Priority action areas
United Way Trinidad and Tobago—is always learning, always evolving, always daring to do better. We’re helping NGOs—large and small—build their capacity, strengthen their leadership, and expand their reach. And we’re also looking ahead to the big challenges we’ll all face together: climate change, economic inequality, and the need for stronger, more resilient communities. Our vision for the future is clear: Education as the foundation of Youth Opportunity; Family health and stability as the backbone of Finacial Stability, Healthy Communities and Community Resilience with Volunteerism and civic engagement as the heartbeat of a caring nation, through Collective Working.
A renewed focus on inequity is critical. UWTT is committed to aligning our work on longer-term recovery, playing the role of backbone for Collective Working in our 4 Priority Action Areas of Youth Opportunity, Healthy Communities, Financial Stability and Community Resilience.
YOUTH OPPORTUNITY
Launched by UWTT in 2019, the Building Bridges from Learning to Success Impact Programme (BBP) focuses on enhancing foundational skills for entry-level Infants 1 and 2 classes, aiming to ensure children develop essential reading skills by age 8 or by Standard 2. The programme’s overarching goal is to improve childhood success and resilience, thereby increasing the likelihood of students successfully completing secondary school. To achieve these objectives, BBP employs a multi-component synergistic approach that has supported teachers and school leadership across 26 schools to date, positively impacting nearly 6,000 children and their families through the involvement of approximately 300 teachers. Aligned to the Programme, the Support for the New Norm Project was designed and implemented in 2020 to ensure that schools are ready for restarting in person schooling, and has continued to date as a means of improving the infrastructural capacity of schools to better serve their teacher and students.
Think Equal Social and Emotional Skills programme not only helps the students to be more aware of their feelings and how to manage them but it also helps me as a teacher.
healthy Communities
Despite challenges with attendance, the Building Stronger Families programme successfully benefited 185 participants of the core target group, with seventy-two (72) workshops being implemented over 9 months. Participants shared that they gained a deeper awareness of their parenting roles, applied new strategies at home, and supported other parents facing similar challenges.
Success is evident in feedback and the practical application of new techniques. Consistent schools also benefited from additional support sessions. FIA’s (Families in Action) in-kind counselling further helped build mental resilience and addressed household mental health issues for eight households.
Financial stability
UWTT has been distributing family cash grant cards to families who require financial assistance within the Building Bridges schools since May 2020. Some families were first-time recipients of the grant, with some exceptions receiving a maximum of 5 times. Based on their economic situation, at the discretion of UWTT and recommendations from the principals, some families received grants multiple times. Most of the recipients of the cash grants are either unemployed or part-time employees. Those who are employed have stated that their current salaries are insufficient to cover their bills, groceries, and other expenses.
community RESILIENCE
Since inception UWTT has supported Non Profit Partners and Community Residences towards building resilient communities. Our support for partner NPOs helps to continue their work and improve their programme delivery in vulnerable communities across the country, while our commitment to Community Residences helps to open doors to hop, opportunity and a brighter future by providing all of the essentials they need to succeed.
COLLECTIVE WORKING
With the theme of UNITED IS THE WAY, we have successfully completed 41 projects 🛠️, supported by 1,503 Care Ambassadors 🤝 for the 2025 Day of Caring. Our efforts have reached 11,473 beneficiaries 🌟, making a significant impact. We are partnered with 35 companies 🏢 and 35 schools 🎓, along with 5 community residences 🏘️ and 2 communities 🌍. The total estimated investment in these initiatives amounted to approximately $469,118.00 💰, demonstrating our commitment and dedication.