On Friday 6th December, 2013, 20 persons from different departments within Government along with representatives from Government subsidized primary and secondary, members of the Library, the St. Maarten Family Guardianship Division and the Community Police Officers, received their media coach certificates and Pin as official Media Coaches.
The participants were trained by trainers Mr. Bamber Delver and Ms. Liesbeth Hop, from the National Academy for Media & Society located in The Netherlands.
The participants followed an intensive 2 weeks training that was held earlier this year in April and then again in June 2013. During the International Media Coach training participants were able to develop different types of competences, which the training then focused on translating into measurable and effective media literacy projects aimed at improving media literacy among the youth, parents, teachers, other professionals and citizens in general.
Some of the topics addressed during the training were: Digital Citizenship and Democracy, Digital Bullying, Online Privacy, Information and Technology Literacy, trends of the future, Sexualization of the media, Journalism and Ethics, The Role of Social Media in Education, Innovation of Education.
In the meantime a second group of persons have started with the 2nd Media Coach training last week and will continue in February 2014.
The Honorable Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Mrs. Patricia Lourens – Philip, was on hand to congratulate the group of Media Coaches and to present them with their certificates. The Minister also encouraged the new Media Coaches to share their knowledge within their work and/or organization, seeing the importance of the Social Media in the lives of children, young people and the community in general.
Also present at the certification ceremony were the USONA representative, Ms. Angela Dekker, the Acting Head of the Division of Education and Innovation, Ms. Oralie Boirard and support staff.
The Social Media Coach training is one of the Innovation in Education Projects organized by the Division for Educational Innovation and funded through USONA.