WELCOME Cursory review Title Reducing Domestic Violence Public

WELCOME Cursory review…

Title: Reducing Domestic Violence: Public education outreach with form 4 students. § British High Commission § Help & Shelter

Outcome: To raise awareness of the dynamics of non -violent relationships with 1500(+) 4 th form students over 9 months by facilitating guided participatory sessions aimed at changing attitudes to gender and gender based violence. The Ministry of Education has also asked that additional sessions be done on Suicide Prevention, Alcohol Abuse Prevention and Parenting.

Scope of work 31 secondary level schools were chosen from regions 1 – 10 (excluding region 8); 4 th form students to go through sessions, totaling 6 hrs contact time; Follow up activities with students/ schools; Sustainability.

Achievements… 30 schools § 83 fourth forms 2, 050 students § 42. 5% Boys § 57. 5% Girls 5 months (Sept 07 – Jan 08) § 18 facilitators instead of initial 21

Break down per region… Region 1 § 1 school / 2 forms § 73 students (B: 32 / G: 41) Region 2 § 4 school / 14 forms § 327 students (B: 126 / G: 201)

Region 3 § 5 school / 16 forms § 449 students (B: 186 / G: 263) Region 4 § 4 school / 11 forms § 107 students (B: 50 / G: 120) Region 5 § 2 school / 7 forms § 147 students (B: 78 / G: 69)

Region 6 § 6 school / 14 forms § 401 students (B: 187 / G: 214) Region 7 § 1 school / 8 forms § 154 students (B: 82 / G: 72) Region 9 § 2 school / 2 forms § 52 students (B: 23 / G: 30)

Region 10 § 4 school / 9 forms § 287 students (B: 108 / G: 188)

Students’ feedback… What did you like about the sessions? What are things which you did not like about the sessions? Have your views on any of the topics changed for the better?

How do you think you can use this information and knowledge which you have gained? Any other comments? What do you think about the facilitator?

General trends… Students response A) § Majority of students liked sessions with about 75% – 80% identifying particular topics § Liked skits, icebreakers, drama etc. B) § Majority said they liked everything § Some criticized classmates for being too noisy, some thought it was too short § Other specific complaints…

C) § 80% - 90% said their views had changed for the better. Some identifying specific topics that had an impact on them § A few students seemed not to understand the question. D) § Majority said they would use this new knowledge to better themselves and share with others. § Few also said they’d use this information for school work and exams

E) § The majority had no comments or did not respond § Quite a few students said they wanted more of such sessions, facilitators and/or Help & Shelter to return § Other specific comments… F) § Majority of students, if not all had very high thoughts about the facilitators. § In some instances school staff approached facilitators requesting their time and facilitation skills…

Facilitators’ response… In the majority of cases sessions went well In some schools the literacy level was a major barrier. Some classes were difficult to manage Preparedness of some schools was poor Often had to improvise with sessions Students need more of such sessions

In their words… “I liked everything about the sessions because it was empowering…” “…the most important one to me was ‘Gender’. Where I learnt about man and woman have equal rights and responsibilities” “The points on suicide lightened my life a little bit ”

… the end!