Positive Parenting Program update

Mothers’ Union President Mary Vunagi (left) with the new Positive Parenting Coordinator Mr George Kiriau (right) and his wife Minnie, a co-facilitator of a parenting group in the Solomon Islands

August 2016

The Mothers’ Union of the Anglican Church of Melanesia have recently announced a new coordinator for the Positive Parenting Program. Mr George Kiriau, former ACOM General Secretary, was appointed to the coordinator position by MU President Mary Vunagi, and will serve the ever-expanding network of Positive Parenting facilitators and diocesan leaders.

As one of the first duties in his new role, Mr Kiriau organised a Facilitator training session for the Diocese of Central Solomons, in order to equip new facilitators with the skills and knowledge to run their own Positive Parenting sessions. Held over several weeks in July 2016, this training included 3 distinct sections to achieve this aim;

1. The pre-course work. This involved participants thinking about their own experiences of being parented, reflecting on their experiences of parenting or caring for children, and thinking about parenting issues in the present culture
2. The Facilitator Training course. Information on family dynamics, child development, cycles of abuse and positive discipline methods is given. The skills needed to facilitate a group are also discussed, including leading, speaking, and listening techniques.
3. Observing a Positive Parenting group. Facilitators are able to participate in an Intensive Parenting group session for 6 days, led by an experienced facilitator, before setting up their own parenting group.

Altogether there were 18 participants for this Facilitator training session, who will now be supported by the Mothers’ Union in Central Solomons, as well as their local parishes and clergy.

Among the group, the participants acknowledged that this training has helped them not only in becoming facilitators, but also as parents. One woman said,

“I realise I have gifts and the potential to do great things, and in  this training I have been helped to build my confidence in speaking especially given opportunities to speak, and the presentations in front of the group.”

ABM would like to thank everyone who gave so generously towards this program, making these Facilitator trainings possible.

 

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