis and also making me an approachable person for people to vent to.”

Student- St. Francois Girls College

YOUthLEADership…

“I learnt a lot about myself and the type of leader I am and the way I handle conflicts. I will take away from the Academy that it is okay to fail but I have to learn from it and move on. It truly built my self confidence and ability to communicate more.” Student-Lakshmi Girls’ Hindu College
“I enjoyed the Academy and felt comfortable from day 1. I learnt to be more confident about myself, to communicate effectively and to handle conflicts better. I also learnt how to budget for my future and understood my traits as an effective leader.”

Student @ St. Stephen’s College, Princes Town

“It gave me an opportunity that I could not experience in another programme/camp. I learnt to be more confident as a leader and about different NGO’s in Trinidad and the work they are doing to help solve some of the problems the nation is dealing with. The information was useful and I have improved as a Leader”. 

Student @ Arima Central Secondary

Girls Stand Up (GSU)…

“The programme helped me understand that GBV is a real issue in Trinidad and that young girls have to stand up to stop it. We are grateful to be part of this programme and for the training”.

GSU Student @Tunapuna Secondary

“I am so thankful to have met all these other girls and students from other schools who are just awesome and supportive of each other. I know we can all do more things in our schools to fight against violence on girls and women.”

President of the GSU group – Chaguanas North Secondary School

Train the Trainer series- “The Art of Facilitation”…

“This was a life changing programme that has exceeded all my expectations… a safe space for learning and many useful strong facilitation skills I can build on.”

Training Coordinator

• “This experience has brought to light my strengths and weaknesses in Facilitation. I am more aware of areas for growth… and willing to challenge myself to develop my skills”

Primary School Teacher

• “The training has really helped me develop my confidence and skills as a facilitator. The sessions were to the point, the space was comfortable, the trainers and participants helped me develop faster. I have no fear, I am ready because I gained what I needed.”

Servol ,Life Skills Tutor

Together we Achieve Growth (TAG)…

“Since the inception of this programme at my school I have not had to write an incident in to my Incident book…great programme, tutors are friendly and knowledgeable. I want it to be continued and offered to other schools in the future.” 

Principal- Mt. D’or Government Primary School

“The experience in the programme has been edifying. I have learnt many things but most importantly, how to listen to my teenage son when he has something to share and not just to cut him off…great programme and I would recommend it to other parents. 

Mt. Hope Secondary School Parent

“For me, the programme taught me a lot. It served as an eye opener concerning things that parents think they know when they actually do not. It also showed me how to go about certain things the right way. For example, ways to deal with my son that could help to bring us closertogether”.

Diego Martin Central Secondary Parent

“I enjoyed the programme, it helped me to control my Anger and taught me how to communicate more with my parents.” – Student ,San Fernando West Secondary
“I feel better, we learnt about relationships…. and now my mommy talks with me more rather than quarrel with me”

Primary School Student@ Diego Martin Government RC