PHILIPSBURG–K1 Britannia Foundation in collaboration with The Foundation Judicial Institutes St. Maarten (SJIS) recently completed its fifth Selectie Training Aspirant Pleegouders (STAP) training which qualifies adults to become certified mentors and foster parents to foster children on the island.
23 K1 Britannia volunteers who signed up to assist or mentor foster children completed the course and were very keen and engaged in discussions on the wellbeing of these disadvantaged youth. The sessions concluded on Tuesday according to the foundation.
The STAP training took place at the Taste Factory in Simpson Bay. The K1 Britannia Foundation would like to thank the management and staff of The Taste Factory for the important part they played in making this training possible.
The six sessions which were conducted by psychologist Aisheline Maduro dealt with the foster care system on St. Maarten, self-image & self-worth, social development, types of abuse and various forms of communication.
The information and tools given during the training ranged from informative, shocking, sad, useful and thought provoking. Having gained vital information, applying it through role plays, interactive discussions and self-assessment questionnaires, the volunteers are excited to be paired with a foster child and start their mentor journey.
The sessions brought various persons from all walks of life, from retirees, civil servants, business owners, accountants, to Human Resources & Marketing professionals and others together for a common goal of touching one foster child’s life for the better.
This is a prime example of the importance of the foundation’s volunteer programme which aims to get the community actively involved in the areas they are interested in.
Through its volunteer programme, persons in the community are qualified to be mentors, as there are more than 100 children and teenagers in foster care on the island. Having a mentor for every child and teenager in foster care is one of the best ways to help them heal and go on to become well-adjusted members of society.
The STAP training was sponsored by the St. Maarten Development Fund as it continues its partnership and support of K1 Britannia Foundation and its volunteer programme. They believe in the importance of the programme and the need to get persons in the community actively involved in making a difference; in this case, as mentors for foster children and teenagers who need that one-on-one time, love and attention.
The K1 Britannia Foundation will host another STAP training in the first half of 2017 for persons 21 years and older who are interested in assisting or mentoring foster youth. All are encouraged to sign up as a volunteer online at www.k1britanniafoundation.org/volunteer/ to participate in making a difference in the lives of youth and other areas on the island.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/61998-23-k1-britannia-volunteers-now-foster-youth-mentors
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