Venezuelan embassy provides skills training to Guyanese women

The Venezuelan embassy, in collaboration with the Human ServicesMinistry and the UnitedNations Children’sFund (UNICEF), hasconcluded a workshopon various topics of relevanceto Guyanese women.More than 50 mothersparticipated andwere educated on issuessuch as suicideprevention, parenting,nurturing teenagers,leadership, and othernecessary skills. Theworkshop was facilitatedby the VenezuelanInstitute for Culture and Cooperation(IVCC).The workshop concludedon Friday.Certified professionallife coach Jimmy Roos told Guyana Times International that thewomen were shown thebenefits of being a nurturingparent, and alsothe consequences ofparents failing to nurture their children.He said most participants reported that they have been utilising the parenting strategiesthat were taught at theworkshop, which indicatedthat they were seriousabout the issues.“The ladies were reallyenthusiastic, becausethey saw theeffects of being a nurturingparent. It makesyou feel good, becauseyou can see that you’remaking a difference –one person at a timeand one household ata time – and helping tomake Guyana a betterplace,” Roos stated.According to him,children are the leadersof tomorrow, and shouldparents fail to nurturethem, the types of leadersthe world will have,if any at all, will be inquestion.Roos said that thewomen were also shownpractical strategies onhow to move from beingfollowers to leaders, andto recognise the traits ofa good leader.Special focus onsuicide preventionAssistant ChiefProbation and SocialServices Officer MarvaWilliams said that,over the last two weeks,the Human ServicesMinistry has been involvedin training personson how to be parents.She pointed outthat special focus hasbeen paid to teachingthe women how to parentadolescents and detectsigns of depressionand suicide.“We dealt with howparents can make surethey are communicatingwith their children,so they can know if theyare frustrated or depressed,”Williams explained.She revealed thatNovember 18 has beenset aside for the womento receive counselling.“They have indicatedthat they need thisone-on-one session, andthis would be done onThursday. We will meetwith them, talk, andmake referrals wherenecessary,” Williamsindicated.IVCC Director andSpecialist ProfessorEdiclia Bastardotold Guyana TimesInternational that theinstitute is regularlyinvolved in social andeducational outreaches.She pointed out thatthe Spanish classes areattended by 80 studentsin batches of 20, and166 women frequentthe craft courses, wherethey are taught tie-dying,cake decorating,nail designing, knitting,handicraft makingand sewing. She statedthat the institute wouldprovide these womenwith certificates at theend of the training, aswell as financial assistanceto start their ownbusinesses.