Restoring traumatized kids’ trust and connections

Kaela Precourt serves as the Social and Emotional Care Coordinator for Kids Alive Dominican Republic. She moved to Constanza to join Kids Alive in 2012 and has been in this new role blessing many since 2017. She comes with exceptional credentials – an undergraduate degree in education, a master’s in educational psychology, and has served as a math and science teacher as well as an academic coordinator. Kaela is trained in Trust Based Relational Interventions (TBRI®) and is a certified trainer in Trauma Competent Care (TCC). Kaela is at the forefront of Kids Alive’s significant new initiative to bolster our trauma-informed care for at-risk children. Over the last three years, she has equipped all Kids Alive house parents, teachers, and workers – over 300 in all – with techniques to deepen connection and trust with children, and she has helped train counselors in interventions to help children suffering from chronic trauma.

Kaela reflects on her role and its significance in ministering to the children in our care:

Jesus came to restore the broken. As his followers, we have the privilege of walking with Jesus in this calling. I love our work because we get to watch this calling lived out daily, in the middle of our messy lives and brokenness.

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Please pray for

Protection for students and staff from COVID-19 and continued provision for families of students living around the school area who remain unemployed.
An exciting and safe transition to fully restored classroom teaching by fall, starting with a limited on-site learning program this spring.
The restart of the independence, life skills, and vocational training programs over the next few months.
Funding to improve the buildings recently given to us that we plan to use for vocational training for adolescents in the community.

Click on an image below to enlarge and read captions

Many children at Casa Monte Plata didn’t know how to ride a bike until recently. Thanks to a generous donation of bicycles, they had the opportunity to learn this skill – which also turned out to be a powerful trust-building activity.

ANIJA School staff Kerry and Josue check on one of their students at her home. Because of trusting relationships, students’ parents and caregivers have continued to call our school staff seeking advice and help with their children throughout the pandemic.

Ark Constanza house mom Diana loves the children in her house as she would her own and strives to connect with and esteem each one, opening the door to hope and healing.

While skipping down the halls with her teacher at Santo Domingo East School, Mari* is free to laugh, play, and share her feelings and fears. (*Name changed)

The Constanza School staff have tested multiple techniques to build trust and connection with their students and their families. Counselor Salome knows the value of solid relationships when working with kids experiencing hard things.

Eva Russell School Counselor, Domingo, seeing a need and an opportunity to connect, pauses and gently and kindly ties a little one’s shoelace, building trust with the child.

The older kids on our residential campuses, like this young woman at the Ark Jarabacoa, often demonstrate what they have received and learned as they connect with the younger, newer residents.

COVID-19 has afforded our schools an opportunity to connect with and encourage our students’ families in an unprecedented way. Teachers at Santo Domingo North look forward to conversing with their students’ parents and caregivers when they drop off and pick up schoolwork.

Our students at Palo Blanco School enjoy connecting with Counselor Gris when they come to drop off and pick up schoolwork. Our staff understand the importance of being available and seizing opportunities to build trust.

Park School staff Lidia takes the opportunity to care for and disciple Juana* in a challenging moment. Kids Alive employees work hard to connect with the children so they can better love and guide them. (*Name changed)

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