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School Supension Programme

Tue, 2010-06-29 13:19

School Suspension Programme

 
CONFLICT RESOLUTION AS A SOLUTION CREATING SAFE PLACES FOR LEARNING

Violence represents one of the greatest challenges facing children in Jamaica today. In 2006 children and young people accounted for approximately 31% of murder victims and 25% of perpetrators of major crimes.

THE DISPUTE RESOLUTION FOUNDATION (DRF), as a result of the concerns of the effects of violence on adolescents and with support from UNICEF, implemented the Community Violence Education, Prevention and Youth Peace Facilitators Programme in March 2006. The programme established four child-friendly Peace and Justice Centres, in communities severely affected by violence.

The objective of the programme was to mitigate the impact of violence on adolescents aged 10 – 18 years of age by providing age appropriate and child friendly services and training on conflict resolution, mediation and anger management, delivered by trained Youth Peace Facilitators (YPFs). The YPFs were in regular contact with parents, teachers and guidance counsellors involved in the programme.

As a result two thousand five hundred and forty-one at-risk adolescents were the recipients of direct service delivery through the Centres and outreach programmes in schools. At the end of the programme thirteen percent (13%) more students reported being better able to exert self-control and 53% of students reported improved communication after the school based intervention in two schools.

The next phase of the DRF/UNICEF Project entitled ‘Conflict Resolution as a Solution – Creating Safe Places for Learning’ was implemented in 2007 and will continue through to 2009 to continue to provide mediation and conflict resolution services to at risk adolescents aged 10 – 18 years through service delivery at five Peace & Justice Centres as well as within 30 target schools, to sensitize and train parents and school professionals (including teachers, principals and guidance counsellors) on conflict resolution and mediation methodologies. The objective of the programme is to reduce the incidence of violence related injuries by 15% in the 30 target schools by 2009.

A School Suspension Programme was initially introduced at the Spanish Town Peace & Justice Centre during the 2006 DRF/UNICEF youth project and was so successful it was decided to extend the service during the next phase of the project. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Youth and 30 target schools, students under suspension would be required to attend at one of the five (5) Peace & Justice Centres offering youth services nearest to the location of the school where the student attends.

The School Suspension Programme offers the following services to suspended students:

 

  • One-on-one sensitization and training in conflict resolution, mediation and anger management
  • Learn effective ways to deal with conflict, anger and behavioural issues
  • Discuss the reason(s) for their suspension and how to avoid future suspensions
  • Mentorship and confidential peer counselling
  • An opportunity to continue school work assigned to them by their teachers, while attending at the P&J Centre
  • An opportunity to be in a safe and controlled environment while suspended from school.

The School Suspension Programme offers the following services to parents and target schools:

 

  • Inform parents and relevant school staff by monitoring the attendance of the suspended student at the P&J Centre during the suspension period
  • Provide feedback on behaviour, attitude and improvements if any of the suspended student while on suspension
  • A place to refer students that are at risk of suspension or who have been suspended.

For further information of the School Suspension Programme please contact Rhonda Morrison, Youth Programme Manager, Dispute Resolution Foundation at Tel: 908-3657 or 906-2456 or Email: drf@drfja.org



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