CURB Arranges Workshops on Human Trafficking

In November, 2008 immediately following Restorative Justice Week, CURB was led to focus on the issue of human trafficking in 2009.

From December, 2008 CURB engaged in discussions with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) based in Washington D.C. in the U.S.A.

The IOM had visited Trinidad and Tobago since 2005 and had trained hundreds of persons within the Ministry of National Security, the media and a few non-governmental agencies in issues relating to human trafficking.

However, the IOM had not previously trained prison ministries nor prisons officers. This despite the fact that many potential victims of human trafficking may be in prison on prostitution or immigration charges.

As such, CURB collaborated with the IOM to host two workshops in July 2009 to deliver training presentations on Understanding and Responding to Human Trafficking to various audiences.

The day before the workshops, CURB President Adrian N. Alexander interviewed facilitators Chissey Mueller and Jewel Ali on Simply Worship on ISAAC 98.1 F.M.

IOM representatives at ISAAC 98.1 F.M.

Miss Mueller is from the IOM office in the USA and Mrs. Ali is from the IOM office in Trinidad and Tobago.

The workshops were held on Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th July, 2009 at the Cipriani Labour College. The participants included prisons officers, members of prison ministries, community-based organisations and faith-based organisations.

Cross-section of workshop participants.

This is the first of several initiatives from CURB to sensitise the nation of the scourge of human trafficking and develop effective responses to the problem.

Soon to come will be various fora to secure support from key national stakeholders to lobby for the passage of relevant and culturally appropriate laws to treat with the issue of human trafficking.

Restorative Justice Weekht*

Unravelling the Criminal Mind

CURB continued its thrust to provide comprehensive training to volunteer mentors on Wednesday 8th July, 2009.

For approximately 1 hour the trainee mentors had the benefit of the experience and insight of Prisons Officer, Karl Muckette of the Youth Training Centre.

Karl Muckette outlines his main points.

Mr. Muckette, who has been a prisons officer for 15 years, shared with the group the various rules of the institution which volunteers are required to follow.

In particular, he warned us about falling prey to Trafficking, Undue Familiarity, being careful of the Nature of our Conversations with the lads and other devices and ploys they may use to manipulate or deceive us.

Trainees listen as Prisons Officer Karl Muckette unravels the criminal mind.

Following this interactive session, lead trainer Ms. Joanne Spence took time to emphasise some of the key Ethical Issues in Mentoring.

We congratulate Ms. Spence on the launch on Sunday 5th July, 2009 of The Mentoring Centre of Trinidad and Tobago.

Mentor Training Begins

On Saturday 27th June, 2009 a committed group of 12 men and women gathered to commence training as mentors for young offenders at the Youth Training Centre.

Cross section of trainee mentors.

The 2 1/2 hours spent focused on the basics of understanding self and identifying important qualities of a leader. As mentors we are to model qualities for our mentees to adopt and it is crucial that we appreciate who we are and where our strengths and weaknesses may lie.

Lead trainer, Miss Joanne Spence, shared extensively from her own experiences as a mentor and as a teacher/facilitator with the lads at the Youth Training Centre.

Miss Spence holds the attention of trainee mentors.

Miss Spence has had extensive experience in designing mentoring programs and training mentors for the University of the West Indies and the Ministry of National Security. She is the founder and President of The Mentoring Centre of Trinidad and Tobago.

Further mentor training is scheduled for early July, 2009 prior to a special mentor/mentee introduction event.

Mentor Orientation at YTC

Today 12 concerned members of the Trinidad and Tobago community took time out from their Corpus Christi public holiday to visit the Youth Training Centre.

The purpose of the visit was to attend an orientation session hosted by Caribbean Umbrella Body For Restorative Behaviour (CURB) for prospective mentors for the lads at the institution.

We were honoured to have Prisons Officer Karl Muckette present a comprehensive Powerpoint presentation on the vision, mission and work of the Youth Training Centre.

Mr. Muckette is an officer with 15 years service, a rugby player, the coach of the YTC rugby team and a published author.

Following Mr. Muckette’s presentation, CURB’s Adrian N. Alexander delivered a Powerpoint overview of the YTC restorative mentoring programme.

Also on hand were Ms. Joanne Spence and Ms. Janice George of The Mentoring Centre of Trinidad and Tobago and Dr. Lincoln H. Douglas of Dadi Consulting – two agencies which have partnered with CURB in this initiative.

Ms. Spence spoke with the prospective mentors and interviewed them in a group setting. She will conduct mentor training for the successful applicants later this month.

Mothers at YTC

Following a suggestion by CURB early last month, the Superintendent at the Youth Training Centre hosted a tribute to the mothers of lads at the institution.

The tribute took the form of a luncheon which was held on Sunday 3rd May, 2009 – one week before Mothers Day.

The event involved 25 committed lads and 25 remanded lads and their respective mothers. The committed lads involved in the programme are due for discharge within the next 12 months.

