Club GAR, in collaboration with the Women’s Support Center have partnered with the Department of Gender Relations to embark on the training and sensitization leg of a campaign geared towards reducing the incidence of domestic violence in Saint Lucia.

The course began with a refresher session on October 12, and kicked off on Monday, October 15.

The campaign dubbed “I’m Part of the Solution”, is urging people to get involved and learn how they too can be part of the solution to end domestic and gender-based violence. The campaign is solution-focused in design. That means that all aspects of the campaign will be focused on solutions and will avoid repetitive descriptions of the problem.

The campaign is three-tiered and includes a training and sensitization component of key stakeholders, a publicity drive and direct support to survivors of intimate partner violence.

The training and sensitization component – led by staff of the Department of Gender Relations, Women’s Support Center and District Guidance Counsellors – is the first leg of the campaign and targets stakeholders engaged in programmes for victims, perpetrators and those at risk of engaging in violence.

Stakeholders include the Royal St. Lucia Police Force, Fire and Emergency Department, St. Lucia Crisis Center, Department of Probations, School Counsellors, Division of Human Services and Family Affairs, National Youth Council, National Council of and for the Elderly, Blind Welfare Association, National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities, Planned Parenthood Association, Media Workers Association, Nurses’ Association, Family Court and the Upton Gardens Girl’s Centre.

Stakeholders will undergo a one-day sensitization on using a solution-focused approach to effect social change. They will also learn and explore creative ways of imparting pro-social skills such as empathy, communication and interpersonal skills among their membership.

As an incentive, stakeholders will be invited to submit proposals for small projects that make use of innovative ways of empowering organizations and/or communities to use interpersonal skills to reduce violence during the Sixteen Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence from nov. 25 to Dec. 10.  Successful proposals will attract a sponsorship of up to $1200 for implementation of their project idea.  Groups receiving sponsorship will be required to make a donation of a Care Package for survivors of intimate partner violence as part of the third leg of the campaign.