*** Parent Effectiveness, Anger Management and Conflict Resolution Training.

All parents who receive vouchers are provided the opportunity to attend Parent Effectiveness Training Seminars.

A significant portion of the client families have had histories which include abusive relationships with other adults or even the maltreatment or neglect of their own children.

The cycle of violence is very much part of the lives of many of these families and it is within the context of this programme that the Coalition hopes to begin to break that cycle.

Part of that process involves learning new tools to handle anger and conflict and practising using these tools in a supportive setting.

Nutrition, Cooking, Meal Planning & Budgeting.

Both individual counselling and group sessions on these topics are provided within the Family Life Education Series and volunteers teach the mother how to shop for and prepare low budget yet nutritious meals.

Family Planning & Empowerment.

Many problems faced by mothers are related to the fact that they had children at a very young age, outside of wedlock, and often continue to have children in a manner which renders them incapable of catering to the financial demands of housing, feeding and clothing them.

Part of that process involves understanding and using better birth control, but much of it involves empowering these young women to believe that they actually can shape their destiny, rather than being overtaken by events over which they feel they have little control.

Education, Job Retraining and Skill Building.

Most of the women who are assisted financially have nominal employment, which is often seasonal and poorly remunerated. The average income of these mothers (according to Coalition statistics) is approximately $250 per week which will never be sufficient to pay for housing, much less feed and clothe children.

The Coalition provides a computer-based GED completion programme and provides subsidies for clients who wish to go to Bermuda College.

Counselling & Therapeutic Services for Mothers.

A full time social worker provides individual and group counselling to women who have been affected by abuse or who are at risk of recreating or rejoining abusive relationships or who have any other personal issues that impact their personal effectiveness.

Counselling & Therapeutic Services for Children.

Many children in this programme have emotional or behavioural problems while others have disorders ranging from ADD/ADHD to substance abuse problems or other kinds of acting out behaviour which are addressed by the Coalition's children services specialist.

Mediation & Legal Services.

One of the great difficulties faced by mothers who find themselves in marginal living conditions is the fact that most receive only minimal child support or none at all.

This is because they have not had access to either legal service or mediation services which can assist in the resolution of disputes involving such issues as child support payments, access, visitation and other matters related to parenting responsibilities. Legal advice is provided by lawyers acting on a voluntary basis and is available in situations that cannot be resolved satisfactorily through other means.

Programming for Fathers.

In collaboration with the Fathers Resource Centre, activities have been organised which are designed to engage the fathers in the lives of their children (where appropriate and with the cooperation of the mother).

The intention is to foster the development of positive nurturing and supportive relationships which will enhance not only the emotional lives of these children but hopefully engage fathers in a more responsible financial commitment as well.