Georgetown, Guyana-(January 5, 2018) The Office of the First Lady, in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Protection, today, opened the first of a three phase workshop for 35 participants from the Central Islamic Organisation (CIOG) and its Georgetown District, Women Across Differences (WAD), St John’s Bosco Orphanage and Office of the First Lady at the Regency Suites, Hadfield Street, Georgetown. The objective of the three-part workshop is to provide the stakeholders with basic information and skills in early childhood development and nurturing care practices for the healthy growth and development of the young child.
Giving a brief overview of the programme during the opening ceremony, facilitator Ms. Paulette Bollers said that “the early years of childhood are very critical for the whole family. The most formative experiences of young children derive from nurturing care received from parents, other family members, caregivers, and community-based services. Nurturing care is fundamental to young children’s healthy development.” Ms. Bollers added that a stable environment promotes a child’s health and nutrition, provides responsive caregiving, protection from threats and opportunities for early learning. She noted that affectionate interactions and relationships are what are required for good childhood care.
She said, “This workshop is intended to provide participants with basic information and skills in early childhood development and nurturing care practices for healthy growth and development of the young child. Participants will be exposed to information and engage in activities that will equip them with basic skills and knowledge to perform nurturing care as mothers and caregivers to young children.”
One of the participants of the workshop, Ms. Kesha Singh who is a representative of WAD, said that she is grateful for the opportunity and intends to use the skills acquired to further her professional development. “I am lucky to be here and I know that they are many persons out there who would like to be in my place now at this workshop but are not here. I am grateful to be a part of all of this. My plans after this is that I would like to use this certificate [so] that I will get a job or further myself in this field,’’ she stated.
Another participant of the programme from the CIOG, Ms. Indroutie Jagdeo, too said that she is grateful for the opportunity as it is in keeping with her profession. She also expressed gratitude to the First Lady for the chance to participate in the training. “This is my field of work. I work with little children and I am very happy and grateful for this workshop. It is my plan that whatever I learn I hope to put it into practice and I hope that it will extend my knowledge for the future. I am happy and grateful that the First Lady has been doing this and I appreciate it because this programme will build my knowledge on working with children as they are many things that we don’t know but will learn here at the workshop” she said .
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Ms. Cindy Nelson, a childcare worker from CIOG’s Georgetown District, who was also present at today’s workshops said, “I feel wonderful about coming here today because it was always my aim to participate in childhood care and be certified. This gives me the opportunity to know how to handle different situations and behaviours that may occur with children, that I would not have known from before. With this new knowledge and skill, I plan on volunteering at the different health centres and day care centre in and around my community,” she said
During these sessions the content will be delivered in various ways. These include facilitator–led discussions, practical demonstrations, large and small group activities, role plays, Power Point and video presentations and a one day observation visit to a child care facility.
Some of the topic areas include an introduction to early childhood development, the early years of a child’s life, basic nutrition and young child feeding, stimulating children’s learning through play, creating a safe and stimulating environment for young children in the home, providing nurturing care to young children, observing nurturing care practices at a child care facility and positive discipline
The first component of this programme started on June 19, 2017 and was held at the Guyana Nurses Association. It was followed by the First Aid, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and the use of the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) trainings, which opened at the Guyana Red Cross Society (GRCS) on June 26, 2017. At the close of the workshop, participants who fulfil the requirements of all three components will be certified.
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