Petra Organisation stages child safeguarding course

The Petra Organisation has added another feather to their own cap, providing a platform for Coaches and teachers who will be leading their teams into the ExxonMobil Boys’ and Girls’ Under-14 tournament, to undergo a necessary and valued child safeguarding course.
The organisation teamed up with the Ministries of Education and Social Security to see the course, seen as a necessary skillset for working with children, administered by Senior Child Protection Officer Orette Francois on Wednesday.

The child safeguarding course will go hand in hand with a coaching course set to be overseen by Jamaal Shabazz on Thursday.
During a simple opening ceremony at the National Library, Petra Organisation Co-Director Troy Mendonca highlighted the importance of theory learning which the Coaches will benefit from.
Mendonca remarked, “Many of you who would’ve qualified to be a driver and not being a driver through the backdoor and understand when you do the theory to get your licence, you understand how much care you have to display on the road. I said that because I know as teachers or even Coaches, being involved with kids, you understand some sense of responsibility, but to be exposed to the theory is something different.”

“And so, Petra Organisation for the past two years has been seeking ways and means to do this course,” the Petra Co-Director added.
Keeping up with the theme of preaching the course’s importance was former Golden Jaguars Head Coach and current Slingerz FC gaffer Jamaal Shabazz, who also shared a charge for his session which will take place tomorrow.
“In the Caribbean, we only understand child safety when an unfortunate incident happens, like what happened the other day. So, this is a good yard stick to measure administrators, by putting the blocks in place, the steps in place for everything to flow,” Shabazz shared.
The former Golden Jaguars gaffer went on to state, “In the work that we’re going to do, I want you to focus more on not ‘what do you coach’, ask yourself and we’ll answer it tomorrow. Is it about what you know and how you coach or is it about understanding how young people learn?”
Education Ministry’s Head of Allied Arts, Nicholas Fraser later spoke to the value of the course and how it can make coaches eligible for jobs with their framework.
Fraser enlightened, “With respect to this course in particular, we have linked the certification in child protection to the hiring of Coaches by the Ministry of Education. And so, particularly in the five-priority programme, which I think a few of you are a part and if you’re not, we need to ensure that we target you so that we ensure that everyone working with children within the school system, if you’re not a trained teacher, that you’re trained in certain areas.”
Coaches from as far as Regions One, Seven and 10 were present for Wednesday’s course.