PAREDOS, Parent Education for Development in Barbados
"Building Strong Communities, One Family at a Time"

Home  |  About Us  |  History |  Our Board  |  Staff  | Services  

Media

PARENT EDUCATION VIA ELECTRONIC MEDIA (RADIO & TV)

 

Purpose
To enhance family life and parenting skills through the dissemination of information on parenting, health and family related matters. 


Ra
tionale
In Barbados, the heightened awareness of parent/child, teacher/child conflicts and the increase in adolescent criminal behaviors has become a public concern. The argument advanced to address these behaviours, is that a firm hand is needed to raise a well disciplined child, and that parents and teachers ought to use more corporal punishment to control the children in their care.

This socially accepted method of using corporal punishment as a disciplinary method might be seen as a cultural phenomenon that continues to perpetuate antisocial behaviours among adolescents. The connection between this negative form of parenting and adolescent’s disruptive behaviours is well documented, and reinforces the need for a strategy that allows parents/guardians and children to effectively communicate with each other (Ministry of Education 1997-1998; Probation Department 1997 & PAREDOS, 1999),

Parents/guardians have requested information on child development, parenting and conflict management.

In order to address this demand, Starcom Network Inc. and Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, as part of their community outreach programme, contacted PAREDOS to collaborate with them to conduct a parental guidance radio programme.

 

Objectives, Strategies, and Outcomes


Objective #1:
Inform and educate parent/guardians in child development, parenting techniques, health and family life education (HFLE), conflict resolution skills and other family related matters.

Strategy:  To conduct a series of one (1) hour call-in/recorded radio programmes.

Outcome:   Parents/Guardians will be informed and educated in child development, parenting techniques, health and family life education (HFLE), conflict resolution skills and other family related matters


Objective #2:
           
To encourage parents/guardians to reflect on the information and skills discussed in the call-in programme.

Strategy: Background information and practical exercises will be given to help parents/guardians understand the principles and techniques of communication and problem solving.

Outcome:  Parents/guardians would have reflected on the information and skills presented. 

Objective #3:            
To motivate families to practice parenting skills and apply the HFLE techniques with their children.

Strategy: Parents/Guardians will be encouraged to share and discuss challenges and success encountered while using the skills taught in previous programme(s). This interactive approach will enable individuals to draw from their own experiences and to better internalize the information.

Outcome:  Parents/Guardians would have been motivated to practice parenting skills and apply the HFLE techniques with their children.

 

Objective #4:            
To encourage parents/guardians to obtain further information on parenting and HFLE issues.

Strategy: Parents/guardians will be encourage to contact PAREDOS or any other relevant agency to obtain more information and to address their concerns.

Outcome:  Parents/guardians would be motivated to inform others on matters relating to parenting skills and HFLE techniques. 


Methodology

The methodology will draw from the training and support model developed by Springer (1996). This model comprises three major components: information sharing, application, and follow-up (see attached document for further details).

 

Information Sharing
Information sharing will be conducted via a series of weekly one-hour call-in radio programmes.

Sessions will comprise:

(1)       A moderator and one or two resource persons;

(2)       Calls will be entertained from the general public, followed by succinct responses;

(3)       Each response should, where possible, include some activities and skills designed to make learning easier.

 

In order to facilitate the sharing of information and to enhance personal development, a participatory methodology will be used to encourage participants to:

(1) Draw on their experiences in a positive learning environment; 

(2) Reflect and analyze new information and develop their ideas about the issues; 

(3) Draw broader conclusions about the issues being discuss and think of ways they might apply their new skills and knowledge with their children.

 

Application

At the end of each radio programme, listeners (parents/guardians) will be given one (1) week to practise the skills in their own home environment. While using the skills, parents/guardians will be encouraged to contact PAREDOS in order to clarify any problems or concerns they encounter. 

This application period is designed to reinforce the effectiveness of the experiential learning approach. It will offer them the opportunity to reflect and analyse the knowledge and where possible, apply it to with their children.

It will also enable parents/guardians to evaluate their parenting style and to assess its usefulness in relation to their child(ren).

 

Resources

Moderator                                       StarCom Network/Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)

Co Host                                           PAREDOS                            

Resource Persons                             (Government/Non Governmental Agencies),

Public Relations                                Starcom Network/CBC/PAREDOS

Educational Materials/Research Information PAREDOS

 

Management Plan


The programme will be developed in collaboration with Starcom Network, Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation and PAREDOS. 

Starcom Network and CBC will take responsibility for the administration of the project.

Starcom Network and CBC with the assistance of PAREDOS will research the relevant information, develop an action plan.

Resource persons will be drawn from PAREDOS and various social/welfare, health and education agencies.

 

Follow-Up/Evaluation

The programme will be evaluated for effect and short term impact. The general public will be invited to call or write Starcom Network and PAREDOS to express their opinions and concerns regarding the programme.

Anecdotal information will be encouraged in order to elicit information about listeners/participants knowledge, attitude and behaviour change after the programme.

In order to determine the impact and effect of the radio programme, Starcom Network and CBC will evaluate the entire programme.

An evaluation tool consisting of closed and opened ended questions will be developed and distributed to the general public via polyclinics, doctor’s offices, schools, industrial complexes, etc for comments.

 

 

# 4 St. Clair Gardens, Perry Gap, Bridgetown, Barbados, Phone: +1 246-427-0212  

email: admin@paredos.net