The Samaritan Movement
Healing Begins
With Connection.
Building emotional resilience, strengthening relationships and supporting healing across Trinidad and Tobago through trauma-informed, community-centred care.
Our Mission
We serve children, teachers, families, and communities across Trinidad and Tobago by building emotional resilience, strengthening relationships, and supporting healing from trauma.
Learn About Our Projects ›
The People Behind the Mission
Who We Are
The Samaritan Movement is a Trinidad and Tobago-based initiative commissioned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Port of Spain, bringing together a dedicated core team and a community of expert voices committed to healing, research, and resilience.
Core Team
Rev. Dr. Gerard McGlone, S.J., PhD
Head of the Samaritan Movement
Lliana Riddess-Rodney
Programme Manager
Darendra Boodram
Programme Coordinator
Expert Community Voices
Karen Moore, Ph.D.
Clinical Child Psychologist
Sr. Arlene Greenidge
Social Work & Care Homes
Anna Maria Garcia Brooks
Business Executive & Episcopal Delegate
Dr. Karene-Anne Nathaniel-De Caires
Social Work Lecturer
Dr. Shaun Liverpool
Child Psychologist
Dr. Justyn Frost
Clinical Psychologist
J'elle Valdez
Counselling Psychologist
Dr. Sarah Subhan
Clinical Psychologist & Counsellor Educator
Taresa Best Downes
Demographer & Policy Consultant
Delta Wright
Ph.D. Researcher
John Michael Mader
Dionne Brewster-Phillip
Researcher & Ph.D. Candidate
Sherry Ann Celestine
School Principal
The Challenge
The Problem We Address
Trinidad and Tobago faces an escalating youth and family mental health emergency, marked by rising trauma, anxiety, self-harm, and emotional distress among children and adolescents.
Many schools, families, and communities lack accessible, culturally appropriate support systems, and existing mental health resources are insufficient relative to the depth of need.
Who It Affects
Primary and secondary school students, teachers, parents, caregivers, and neighbourhoods across varied socioeconomic contexts.
Our Approach
What We Do
We create safe, supportive environments that combine trauma-informed care, community participation & culturally rooted practices so individuals & communities can heal & build resilience.
Educator Training
Providing trauma-informed training for educators & caregivers to create supportive learning environments.
Peer Support
Providing peer-to-peer support workshops for students to build emotional resilience together.
TRINI Toolkits
Developing culturally relevant resource guides for schools & families, rooted in local context.
Community Engagement
Engaging communities through listening, research & evidence-guided programming.
Faith Partnerships
Partnering with faith communities & local mental health partners for holistic support.
Our Training Programme
Local voices. Practical skills. Compassionate support.
Building the confidence to recognise when someone is struggling, start a caring conversation & help them connect with support.
Caribbean Mental Health First Aid & Suicide First Aid
Rooted in Caribbean realities, this culturally adapted programme brings mental health first aid & suicide first aid together in one practical learning experience.
Trini voices are at its heart: psychologists contribute their expertise, while people with lived experience share personal stories of mental health challenges, seeking help & recovery. Together, these perspectives make the learning relatable to the lives, relationships & communities we know.
Across two days, participants explore how to recognise signs of distress, listen without judgement, respond with compassion & connect someone with appropriate professional support.
Explore the programme
Select a topic below to discover more.
Our context. Our voices.
Mental health conversations are shaped by culture, family, faith & community. This programme brings those influences into the learning through local perspectives, contributions from psychologists & honest accounts from people who have experienced mental health challenges. Their voices help challenge stigma & deepen understanding.
What you will learn
- Recognise signs of mental health challenges & possible suicide risk.
- Begin supportive conversations & listen without judgement.
- Explore first aid responses, safety planning & pathways to further help.
- Understand your role, personal boundaries & the importance of caring for yourself while supporting others.
Who is it for?
Educators, parents, caregivers, parish teams, community leaders, volunteers & anyone who wants to be better prepared to support the people around them. Contact us to discuss the programme for your school, parish, workplace or organisation.
How we learn together
The two-day, 12-contact-hour programme combines guided learning, group discussion, personal stories, reflection & practical scenarios. Participants have opportunities to practise supportive conversations & consider how to apply their learning within their own communities.
This programme builds skills for initial support & referral; it does not qualify participants to diagnose or provide clinical treatment.
Programmes
Key Projects
Discover the strategic initiatives we are deploying across communities to foster healing, strengthen resilience, and create lasting positive change across Trinidad and Tobago.
Research. Education.
Healing. Partnership.
Trauma-Informed Faculty Programme
Equipping educators with the knowledge and tools to lead with care and create trauma-informed learning environments.
Explore Project →TRINI Toolkits
Culturally rooted resources created for real Trinbagonian families, schools, caregivers, and communities.
Explore Project →Faith Communities as First Responders
Strengthening faith communities so parishes can become trusted spaces for support, connection, and healing.
Explore Project →Spiritual & Mental Wellness Retreats
Creating intentional spaces to breathe, reflect, reconnect, and begin the process of healing.
Explore Project →Groundbreaking Parenting Initiative
Lifting Trinbagonian voices and experiences to develop practical responses to the challenges facing families.
Explore Project →Archbishop's Prayer Breakfast
Bringing leaders, partners, and communities together to place critical national conversations on the table.
Explore Project →Calming Troubled Waters
Real stories, practical guidance, and meaningful conversations designed to support real healing.
Explore Project →Research Project
Grounding every programme in evidence, lived experience, community insight, and the realities of Trinidad and Tobago.
Explore Research →Evidence of Progress
Impact & Results
Qualitative Change
Communities report stronger capacities to respond with care, teachers feel more empowered, and families experience greater emotional support structures.
Capacity Building
The Movement is helping schools, caregivers and community leaders build practical confidence in recognising and responding to emotional distress.
Context
These results are early and evolving — building a foundation for scalable, culturally grounded community mental health support across Trinidad and Tobago.
In The News
The Samaritan Movement
in the News
Stories, interviews and media coverage highlighting our work to strengthen emotional resilience, promote healing, and support communities across Trinidad and Tobago.
CatholicTT
September 23, 2026 · Mental Health
Samaritan Movement Trains 300+ in Mental Health & Suicide First Aid
The Samaritan Movement continues to strengthen community-based mental health support by equipping people with practical skills to recognise distress, respond appropriately and support those experiencing mental health challenges.
Leadership
The Samaritan Movement
Archbishop Gordon Champions a National Culture of Healing
Archbishop Jason Gordon has called attention to the emotional and social challenges affecting families and young people, supporting approaches that bring together faith, mental health and community action.
Horizons
July 15, 2026 · Youth Development
More Than a Game: Building Resilience Through Youth Engagement
The Horizons initiative demonstrates how sport, mentorship and community partnerships can create belonging, strengthen resilience and open new opportunities for young people.
Get Involved
Join the Movement
This is more than an organisation — it is a commitment to care for communities in need. Partner with The Samaritan Movement to strengthen resilience, support healing and extend our impact across Trinidad and Tobago.