The mothers who braved the inclement weather were treated to a sumptuous lunch provided by the Prisons Service, delightful music and the Word from Minister Chris Herbert and singing from M.C. Wendell Bompart.

In addition, the ladies received beautiful Mothers Day presents from their sons and had an opportunity to interact with the lads in a relaxing ambience.

Tribute was also paid to female prison officers who have doubled as maternal figures for several of the lads at the institution.

CURB suggested this event as it forms part of the “Turning of the Hearts” model of family reintegration for offenders in preparation for their return to society.

We extend special thanks to Lawyers for Jesus, St. James Church of the Nazarene, Kenny’s Sports Centre and numerous committed volunteers, all of whom provided financial support and physical labour to make this inaugural event a success.

Reading Circles soon for YTC

In late March, 2009 CURB President, Adrian N. Alexander was invited to deliver a presentation to members of a Christian group as to the work ongoing at the YTC.

At that time the literacy programme was nearing completion and there was no confirmed source of funding for a new cycle. The quote from ALTA was much more than CURB could afford and still conduct our planned YTC programmes for the year.

Moreover, it was our desire to retain the services of ALTA to train officers and volunteers  in hosting Reading Circles whereby the lads could be assisted to improve their reading skills while in their dormitories or in the library.

Several of the persons present at the Christian group were moved by the presentation and orally committed to provide support towards partially offsetting the cost of hosting of a new cycle of literacy at the YTC in April, 2009.

In early April, however, the National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS) indicated to the YTC Superintendent and to ALTA that it would finance the next cycle of literacy at the institution.

Miraculously, this allowed us to utilise the contributions received from the Christian group to retain ALTA to conduct the Reading Circle training in July 2009!!!

Alpha in April at YTC

In partnership with Caring for Ex-Offenders (CFEO), CURB launched the first Youth Alpha course in the Youth Training Centre on 4th April 2009.

In February, CFEO arranged training for prison volunteers in running the Youth Alpha course and CURB President, Mr. Adrian N. Alexander and Secretary, Miss Michelle Aigle, participated in the training sessions.

Mr. Alexander is the Caring for Ex-Offenders Adviser appointed by Alpha International based in the United Kingdom and is the Chairman of CFEO in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Youth Alpha initiative at the YTC receives full support from the Chaguanas Anglican Church and the St. James Church of the Nazarene.

For further information about Alpha courses in local prisons please visit the CFEO website.

Literacy resumes at YTC in February 2009

On 14th February 2009, the adult literacy programme at the YTC resumed with 5 prison officers who had been trained by ALTA in 2008 taking up the mantle to conduct classes on Saturday mornings for a period of 6 weeks.

This outcome arose in part from CURB acting as a mediator to encourage the prison officers to join our volunteers as we conducted remedial reading classes on Saturday mornings.

As a consequence, the lads who started literacy classes in 2008 would be able to graduate to a higher level and the officers who completed their mandatory volunteer hours of teaching would qualify to receive their certificates as ALTA tutors.

Alongside the ALTA classes our volunteers continued spiritual and moral literacy classes, using the most recognised literary work in the world – The Holy Bible – as a foundation.

Learning for Life – January 2009

As work with the lads in the mentoring programme continues, by January 2009 CURB saw the need to broaden the scope of our activities at YTC.

Consequently, we submitted to the Superintendent of Prisons a life literacy programme to address the main areas of challenges faced by the lads at the institution.

The “Learning for Life” programme will involve a core group of 26 lads (inclusive of the 10 mentees) and will make provision for other lads at the institution to receive support in areas of standard literacy (reading, writing, spelling and numeracy skills), moral literacy, emotional literacy, spiritual literacy and financial literacy.

Discussions were engaged in by CURB with the Adult Literacy Tutors Association (ALTA) to resume literacy classes they had commenced in July-August 2008.

A YTC Christmas

On Christmas Day 2008 CURB President, Adrian N. Alexander, prison volunteers and members of Lawyers for Jesus spent the morning at the Youth Training Centre bringing cheer and presents to the 10 lads in the restorative mentoring programme.

For most of the lads, this was a time when they felt most abandoned and neglected by family, friends and the world. To them it was incredulous that persons who barely knew them would sacrifice time spent with their loved ones to visit and treat them on Christmas Day.

We were thrilled to be able to share with the lads the message of the Bible as to the birth and reason for the coming of Jesus the Messiah.

The lads gladly received their requested meal of chicken and chips, opting to forego the Christmas lunch prepared by the detention centre kitchen staff. Moreover they gratefully received and opened the Christmas presents we purchased for them – primarily toiletries, clothing and footwear.

We were pleased to be joined by Mr. Stewart, the Superintendent of YTC as he himself sacrificed time with his family to join us in prayer with the lads.

CURB President, Adrian N. Alexander committed that we will continue to work alongside the staff at the institution to assist in enhancing the work of rehabilitation of the lads until December 2010.

Mr. Alexander believes that the holistic, restorative and transformative programmes and activities which will be introduced by CURB by the end of 2010 would create an environment of change which will last for decades.