aki - Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland

Working together on the future
of the Dutch Caribbean
boletin akí ta optenibel na Papiamentu tambe september/october 2011
NUMBER 11
I N F O R M A T I O N B U L L E T I N
B O N A I R E , S T . E U S T A T I U S A N D S A B A
STAND STILL AND LOOKING FORWARD
In front of you is the 11th information bulein of the RCN. This edition is to close the year on a positive note and mainly to
stand still by all that has improved this past year. What has changed for example in youth care and at the Court of Guardianship?
How does the Fire Brigrade stand? And what has happened in education? This paper will bring you up to date.
FOR PARENTS AND EDUCATORS
The Centre for Youth and Family is a facility for all
parents and educators where they can come with their
questions about the education and health of their
children between 0 to 19 years. The Centre for Youth
and Family works preventively and helps issues with
parenting and education. It constitutes the last
element of the master plan to improve the youth
facilities on the three islands of the Dutch Caribbean,
that ‘kwartiermaker’ Marga Drewes of VWS/ Health
Youth and Family has been working on since 2009, in
collaboration with the workers in the field, the policy
makers of the Public Entity and RCN and the Boards of
the various organizations. The name 'Triple P' stands
for Positive Parenting Program. The originally
Australian program helps parents in raising their
children between 0 to 16 years. Triple P is a program to
prevent emotional and behavior problems in children,
by promoting competent parenting.
Triple P is aimed at changing or reducing behavior
that contributes to the development of emotional and
behavioral problems in children. Parents learn to use
everyday communication in the family to adequately
support their children emotionally and to stimulate
their social skills and problem solving abilities. The
positive aspects in a family and the competence of the
parents are strengthened this way and risk factors are
reduced. Or as Mimi Dongen from the Youth and
Family Centre succinctly states: “Less hiing and
yelling and more love and plenty of communication.”
Triple P provides parents with various strategies for
everyday practice. “Parents learn how they can
encourage desired behavior in their child and can
counter unwanted behavior”, says Dongen. They also
receive information on these parenting strategies and,
if they want to, they can receive guidance in applying
‘YOU DON’T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE STRICT’
“Raising children is a whole different ballgame
nowadays than when I was sixteen, myself. It was not
as easy as a child in the past, parents were very strict. If
you did something wrong, the lile rope was used.”
Mariela Goeloe (44) can laugh about it when reminiscing
about that time. In the brand new Centre for
Youth and Family in Kralendijk, she explains why she
recently participated in the course that assists in the
parenting of children between 11 and 18 years old.
Together with her husband Gwendell they have two
children, a sixteen year old daughter and twelve year
old son. “They change”, says Mariela. “Children want
this and then they want that.” As the children reach
puberty, sometimes conflicts and issues arise. The
this to their own situation. These parenting strategies
are based on five basic principles of positive parenting:
Offer children a safe and stimulating environment
Allow children to learn through positive support
Apply appealing discipline
Have realistic expectations and
Take good care of yourself
The centre for Youth and Family invested much time
and energy over the past year in training its own
people so they are able to provide guidance to parents.
Next year the centre will continue this as well to
support the care in using the Triple P methodology.
Furthermore, there will be campaigns for the public
with for example parenting tips and the impact of
positive parenting.
On October 31, 2011, the Centre was officially
opened by Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima
course taught you how you can deal with that and how
you can solve the conflicts. “For example, you do not
always have to be strict”, says Mariela. “A lot can be
solved by talking.” Mariela has no problems with her
own children. Even before she started the course
things were discussed at home if there ever was an
issue. But it’s always good to know more, she believes.
That’s why she readily agreed when she was asked to
participate in this course. Sometimes it’s annoying
having to give punishment to a sixteen year old child.
Here they teach you to talk in order to solve problems.
That you need to sit around the table together and also
must allow your children to have their say. But also
that your children must learn that there are rules and
Special edition
Working together on the future
for the Dutch Caribbean
that you need to be clear about that as a parent. And
that you need to enforce those rules, where parents of
course need to draw one line together.” The
course”Dealing with adolescents” is part of the
selection at the Centre for Youth and Family. Mariela
recommends every parent to take this course whether
or not together with your partner. The costs should
not discourage anyone from taking the course.
Participation costs only ten dollars for the entire
course. It takes a total of six weeks, with a two-hour
session each week.
Enrollment for the course can be done through the Centre for Youth and
Family, telephone: 715-7200 or dropping by at Kaya Prinses Marie nr. 7.