My life is now full of joy.

Michelle is a single parent of six children ranging in age from 16 years old down to only 3 years. As a single parent and working mum Michelle frequently found the stresses of making ends meet and parenting her children meant she had low self-esteem and a real lack of confidence in her own abilities. Discipline was often through shouting: Michelle certainly wasn't enjoying being a mum.

In 2009 Michelle heard about a Mothers' Union parenting group being run in her area at a local hall. Her neighbours persuaded her to join, whilst her extended family helped with the children. In the sessions Michelle was astounded to find mums just like her who faced similar problems. Before she'd felt so alone. "The group", she says, "helped me cope with different situations that kept me as an isolated person before."

"My life now is full of joy, because I am able to speak out and be heard. I now have the ability to handle mylink to donate page children in the right way, especially when scolding them."

Michelle not only completed this group, but has since done another series of sessions and now wants to reach out to other parents like her in Guyana: Michelle hopes to train as a Mothers' Union parent facilitator this year and run her own groups.

Training a facilitator costs around £99 per training. If you would like to help Mothers' Union train more local women like Michelle to ensure parents find safe, productive and happy ways to parent their children, please click here

The parenting programme helps parents like Michelle in 18 countries of the world, including 16 countries outside the UK and Ireland. Currently the programme has trained 1,374 facilitators in Australia, Belieze, Barbados, Canada, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Solomon Island, St Lucia, St Vincent & The Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda, USA, Vanuatu

When did the programme reach worldwide?
The programme first began expansion overseas in 2003, when the province of Australia saw potential to develop the programme through their own Mothers' Union dioceses. The trend continued early 2005, with the programme being piloted in six different countries; Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Rwanda, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uganda. The programme was tailored in each case to take into consideration local needs and available resources.

How does it work?
The programme is based on a volunteer ethos, which includes an introduction to our programme modified to suit local Mothers' Union structures and capacity. Communities who are interested then nominate volunteers and these people participate in training as facilitators. Each local programme also appoints a steering committee which often include the traditional leader and / or priest, and these provide support and guidance to the facilitator and help build the programme. In this way we ensure that each community owns the programme fully. This not only creates a sustainable programme but allows us continued expansion of the programme, with minimum external intervention.

Impact
Once the facilitator has been trained, groups are formed within their community. Groups would then usually be guided through sessions that last between 8-12 weeks covering the highs and lows of parenting, the parent-child relationship and discussing sensitive issues. In many cultures, issues such as early marriage, child abuse and female genital mutilation are deemed inappropriate to discuss or even taboo within society. Facilitators work to break down the barriers and traditional beliefs that may be harmful to children within families and communities. Topics covered in a parenting group range from the development stages of the child to discussion surrounding teenagers and other areas such as domestic violence.

Mothers' Union Parenting Programme empowers individuals and brings together communities from varying ethnicities and backgrounds in order to overcome common problems collectively.

"Since parenting has begun, there has been bonding and talking in the community, we are confident the community are closer and if clashes were to break out again, these communities would no longer be affected" St. Emanuel, Kibera Slum, Community Member. KENYA, Aug 2008.

Our dedicated and highly motivated network of voluntary facilitators are key to the programme's success all around the world.

"From darkness imparted knowledge, and in came the light...it is hoped that the light continues to shine...being able to make a positive difference in the lives of our young people" Carolyn King, Facilitator. TRINIDAD, Jun 2008.

Contact details:
For further information about Mothers' Union Parenting Programme (Worldwide) please contact:
Mothers' Union
24 Tufton Street
London
SW1P 3RB

Tel 0207 222 5533
Fax 0207 227 9731
Email worldwide@themothersunion.org