Common Sense Parenting

St. George’s, Grenada – June 22, 2015: Eighty three (83) parents and teachers (including 14 of Republic Bank’s Staff), are today proud graduates of Phase I of the “Common Sense Parenting” and “Parenting for Literacy” Programmes, held under the Bank’s social investment initiative “The Power to Make a Difference”.

The successful candidates from the three (3) participating schools – Nehemiah Pre-School, St. Andrew’s R.C. School and J.W. Fletcher Memorial Catholic Secondary School, received certificates of completion at a “graduation” ceremony held Thursday, June 18, 2015 at the National Stadium.

The Common Sense Parenting & Parenting for Literacy Programmes focus on a practical approach to enabling healthy family relations based on a proven model produced by Boys Town, USA. Participants were taught parenting skills to discourage negative behaviours, while encouraging positive alternatives to problem-solving, which will result in improved child-parent relations and reduction in violence and abuse.

Addressing the graduates, Republic Bank’s Managing Director, Mr. Keith Johnson, encouraged the participants to: “Create a ripple effect, by sharing the new skills learned with other family members and colleagues at work.” He also reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to the 3-Year project, costing EC$115,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Dollars).

The programmes were facilitated by Sr. Julie Peters, Director of The Franciscan Institute for Personal and Family Development, based in Trinidad and included a Training of Trainers component, to ensure the continuity of the program, locally. One parent, Ms. Louisa Thomas, on commenting on the Common Sense Parenting programme, remarked:

“This programme has equipped us with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to nurture and “train-up” our children; and to deal with the many challenges that accompany them from birth to adulthood. The training sessions have made us as parents and teachers, better able to:

“It was an intense, educational, innovative and enjoyable occasion for us as we were molded into more effective parents and teachers. They provided opportunities for us to share our learning, misconceptions and experiences through discussions, group work and role play.

Republic Bank congratulates the graduates and wishes them well in their new parenting approach and remains committed to effecting positive change in our communities through better parenting and literacy skills. Phase II of the program will roll out in the coming months.