The successful rehabilitation and reintegration into society of people scuffling with mental health and addiction challenges, require the existence of strong, structured programmes aimed toward developing life skills and providing the tools needed to earn a living, and more importantly, to navigate real life challenges that increase the likelihood for relapse.
It is for that reason, that leading insurance and financial solutions provider, Sagicor, made a recent donation of desktops to the rehabilitation programmes at Verdun and Marina Houses, each projects of the Substance Abuse Foundation (SAF) Inc.
As approved Assessment Centres for five industry standards by Barbados’ Technical & Vocational Training Education and Training (TVET) Council, these facilities are recognised as Second Likelihood Institutions with the power to offer training, resulting in the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ), the equivalent of the CXC, but for competency-based learners.
This Second Likelihood Programme is designed to offer youth who’ve been unable to finish their formal education, with one other opportunity to access educational opportunities tailored specifically to them.
CEO of the SAF Inc., Marietta Carrington, said that due to this programme, they’ve seen clients make full and lasting recoveries. “We established a Learning Equipment Centre equipped with second-hand computers that were previously donated; nonetheless, one-by- one these systems have been decommissioned over time, negatively impacting our ability to deliver and execute the programme.
We’re subsequently exceedingly grateful that Sagicor and its Tech support team were willing to offer us with and assist within the set-up of those systems, which can go a good distance towards improving the lives of our clients.”
Speaking on the donation was Paul Inniss, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Sagicor Life Inc, who said the choice to support this programme was a straightforward one, given the alignment between the SAF’s commitment to bettering the lives of their clients and Sagicor’s continued concentrate on improving the lives of those within the communities during which it operates.
“As the good Frederick Douglass said, ‘education is the trail to freedom’, and we at Sagicor firmly consider in assisting wherever possible with providing those in need with the tools to access such education.
Leading this charge has been our very own Sagicor Tech support team, who’ve been those accountable for identifying, refurbishing and formatting the varied systems in preparation for donation.
Their commitment to this effort has been further showcased by their willingness and eagerness to offer the physical support needed to establish the systems at each institutions.”
Because the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sagicor and its Tech support team have made several similar donations, with recipients including the Optimist Club, the Unborn Justice organisation and the St. Leonard’s Boys School’s Music Lab. (PR)
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