Young people across the Eastern Caribbean step up to support their friends

One hundred and four people from Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Barbados have been trained over the past year to provide peer support to friends in distress through UNICEF’s “I Support My Friends” initiative, supported by the Government of Australia.

The training, grounded in the principles of Psychological First Aid, equips adolescents, community leaders, school counsellors and carers with practical skills to recognise when a young person is struggling, to listen with empathy, and to link them to trusted adults or services. It aims to strengthen the protective networks that exist naturally among children and young people.

In Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the programme took on added urgency in the wake of Hurricane Beryl, as many young people faced heightened mental health challenges following the disaster. The sessions offered a space for recovery, connection, and empowerment.

“I Support My Friends” is jointly developed by UNICEF, Save the Children, the MHPSS Collaborative and the World Health Organization. It builds on existing evidence-informed materials and global experience, with a focus on three simple but powerful steps: Look, Listen and Link.

Bertrand Moses, Child Protection Officer at UNICEF Eastern Caribbean Area Office, said the initiative responds directly to what young people themselves asked for.

“What makes this initiative so powerful is that children and young people told us they want to be trained to help their peers recover and be supported," said Moses. They are often the first people their friends turn to when experiencing distress, and I Support My Friends was developed based on that evidence."

In Grenada, Racheal Phillip, Child Protection Officer with the Child Protection Authority and Mental Health Focal Point with UNICEF, described the training as “an enriching and inspiring experience.”

“From the first session, it was clear that facilitators and participants were deeply committed to the wellbeing of children and young people. The programme blended theory with practice, including role play, which made the principles of Look, Listen, Link easy to apply in classrooms and communities. Exchanging experiences with participants from across the region was inspiring and left me feeling more empowered and confident," said Phillip. 

In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Counselling Officer Chickeria James-Cumberbatch said the initiative is helping to reduce stigma and build a culture of empathy.

“I Support My Friends fosters a culture of care, empathy, and emotional intelligence. A small act of kindness or a listening ear can prevent issues from escalating, and trained peer supporters help reduce self-harming thoughts and behaviours among their peers," James Cumberbatch added.