With the welfare of our young people more at risk every day; it’s important that caretakers, guardians and anyone who interacts with children have their best interests at heart.  It’s important in the day–to–day management of their lives that we learn to identify and manage risks, respond to concerns, and prevent and minimise all forms of harm and abuse.

What this calls for is an increase in safeguarding and physiological first aid (PFA) training. As individuals and organisations continue to work with young people, we need to create environments that are safe; and where they know that they will be taken seriously and handled with empathy, understanding and no judgement.

Research from Crime and Violence: The Root Cause of Non-Communicable Diseases in Jamaica (2022) by Dr Elizabeth Ward during a Ministry of Health & Wellness webinar on violence and non-communicable diseases last November, shows that exposure to crime and violence and other adverse childhood experiences including abuse and neglect increases the risk of developing mental and emotional issues such as anxiety and depression; physical diseases including diabetes, obesity, heart disease and cancer; while increasing risks for other issues such as substance use and abuse, teenage pregnancy and STD transmission rates.

Exposure to these stressors can increase these risks by as much as four times.

The safeguarding training includes creating policies and procedures that govern any action or measure taken to prevent and reduce all forms of harm and abuse; and for responding to concerns about possible incidents of harm and abuse. Safeguarding ensures that all individuals can participate and receive the full benefits of programmes in safe, supportive and inclusive environments. Like medical first aid, PFA is a set of steps you can take to support children and adults who are undergoing emotional distress.

With the relevant training, young people who are having difficulties can be identified quickly, and be encouraged to seek treatment sooner. Fight for Peace offers training sessions in both areas for organisations that work directly with young people across the island. 

As part of their European Union-funded project, Fight for Peace has trained over 120 persons in safeguarding and PFA during the first quarter of 2023. Participants indicated that they found the sessions relevant and useful to their job. They added that it helped in better understanding youth, how to assist them and contributed to effective execution of their jobs.

Fight for Peace is an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) that inspires young people to achieve their full potential and promotes peaceful communities. The organisation was founded in Rio de Janeiro, in 2000, and set up in London in 2007. 

Since 2016, Fight for Peace has run a collective impact programme in Jamaica, bringing together NGOs, sports federations and state partners to jointly deliver programmes to young people in communities in high levels of violence. Using the collective brand UP Unity & Peace, the programme offers services for youth aligned with the FFP Five Pillar Methodology; support for parents and caregivers; and capacity-building support for organisations that work with young people.

The programme has reached more than 3,000 young people and has provided training and support to more than 50 NGOs and partner organisations.

In 2022, the programme runs approximately 40 sessions per week for youth in Trench Town, Denham Town and Parade Gardens and additional sessions and events for youth, parents and partners. The programme is funded by donors including the InterAmerican Foundation, European Union, UNICEF, Commonwealth Foundation, American Friends of Jamaica and the UEFA Foundation for Children.