YOU ARE NEVER TOO YOUNG.

Crime Stoppers Barbados in conjunction with UNICEF rolled out its “Cool Kids” anger management and conflict resolution programme in Octtober 2018 in six of the island’s primary schools.

Cool Kids is a prevention-based anger management and conflict resolution programme for students aged 5-11. Students learn how to define anger, learn how anger affects their bodies, identify their bodies warning signals; understand their emotional triggers; label emotions and
communicate these effectively; respond in proportionate ways; and develop a selection of strategies, including acting assertively and developing problem solving skills.

The programme is designed to help children become self-reliant and to use constructive approaches to situations that may produce strong emotions. Cool Kids provides students with the tools to successfully manage anger while also helping them to calm down and think of
alternative solutions that don’t involve lashing out or resorting to violence.

Crime Stoppers Barbados (CSB) has been running its “Cool Yuh Head” anger management and conflict resolution programme sponsored by the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust in secondary schools for the past five years. But this is the first time the organization has embarked upon primary schools.

“After meeting with primary school principals and having discussions with UNICEF, it became clear that this is the right time to try to grasp and shape the lives of children in their early or formative years in terms of how they cope with anger,” said Crime Stoppers Barbados Programme Director, Sherie Holder-Olutayo. “It’s important for Crime Stoppers Barbados to do this because we’re trying to show children there are alternatives to resorting to violence and derailing their lives.”