KINGSTON, Jamaica— Having identified poor parenting as one of the challenges affecting the communities of Rose Gardens and Parade Gardens, the residents have formed parenting clubs with the assistance of Project STAR.

Kristoff James, a member of the parenting club in Rose Gardens and father of two children, said that since the establishment of the club in June, the club has been able to initiate activities that have benefited the community.

“Through the parenting club we were able to organise a back-to-school treat for children in the community. This activity was able to ease the financial burdens on many parents to prepare their children to return to school for the new school term in September,” he informed.

James said that with the support of sponsors such as Kingston Bookshop and Digicel, the back-to-school treat was a success. The parenting club, which is comprised of 15 parents, hopes to initiate other activities to improve the community and parenting in general.

“I’m happy to be part of the club, as I want to build back my community and create an environment where my children are safe,” he said.

Karen McGlashin, social worker at Project STAR, said the parenting clubs were established in the space following a ‘reasoning session’ with the community members, where they shared that parenting skills needed to be strengthened.

“When we initially entered the [east downtown, Kingston] community, this was one of the areas that the residents identified that they would like improvement in. So, we have assisted them in that regard,” she said.

Project STAR has helped with establishing a structure for the clubs and setting up executive bodies for each club with a president and other officers.

McGlashin said members of the clubs are exposed to parenting sessions organised by Project STAR to improve parenting. She said the residents are informed of the different parenting styles and through discussions, are educated on the best parenting styles and best practices to help raise well-adjusted children.

“If you are going to impact a community, the family first must be impacted, as the family is the first institution a child is exposed to. Therefore, good parenting is very important for the development of any society and when you have strong parenting support, this will have a ripple effect on the society,” she explained.

The social worker said that the objectives of these parent clubs are to build the capacity of the parents in a holistic way. She said if a family is having financial challenges where there is a lack of employment, Project STAR intervenes with training and opportunities and support to increase their chances of gaining employment.

According to McGlashin, the clubs also serve as a support system for parents who might have problems.

“These clubs offer a safe space for parents to unwind and get support. If the club is unable to help, we reach out to established government agencies,” she said.