19.06.2024
Over the past twelve weeks, Help volunteers Mirha Hadžajlić and Lea Agović have implemented the “Caring Families” program. This program, which focuses on educating parents towards positive parenting, providing positive attention, and applying non-violent discipline, aims to promote lifelong health for young children.
Starting from the premise that every family should be a supportive environment that encourages child development, we proudly announce that the first cycle of the Caring Families program, conducted in Konik with mothers from the Roma and Egyptian communities, has been successfully completed.
Given the limited number of spots, nine mothers applied for the program. Of those, eight mothers successfully completed the program and received certificates on June 12, 2024. The program lasted 12 weeks and included 12 workshops. The program leaders, volunteers, also held eight supervisory meetings after the training, to support the realization of the first cycle.
The “Caring Families” program has proven to be extremely beneficial for parents, providing them with the necessary skills and knowledge for positive parenting. Help coordinator, Irina Stamatović emphasized the importance of implementing this program specifically in Konik, as she believes the participants will be a good examples in the community. This is another program within the long-term aimed at improving the position of Roma and Egyptians in Montenegrin society.
“We look forward to continuing our work and involving new parents in the next cycle. With each new cycle, we strive to spread positive changes in the community and contribute to a better future for every child,” concluded the program implementers on behalf of Help.
The small ceremony of the awarding of the certificate was also attended by RE mediator Milica Vujadinović, who is on the daily basis helping the inclusion of the RE community.
The Caring Families program for young children, also known as Parenting for Lifelong Health for Young Children, was created as a result of a partnership between the universities of Oxford, Cape Town, and Bangor, as well as Clowns Without Borders from South Africa, with the support of the World Health Organization and UNICEF. The program has been implemented in several countries around the world, and in Montenegro, it has been conducted with the support of UNICEF and the EU since 2018.
