Neighbours Helping Neighbours

The Ministry of Health hosted a ceremony last week (Tuesday, 18 January) to launch the Neighbours Helping Neighbours Community-based Support Programme, the first two support groups of which are scheduled to begin meeting this week.

Developed by the Ministry of Health Services, under the guidance of locally based clinical psychologist, Dr. Karen Dunbar, the programme is designed to provide emotional and social support to persons within the community who are experiencing post-Ivan difficulties.

Commenting, Dr. Kiran Kumar, who is part of the multi-agency team spearheading the project, said: “While community members have been supporting and assisting each other in the aftermath of Ivan, this is a structured programme led by trained facilitators.” Facilitators were selected from related professions, such as social work and the clergy, receiving intensive training and orientation over a full weekend in December, under the guidance of Dr. Dunbar. Since then they have been working as peer counsellors throughout Grand Cayman.

So far, 30 persons have signed up as participants in the two support groups in the Neighbours Helping Neighbours programme scheduled to start this week Wednesday (26 January) and Saturday (29 January), respectively. Led by the experienced and trained facilitators, participants will receive information, learn stress management skills and share strategies for coping with difficult situations in a supportive environment in the six week programme (one session per week).

At last week’s ceremony the Minister of Health, the Hon. Gilbert McLean, said: “The mental health response must include collaboration and liaison between many different agencies and organisations.”

Mr. McLean acknowledged that during the early stages of the recovery process, Members of the Legislative Assembly, pastors, social workers, health care personnel (including mental health workers and counsellors), along with the Disaster Assistance Centres, had provided vital support. In turn, many of those same agencies were called upon to form the multi-agency Mental Health Strategic Committee which developed the Neighbours Helping Neighbours programme. The minister said that there are plans to promote the programme throughout Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac.

Since the initial training of group facilitators in December, several church and other community groups have already taken the initiative to develop their own peer support groups. The ministry has pledged support to these groups by way of materials and trained facilitators.

Anyone interested in further information on Neighbours Helping Neighbours may contact the Public Health Department on 244-2648.