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Premier lauds social services exchange programme

Glenn Jones
Created: Nov 30, 2006 10:00 AM
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Photo by Glenn TuckerThe American Consulate held a press conference at Cabinet House Wednesday afternoon to congratulate members who participated in the Second Voluntary Visitor exchange project, The Healthy Families/Healthy Children Team, visited the United States where they met with leaders of successful child and family development programs in different cities.From left Premiere The Hon Dr. Ewart Brown and US Consul General Gregory W. Slayton.

The Premier calls it a Bermuda-US programme that has “captivated the collective imaginations of our two countries.”

Premier Dr. Ewart Brown, United States Consul General Gregory Slayton, and Social Rehabilitation Minister Dale Butler raved yesterday about an exchange programme which sends Bermudian social services workers to the US to learn strategies that improve families here at home. The programme which already sent one contingent overseas has now announced it will send another, and possibly a third.

The initial trip went through four cities over ten days when participants studied 15 programs focused on juvenile justice, youth development, and parenting — particularly for fathers. A non-profit organisation called the National Fatherhood Initiative showed the group how to better involve dads in the lives of their children, even taking steps to include fathers who are behind bars.

“This focus is on the benefit of the child,” said Granville Bennett who was on the trip. “This is not another dead beat dad programme.”

Mr. Bennett runs a project for The Family Centre. He thinks the Fatherhood Initiative can work in Bermuda and also hopes to convince local companies to become more “father friendly,” allowing dads time off for child care and after school activities.

Based on the lessons of the trip, the group believes a more involved father makes for a stronger family.

Acting Director of Child and Family Services Kennette Robinson led Mr. Bennett and three others to the United States last month. She hopes ultimately to include a myriad of American social programmes into the Bermudian household under the umbrella of her department.

So far though none of the US learned practices has been launched locally. “It’s something that’s going to take time,” said Ms. Robinson. “It’s a framework that we’re building on in collaboration with all sectors of the Government and the community. It’s nothing you’re going to just see overnight, but it’s definitely something that’s in the works.”

The people who took part were Kennette Robinson, from the department Child & Family Services, Granville Bennett, from the Family Centre, Renee Brown from Cross Ministry Initiative Team, Jennifer Manders from the Ministry of Education and Gary Wilkinson from the department of Financial Assistance.

Photo by Glenn TuckerThe American Consulate held a press conference at Cabinet House Wednesday afternoon to congratulate members who particapted in the Second Voluntary Visitor exchange project , The Healthy Families/Healthy Children Team, visited the United States where they met with leaders of successful child and family development programs in different cities. From left The Hon Dale Butller Minister of Social Rehabilitation, Gary Wilkinson Manager Department of Financial Assistance, Kennette Robinson Acting Director of Child and Family Services, Renee Brown Coordinator Cross Ministry Initiative, Granville Bennett Cordinator new Community Coordinator project Devlopment and Family Center, and US Consul General Gregory W. Slayton.
Photo by Glenn TuckerThe American Consulate held a press conference at Cabinet House Wednesday afternoon to congratulate members who participated in the Second Voluntary Visitor exchange project, The Healthy Families/Healthy Children Team, visited the United States where they met with leaders of successful child and family development programs in different cities.From left Premiere The Hon Dr. Ewart Brown and US Consul General Gregory W. Slayton.