The primary goal of the HCC Communications under the Global Health Advocacy Incubator project remains to tackle childhood obesity and by extension non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through healthy food environments across the Caribbean with a focus on Barbados and Jamaica. This has been achieved through the development and implementation of communication and advocacy campaigns, guided by a strategic plan to reach target audiences including policymakers, the media and lay-persons. Our markers of success have been grounded in regional governments policy readiness and implementation.

The HCC continues to communicate with various target audiences through several channels. These include social media including WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, X formerly known as Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and digital, including our website, email blasts, RoundUp newsletter, and our webinars. The HCC has engaged both traditional and online media in our efforts to reach our target audiences. The media, being one of our primary audiences we have engaged through our webinars, hang-outs, one-on-one meetings, training sessions, sensitisations and now through the sponsored Caribbean Media Awards.

The Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) expanded its awards this year, to include a Healthy Nutrition Food Policy Award under two (2) themes; Television and Print for the 35th National Gas Company (NGC) Caribbean Media Awards (CMA) of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU). This activity culminated the 55th Caribbean Broadcasting Union’s Annual General Assembly, which took place in Placencia Belize. The Awards recognizes the work of the media produced and published in 2023. Following the criteria, nominations were released in June 2024. Nestled in the Umaya Hotel, the Awards took place on the night of Tuesday August 13th, 2024. The Nation Publishing Company, having coped its first ever CMA, was awarded in the print category and the Barbados Government Information Service (BGIS) emerged the winner under the television themed category. Special mention was given to RJR Gleaner Communications Group (Print Themed Award).

The event was live telecast hosted by Great Belize Productions Limited – Channel 5. Presentations, Trophies and Certificates were made in fifty-five (55) categories. A record number of these – twenty-four (24) were themed categories supported by category sponsors including:

• UNDP CariSECURE2.0
• Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC)
• The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre
• The Sagicor Financial Company Limited
• The Caribbean Development Bank Basic Needs Trust Fund
• The Nature Conservancy Caribbean Division
• The Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management
• SAEDI Consulting Limited

The organisation with the largest number of wins was RJR Gleaner Communications Group from Jamaica with sixteen (16) awards and four (4) special mentions across its media services. Great Belize Productions – Channel 5 was second with eight (8) wins and two (2) special mentions. Trinidad and Tobago was well represented with Trinidad Express fielding five (5) awards and garnering four (4) special mentions. TTT Limited received four (4) awards and a special mention. The Guardian Group was successful in five (5) categories with two awards for CNC-3; two (2) special mentions for television service and one (1) for the print-arm-Guardian newspaper.

The theme for this year’s Annual General Assembly was the Media and the Environment. This theme, being quite expansive covers key areas of interest of the HCC including the food environment in which a healthy and nutritious environment supported by healthy nutrition food policies allows individuals to grow, live, learn and thrive and climate change; which impacts heavily on the kind of food environment we have at our disposal. Food security relies heavily on and is impacted by climate change.

• The BGIS award – “Grow Green Barbados: Episode 3 – Organic Farming” – Aisha Reid, Mikul Elcock, David Bynoe, Esther Jones,  KathyAnn Husbands
• Nation Publishing Company (Barbados) It’s War – Donna Sealy
• Special Mention: RJR Gleaner Communications Group (Jamaica) – “Hungry Belly Children Can’t Learn” – Andre Williams

The HCC will also sponsor two (2) journalists for the 2024 awards (36th CMA) which has been announced will take place in Barbados in August 2025. This will be promoted at the Healthy Food Policy Virtual Sensitisation for Media Managers, Journalists and Partners in October 2024. The HCC was represented by Communications Officer Sheena Warner-Edwards in Belize, throughout the General Assembly. Participants experienced the culture of Belize through the food and the people. Both the Opening Ceremony and the Awards were streamed from Channel 5across HCCs social media channels.

Here are some photos from the event.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOH3Ow9mg_w

CBU Media Monitoring

• https://www.caribroadcastunion.org/cbu-events/cma/
• https://www.caribroadcastunion.org/2024/06/04/ngc-35th-cbu-caribbean-media-awards-announcement-of-nominees/
• https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20240817/rjrgleaner-group-continues-caribbean-media-dominance
• https://edition.channel5belize.com/winners-announced-at-record-breaking-35th-caribbean-media-awards/
• https://www.cbc.bb/news/local-news/cbc-cops-regional-media-awards/
• https://emonewsdm.com/sagicor-financial-company-ltd-supports-caribbean-broadcasting-unions-caribbean-media-awards/
• https://www.tv6tnt.com/news/7pmnews/ngc-35th-cbu-caribbean-media-awards/article_ab8b6898-5ab3-11ef-b9a5-9bfe1e50398a.html
• https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/gml-bags-two-cbu-journalism-awards-three-special-mentions-6.2.2082717.e8035f9f03
• https://magneticmediatv.com/2024/08/historic-health-professions-amendment-ordinance-and-regulations-2024-officially-signed-into-law/
• https://climatetrackercaribbean.org/featured/climate-tracker-fellows-shine-at-35th-cbu-awards/
• https://www.ttt.live/cbu-awards-2024/
• https://edition.channel5belize.com/caribbean-journalists-converge-in-belize-for-cbu-agm-media-awards/
• https://caribbean.loopnews.com/content/caribbean-tourism-organization-announces-2024-media-award-winners

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The initiative, unveiled on Friday, aims to provide a structured yet supportive work environment where patients can receive training in various vocational skills, paving the way for their reintegration into society.

The project, designed to offer a structured yet supportive work environment for individuals with mental health challenges, will focus on skills such as carpentry, joinery, woodworking, furniture making, cabinetry, and furniture repair and refurbishment.

Maureen Graham, chairperson of the Legacy Foundation’s board of trustees, described the workshop as “a haven of opportunity” for hospital patients, and a critical component of the psychiatric hospital’s inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation programme.

“We believe that investing in such programmes is not just an act of charity, but rather a fundamental responsibility,”
Graham told the brief ceremony to launch the initiative. “By modernising, retooling, and upgrading this workshop, we aim to create an environment where participants can develop skills, build confidence, and take meaningful steps towards reintegrating into society.”

David Leacock, director of the hospital, emphasised the crucial role of sheltered workshops in the recovery process, stating that they were a stepping stone on the journey to recovery for those with mental health challenges and disabilities. Leacock added that the workshops also allowed these individuals to rediscover their strengths and experience the dignity that comes with making a contribution to society.

“These workshops are not merely places of employment, they are a sanctuary for empowerment and transformation,” the hospital director said.

The Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Davidson Ishmael, suggested that the initiative was a perfect example of the power of partnership. Collaborative efforts such as these, Ishmael said, were essential in helping vulnerable people. (SB)

The post New sheltered workshop offers hope for psychiatric patients appeared first on Barbados Today.

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