Change doesn’t happen in isolation. That’s why Christel House Jamaica has partnered with HEART Trust NSTA to launch Customer Service Level II certification training for our parents, at no cost to them.

Twenty-eight parents, many of whom are single mothers, have committed to attending the 8-week program, which includes stress and time management, and professional communication.

Brian Hutchinson, Social Worker, said the Social Services Department saw the need for the training by observing the daily challenges many parents face. “We saw how much the parents depended on others just to get by,” he said. “Often, mothers in these communities suffer from emotional or physical abuse simply because they depend on a breadwinner. This program builds resilience, confidence, and knowledge – things they can rely on to be independent.”

He added that while the focus of the training is customer service, the impact extends beyond the job market.

“Customer service doesn’t stop at the workplace; it carries over into life. Since we started the training, even the way parents interact with us has changed. Conversations are more respectful and productive because they’re learning to treat people the same way we treat them.”

The goal is for all 28 parents to be certified by the end of the program. They have already completed Level I and have moved to Level II. Eventually, Social Services would like to offer the Level III program, which could almost guarantee them a job in the BPO sector.

He shared that many of our parents didn’t complete high school, and the program is giving them a second chance.

“Some are in their forties and told me, ‘Thank you for looking out for me. Thank you for giving me another opportunity to start back school.’ For some, this is just the beginning. For others, it’s the final push toward something sustainable for themselves and their families.”

One parent, Kim shared her experience so far.

“It has been exciting. Mi learn a lot in terms of how to communicate with people on a whole. I’ve learnt about responsibilities,” she said. “For me, mi hope mi can get a job out of it. The way the class has groomed me with experience, I know I’ll be good at that job. What I experience in class, I’ll bring that to the working environment.”

The long-term goal, Mr. Hutchinson said, is to help parents become self-sufficient and, in turn, create more stable homes for their children, creating a ripple effect.

He explained that many of our students come from homes where parents are under stress and don’t know how to manage it. This stress can trickle down to the child.

“When a parent learns to manage the stress, it changes how they treat their child, which in turn, impacts their behaviour at school.”

We’re transforming the lives of our students, and our parents, too.