The Safety & Security in Schools Unit of the Ministry of Education and Nestlé Jamaica have joined forces provide high school students with vital conflict resolution skills aimed at fostering a culture of open communication, empathy and collaboration.   

Representatives from Nestlé and Safe and Security in Schools Unit School recently concluded a transformative conflict resolution workshop series under the theme “Building Bridges, Not Walls”.

The workshop series, facilitated by Social Worker and Trained Mediator Sandra Watkiss-Madden of the Dispute Resolutions Foundation (DRF), provided over eighty student leaders from Haile Selassie High, Norman Manley High, St. Andrew Technical High, Denham Town High, Kingston High, Kingston Technical High, Holy Trinity High and Papine High with comprehensive training on managing conflicts, both within the school environment and the broader community.

Each participant received a conflict management education workbook, designed to complement the workshop content, and further develop their conflict resolution abilities.

Richard Troupe, acting director of the Safety & Security in Schools Unit highlighted the significance of this partnership.

“We cannot transform schools without the strategic engagement of our students as key stakeholders. This initiative is a testimony that we are committed to getting the students’ voices and actions involved as we try to transform the selected high schools in Kingston. The [ministry’s] partnership with Nestlé Jamaica is important; they are the first private sector company that demonstrated a strong interest to support the ministry’s Inter-Ministerial School Support Strategy targeting 34 primary and high schools located within or serving the seven declared Zones of Special Operations,” he explained.

Rhona Morgan-Burchenson, head of legal and compliance at Nestlé Jamaica, emphasised the company’s dedication to societal betterment.

“This workshop series demonstrates our commitment to fostering peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, aligned with UN SDG-16 principles. We aim to ensure access to justice and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels,” Morgan-Burchenson mused.

Reggae musician Jesse Royal also played a pivotal role in the programme, engaging students on day two of the workshop in a one-on-one conversation about values and ambition, further inspiring them towards positive change.

Participants, such as Akeem Allen, a 10th-grade student at Holy Trinity High School, expressed how the workshop provided valuable insights on how to treat peers and effectively manage various issues, including bullying and conflicts at home.

Sheryl Linton-Jack, Grade 10 teacher and prefect body coordinator at Kingston High, highlighted the potential ripple effect.  

“These students will be able to take back what they have learned here to the wider student body at Kingston High. The situation with crime and violence in Jamaica demands interventions like these. This generation can be the change,” Linton Jack-added.

The collaborative efforts of the Education Ministry, Nestlé Jamaica and the DRF underscore the collective commitment to equipping Jamaica’s youth with the skills necessary to navigate conflicts and contribute to a more peaceful and harmonious society.