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BACKGROUND Kids In Need of Direction (KIND) is a charitable organization founded in 1996, with the aim of providing assistance to disadvantaged children throughout Trinidad and Tobago, within the parameters of Education, Nutrition, Medical Assistance, Vocational Training, Emotional Counseling and Sport. KIND is governed by a Board of Directors with executive membership made up of professionals in the field of Medicine, Education, Finance and Business, who complement each other by working in tandem to ensure that the goals of the organization are achieved. The organization was registered as a Non – Profit Company on 24th April 1998, and granted charitable status by the Ministry of Finance on 21st August 2001. Our attorneys, Pollonais, Blanc, De la Bastide and Jacelon and Accountants, Aegis Business Solutions Limited, both highly respected firms graciously provide their professional services free of charge. Audited statements are presented annually. KIND’s focus is the assistance of the less fortunate and “at risk” children in our society. We see this as a critical need and therefore will continue our intervention efforts working with our society’s most precious resources, our children. To date, KIND has helped over five thousand (5,000) children and their families. As we identify more and more cases of children in distressing situations, the need for assistance grows. We note that without assistance from organizations such as ours, the needs verses assistance gap becomes just a statistic in the records of Trinidad and Tobago. We must continue to grow and act.
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CONTACT INFORMATION Contact Persons: Ms. Carlene Donald – Administrator
Ms. Melissa Jimenez – Marketing Officer
Name of organization: Kids in Need of Direction-KIND Complete mailing address: #9 Eastern Main Road, Laventille, Port of Spain, Trinidad, WI
Telephone Number: 1(868) 626-KIND/ NEED
Fax Number: 1(868) 626-5810
Web Site: www.kindkids.net
E-mail address: [email protected],
[email protected] , [email protected]
ORGANISATION ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE Policy decisions and their implementation are made through quarterly meetings of the Board of Directors. The day-to-day activities of the organization are planned, organized and implemented by an Administrator, a Social Worker, a Marketing Officer and a Receptionist. The Directors are all highly respected professionals in their fields, which range from Social Work and Psychology to Business. A List of the Board of Directors, and other organizations affiliated with KIND business are provided below. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Karina Jardine-Scott (Chairperson/ Founder) Interior Designer D.K Designs Gregory Sloane-Seale Coordinator Project Preparation & Implementation Unit, Citizens Security Programme, Ministry of National Security LAWYERS Pollonais, Blanc, De La Bastide and Jacelon BANKERS First Citizens Bank - Park Street, Port of Spain
Daniel Scott Managing Director Anthony P. Scott & Co. Ltd. Robert Tang Yuk Managing Director TYE Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
AUDITORS Aegis Business Solutions Limited
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OUR MISSION
To become a recognized organization in the pursuit of creative and productive education for disadvantaged children and in the holistic development of families of Trinidad and Tobago.
OUR VISION
Building T & T one family at a time.
OUR OBJECTIVES
To provide assistance to underprivileged children within the parameters of education, nutrition, medical, vocational training, counseling and sport.
To continue existing educational programmes and initiate new ones at the KIND Centre.
To forge links with other agencies nationally and internationally, towards the advancement of our programmes and the improvement of our clients.
To continuously raise the public’s awareness of KIND and its work, via the print and electronic media.
KIND’s OVERALL ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE The purchase of our own facility sponsored by JB Fernandes Memorial Trust 1.
The implementation of a sustainable literacy programme that effectively addresses the needs of
disadvantaged children.
Assisted over five thousand (5,000) disadvantaged children between the ages of nine (9) to seventeen (17)
years, with the literacy tools necessary to assimilate them into their skill and future career.
Provision of assistance to over three hundred less fortunate children with school books, uniforms,
transportation, food hampers, school fees and medical assistance ensuring that they were able to stay in
school.
The development of workshops using education as the medium that allows children to overcome the scars
of physical, emotional and psychological abuse as a result of their present situation. Some topics presented
in these workshops include Substance Abuse, Anger Management, Family Planning, Goal setting, Self-
Esteem and Crime.
The achievement of our goals and objectives without government subsidy.
The opening of recreation room complete with a tennis board, board games, DVD and CD players.
The renovation and extension of our KIND Centre courtesy the Republic Bank of Trinidad and Tobago
2010.
The establishment of a library and cyber café 2010.
Client Ms. Baird graduated from Pivot Point Academy with an Associate Degree in Cosmetology (2010).
Client Ms. Ramsingh completed her CSEC examinations with 7 grade 1’s and 2 distinctions (2010). She
went on to pursue CAPE Year 1 examinations in (2011) where she obtained a distinction, one grade 1 and
one grade 2.
2 Clients Ms. Borneo and Ms. Skeete sat the CSEC examinations (2011) and obtained grade 1’s, 2’s and
distinctions.
8 Clients sat the SEA examinations. 6 passed for Secondary Schools and 2 for SERVOL’s Junior Life Centre.
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KIND’s BENEFICIARIES
KIND has adopted a novel 2-pronged approach to empowering our clientele. Whilst focus is concentrated on the educational and psychological
development of the child, assistance is also extended to the relevant members of their families. KIND recognizes that it is counter-productive to return a child to the same negative home environment. We therefore go one step further and act as a catalyst for change in the home environment by conducting programmes geared specifically towards parents.
