08/11/2023
Marion House continues its usual programmes. Currently, the institution offers:
1. Counseling Services; individual, couple, family, group.
2. Young Parent Empowerment Programme (YPEP) for parents that “walk in” or are referred by Government, NGO or private sector agencies,
3. The “Right Step” Programme for substance abusers,
4. Youth Assistance Programme (YAP); particularly for Youths who have dropped out of school, who are marginalized, vulnerable or “at risk” and whose parents live below the Poverty level.
The YPEP aims to improve the parenting skills of young parents by building their individual and collective capacities; self-esteem, and self-confidence through the application of a variety of methodologies, thus ensuring more control over their social situations.
The “Right Step” Programme aims at the creation and maintenance of an intervention and support group of substance abusers and users, as well as those vulnerable to substance abuse, encouraging a healthy lifestyle and eating habits, through the provision of a safe environment for participating and expressing themselves, in lively discussions thus enabling sponsorship and mentorship.
The YAP aims to offer a comprehensive, twelve (12) month programme to sixty (60), vulnerable, unemployed, “at risk” Youths between the ages of 15 to 25 years, at two sites, as a means of increasing their self-esteem, employability and economic independence, through the provision of life skills and personal development, with educational upgrading in Mathematics and English, thus guiding them to holistic development, applying an experiential and participatory methodolody, supplemented by presentations.
It is offered in six (6) components:
i. a full time, six months life skills at Marion House, which aims to empower, inspire and encourage youths to develop themselves, thus building their Self Esteem.
ii. Meeting with parents, ensuring that they understand their role/responsibility during the entire training process,
iii. Meeting with mentors, ensuring that they understand their role/responsibility during the entire training process, serving as link between the institution and the community from which the Youth come,
iv. community service, which allows the Youth to “give back” to their individual community via volunteerism, as the entire programme is of NO cost to them,
v. Skills training, which focuses on the teaching/learning of individual market demand skills for sustainability.
vi. “Hands on” apprenticeship at a member of the corporate sector finalises the full time, one (1) year programme, leading to employability.
This year’s YAP commenced in April 2023, with Youths from only one Centre materialised, YAP Kingstown, as opposed to the usual two programmes (YAP Georgetown), due to limited receipt of funds. The kind gesture of UNESCO’s collaboration in providing Marion House with the necessary funding support to ensure materialisation of this year’s programme in Kingstown is recognised.
The programme commenced in full on Monday 3rd April 2023, with the registration of thirty five (35) applicants, but only twenty- five (25) selected; eleven (11) males and fourteen (14) females from Kingstown and suburbs. The programme was adjusted to three (3) training days each week, inclusive of Life Skills, with an additional day for Community Service, provided at Marion House. Youths decided on “in-house” groups for closer working relationship, interaction/socialization.
The four (4) in-house groups are:
Group One (1): Ambitious Squad
Group Two (2): Money Makers
Group Three (3): Elevated Samaritans
iv. Group Four (4): Dream Chaser
Each group met, discussed, and identified their individual name, with pictorial representation. They also established set rules to govern the programme. Sessions were held from 9 AM – 1 PM, with a fifteen (15) minute break-time.
Currently, most of the youths have completed their practical skills, and some are already engaged in the hands-on apprenticeship. Skills training were done at the Camden Park and Kingstown Technical Institutes and included Electrical Installation, Food & Drinks Service, Home Furnishing, Plumbing, Bartending and Mechanic. Two youths that are below the age for participation at the Institute are involved in Carpentry as their choice and were placed at private carpentry shops..
This year’s YAP ends on November 30th, 2023.
