Joseph Robinson (centre), executive director of ASHE Ensemble, about to present a plaque to Ray Smith (right), managing director of Real TV, for producing ASHE's 'Parenting Vibes' video. At left is Conroy Wilson, who chaired the recent re-launch of the 'Parenting Vibes' kit at the New Kingston Cinema.A LARGE gathering converged at the New Kingston Cinema recently to witness the re-launch of ASHE's 'Parenting Vibes' kit.
The launch, dubbed "Parenting Vibes In the World of Sexuality", left the audience with much to think about, following the showing of the thought-provoking and exciting 40-minute, music-filled video production, 'Parenting Vibes', on the positive and negative sides of parenting.
Despite being comical, at points, the video production dealt with serious and sensitive issues such as masturbation, teenage pregnancy, rape, suicide, and sex among adolescents.
The cast in the Parenting Vibes musical drama consists of members of the ASHE
Caribbean Performing Arts Foundation, who conveyed the better parenting message
through drama.
The parenting kit also consists of a facilitator's manual, a parent's activity book, and a vibes CD/cassette.
In her remarks, Margaret Sancho, Office Director in the Office of General Development at United States Agency for International Development (USAID), praised ASHE's creativity and stressed her organisation's continued support for the Ensemble.
"In this parenting method, ASHE once again uses the strengths of the performing arts rather than the traditional "chalk and talk" method to excite parents and engage them in the learning process, motivating them to make a commitment to positive behaviour and healthy lifestyle for themselves and their children," she said.
Ms. Sancho also commended the National Family Planning Board, the Coalition for Better Parenting, and Family Health International, for supporting ASHE and making the production a reality.
"We (USAID) understand the challenges of trying to communicate with young people especially with regard to their sexuality," she said. "We are happy to be part of the process that we believe will assist parents in handling the difficult task of raising children and safeguarding their reproductive health."
In his brief address to the gathering, ASHE's Executive Director Joseph Robinson, said in order to complete the project, he and his creative team trekked across the island and spoke with some 300 parents to solicit their views.
"This production has taught me the importance of listening, integrating, but above all, the importance of setting a good example," he said, to loud cheers from the audience. He said ASHE has already trained 40 persons to use the teaching tools. He added that they will in turn train another 50 persons in Jamaica and across eight Caribbean islands.
'Parenting Vibes' was launched several years ago, but the book was withdrawn after sections of the society, including the Roman Catholic Church, objected to some of the content in the facilitator's manual.
But in its determined effort to use the performing arts to convey the message of better parenting, ASHE did not only revise sections of the book, but created an improved and fun-filled medium in the 'Parenting Vibes' drama to effectively and easily communicate its message.
ASHE is an internationally-acclaimed, award-winning organisation. It is one of the few professional (full-time career) performing arts companies in the English-speaking Caribbean.