The beneficiaries of this project are from various communities in Trinidad and Tobago. These children are considered “At Risk” and most of them
have failed their high school entrance examination. In many cases they have had a problem with Literacy from childhood which went unidentified or possibly ignored. Many come from extremely poor families and are unable to afford programmes that could remedy this problem. Often they treat educational needs as a bother because of the high cost of books and transportation. Education is not their primary focus; as a result many of the children’s educational needs go unattended. KIND’s priority has been to develop children and young people to become effective individuals in their communities and the society at large. We believe that a Literacy-rich environment must be created if we are to progress as a nation. The link between “where we are” and “where we ought to be” must be shortened daily if we are to achieve fully developed status. KIND sees this “narrowing” occurring through education. KIND helps families in need as well as students who are having problems finding support to attend school on a daily basis. We provide school books where applicable and help parents with school fees. Counselling services are provided for students who have behavioural problems and motivational sessions are conducted to enhance their performance.
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KIND’s NETWORK KIND recognizes in our present day society, non-governmental organizations (NGO) and community based organizations (CBO’s) are unable to operate in isolation. Links with government agencies and the private sector as well as other national and international NGOs / CBO’s are critical to the overall success of these organizations. As a corollary, this also enhances these organizations capacity to offer improved services to its clientele. As such KIND has developed and is still developing a dynamic network of social, educational, medical and recreational institutions, all of which offer correctional and developmental services for children and adults. Some of the institutions we partner with directly include:
Coalition Against Domestic Violence
CRADLE
Families In Action
Family Planning Association (FPA)
Foundation for the Enhancement and Enrichment of Life (FEEL)
Kids In Distressed Situations (KIDS) - New York
Helping Youth Prepare For Employment (HYPE)
National Family Services
Rainbow Rescue
Rape Crisis Society
SERVOL
Social Welfare Division
The Cotton Tree Foundation (CTF)
The Living Waters Community
The Psychological Association of Trinidad and Tobago
The Shelter for Battered Women
Trinidad and Tobago Peace Government
Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA)
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This is an ongoing fundraising initiative that makes provision for all KIND clients and students. Each school term we assist approximately seventy (70) children. Thirty (30) within the Integrated Literacy Development programme and about forty (40) children within the Outreach programme.
The cost to “Sponsor a Child to Learn” varies:
TYPE DESCRIPTION COST Casual
Anyone wishing to donate casually to our organization can simply go to any FCB branch and deposit $50 and over to our account. Walk in donors at our KIND Centre are welcomed.
$50 (or more)
One-Off
This is when the sponsor indicates that they would like to contribute a one time, lump sum donation.
$500 (or more)
Monthly (Individual)
Sponsor stipulates a specific time period and amount for which he/she desires to donate. The time periods are 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months or more. KIND encourages donors who choose this option to create standing orders. Whilst this method of payment is encouraged, it is not mandatory.
$50 (or more)
Monthly (Companies)
Sponsor stipulates a specific time period for which he/she desires to donate. Sponsors can choose to donate for 1 or more children. The cost is multiplied per child. Eg. 1 child = $1,800. 30 children =$54,000
$1,800 (per child/ per month)
NOTES:
This is an ongoing fundraising initiative.
Sponsors can sponsor 1 child for a 6 month period – the length of time it takes for the child
to complete the Integrated Literacy Development programme.
Donations can delivered to KIND’s office, mailed or deposited through First Citizens Bank
– Account #993946.
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Our Outreach Programme makes provision for disadvantaged children who are in mainstream Primary and Secondary School whose parents or guardians are unable to provide for their basic educational and nutritional needs. Each school term we assist approximately forty (40) children from less fortunate families. KIND provides tuition fees, schoolbooks and supplies, extra lessons,
transportation, medical supplies and hampers for the family where applicable. We also assist these families in the areas of nutrition, medical assistance, vocational guidance, emotional counselling and sport. The Outreach Programme helps the families towards self-sufficiency by hosting monthly Self-Development sessions featuring topics such as career planning, parenting skills, self-esteem building, financial management, sex education, and so on. Canned and packaged food donations are always welcomed. This can assist in offsetting our monthly food costs of hamper distributions to these families. The following items are our staples:
Rice
Flour
Pasta
Sugar
Peas
Tinned juice
Saltfish
Ketchup
Bath soap
Laundry Detergent
Tea, milo etc...
Mayonaise
Cooking Oil
Toothpaste
Toilet Paper
Powdered or liquid milk
Tuna
Sardine
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This represents one of the main areas of KIND’s ongoing efforts to assist underprivileged youths in Trinidad and Tobago. Education is our primary focus in this programme. We believe that education is the key for any real development to take place within the lives of our children. Most of the children entering our programme are not equipped with
the basic literacy skills required to survive in our world. Many of them are slow learners whose learning challenges are compounded by behavioural issues. Theirs is a unique situation that requires detailed attention to correct the problem. This is where KIND’s intervention is crucial. The project is conducted in collaboration with SERVOL and Dr. Hyacinth McDowell of the Ministry of Education. Our teachers are qualified and ALTA trained. There are three classes Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3. Each student is assessed to determine which level is best suited for their academic learning. Many of our students are less fortunate individuals, most of whom come from SERVOL’s Junior Life Programme whilst others come from mainstream schools where they have been detected as being in need of remedial literacy classes. Their literacy skill needs to be improved if they are to successfully take advantage of further skills training, the world of work and continuance of their education. The Integrated Literacy Development Programme is held at the KIND Centre, Monday-Friday, 8:30am-3:00pm each academic school term.
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