SVG Red Cross hopes to develop TWC and make an impact

The “Together We Can” HIV/AIDS Youth Initiative (TWC) was introduced by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Red Cross Society (SVGRC) in 2005 in that country as part of their drive to tackle the growing incidence of HIV/AIDS among young people.

TWC first began in Jamaica in 1993 and since then has been implemented across the region by various National Societies. The programme in the St. Vincent and the Grenadines context is aimed at preparing young people to positively impact their peers as it relates to the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV & AIDS.

The vice president of the SVGRC, Mrs. Descima Alexander Hamilton, has taken the initiative to oversee and manage the TWC programme with the funding support from the Ministry of Health under its HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control project.

 The methodology behind the initiative is to train young people as peer educators in the area of HIV & AIDS prevention in order that they are able to advise their peers about the appropriate steps to take in given situations as well as empower them to make more informed decisions about their own behaviour.      

The project is being channelled mainly through the high school system and at the community level in the areas of Kingstown, Georgetown and Campden Park, seen as the most affected regions of the country.

However, Mrs. Alexander Hamilton sees much potential for its expansion and given the response of the youth, there is a need for it to be developed further. She laments that in the present situation, greater assistance is required from the youth themselves and the business community.

At present the venture receives no financial support other than that which is provided by the Ministry. Additionally, there is a lack of youth leaders emerging from the activities as there maybe some reluctance and apprehension on their part to actually lead these types of projects.

There is a challenge to manage all these activities with the present staff at the SVGRC and a lack of volunteers coming forward to assist. She believes that the spirit and enthusiasm is present among the youth population but this needs to translate into greater effort on their part.    

In this thrust, the society recently organised a series of youth counsellors’ training workshops. The first was held on May 3rd as part of the National Society’s week of celebrations to mark World Red Cross Day (May 8).

Twenty five young people from around the country participated and benefitted from the training, which was conducted by national trainers Altosher Anderson, Natalie Constance, Hazel-Dean Collins and Natana Ma Lean, under the supervision of regional trainer Mr. Delando Charles. Another took place on June 7 where the trainers engaged participants in similar activities.

Mrs. Hamilton commented that the facilitators use practical and attention-grabbing methods to reach their youth audience such as audiovisual equipment, projectors and video to present this critical information.

The facilitators are creative in this way and blend their personal style into their presentations, which demonstrates that they are truly in sync with the expectations of participants, who would prefer and really enjoy this type of approach.   

In terms of assessing the impact of the programme and determining the results that it has produced, Mrs. Hamilton believes that it is too early to fully evaluate the success and effectiveness of the project and whether the objectives have been achieved.

Apart from the post session feedback sheets that they distribute, there has not been a proper evaluation of the programme and this is owing to, according to the programme manager, to a great extent, to a lack of personnel at the society to carry out such a task.

However, she hopes that this problem of personnel shortage can be soon rectified so that the Society can move full speed ahead with its work. As for the future plans of the Society in this area of endeavour, Mrs. Hamilton indicated that they intend to enhance and further develop the programme and identify youth leaders to take charge of the programme.

Additionally, at present they are working with the Ministry of Health to launch media campaigns to inform the public about HIV & AIDS and solicit greater interest and participation in their programmes. In her opinion, private sector involvement is necessary to carry out this expansion process as without greater financial support not much more can be achieved.

 In the near future, she expects to hand over the TWC project to a capable group of young people to manage and that the much need financial support will be forthcoming.