Twelve12:Hope’s vision is to equip community leaders to offer healing and hope to traumatized children. We do this primarily through our Jacaranda Communities of Hope program.
The principles of trauma recovery are rooted in love. It is essential to bring healing to the heart, soul, mind and body of those who suffer from the consequences of trauma. Bringing hope through the loving gift of presence to children is the core strategy of the Jacaranda program.
All children of war and violence are vulnerable, with greater vulnerability to those who have lost parents and are displaced. Where children have experienced chronic, complex trauma due to such things as natural disasters, war, religious persecution, ethnic cleansing and poverty-based violence, we teach adults to create a safe environment so that children can share their story and feel loved and not forgotten.
We have delivered our Jacaranda training to participants through host organizations in Myanmar, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Kenya, Nigeria, South Sudan, Mongolia, Ukraine, and Kurdish Iraq.
Significance of “Jacaranda” in the title of the program:
The Jacaranda tree can be found blooming all around the world. For many its extravagant purple blossoms are a symbol of hope. The flowers unfold in the driest time of the year, a blind act of faith, foreshadowing the coming of much needed rain. Like the tree, the children helped by the Jacaranda Communities of Hope program bloom despite their trauma, in anticipation of a brighter future.
Establishing a partnership for a Jacaranda Communities of Hope training:
We have formed relationships with several well established organizations on the ground who assist us with making introductions to trustworthy local leaders in the most needy communities.
Choosing a training location:
We are intentional to go into communities affected by the traumas of war, natural disasters, poverty, and only at the invitation of a local host who sees the need for a trauma recovery program in their community. A vision for sustaining and multiplying the Jacaranda program is also assessed in determining a location.
Choosing and vetting local adult trainees:
We rely on our local hosts to choose trainees who have opportunities to work with children in their community. We work with our hosts to properly vet potential participants and ensure they are able to abide by our child protection guidelines and to create a safe environment in which to facilitate healing. Adults who are chosen might be teachers, medical and mental health personnel, community volunteers or local religious workers.
Structure of 10-day Jacaranda program:
The first 5 days of training occur in a classroom setting so the trainees become trauma-informed and include a focus on the development of 3 pratical skills which can be adapted and implemented in any setting where children are present. The 3 practical skills include: child-directed healing play, child-centered storytelling, and emotional regulation activities. The second 5-day segment is a practicum for the trainees to work directly with children to practice the skills. We refer to the practicum as healing play camp.
Funding of local training programs:
Our training programs are self funded by our hosts through partnerships with local community based organizations and other non profits on the ground. This ensures we hold true to our core value of sustainability.
How old are the children you serve?
Healing camp is appropriate for children ages 5-12.
Can teenagers attend?
At this time, the Jacaranda program is tailored toward younger children who may not have the verbal processing skills or an adolescent functioning at a lower level. The skills can be modified and adpated to work with adolescents.
Follow up with children attending healing camp:
One of the reasons why we train local community leaders in facilitating healing play camps instead of sending in teams of western counselors is specifically so that the healing relationships formed during camp can continue after our team has flown home. Our local hosts coordinate follow up with camp participants as appropriate. This also ensures we are adhering to our core values of sustainability, being culturally adaptive and collaborative.
Connecting my organization to learn more about a possible partnership and connecting with existing trainers of the Jacaranda Communities of Hope program.
We are actively pursuing potential partnerships with organizations that have core values similar to those of Twelve12:Hope and are interested in bringing the Jacaranda Communities of Hope to their communities. The next step for individuals who are interested in the process of becoming a trainer or organizations interested in a potential partnership is to send an email to connect@twelve12hope.org
How to stay informed about the work of Jacaranda Communities of Hope:
Please visit our Contact page to learn more about how to stay in touch.