News Release: HAMILTON, Bermuda, July 1, 2021 — Bermuda Governor Rena Lalgie and Deputy Governor Alison Crocket will be VIP guest speakers at a three-day Student Leadership Camp hosted in conjunction with the One Love Foundation. The event will be staged at Government House this month to educate students on the 10 signs of healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviors to prevent abusive relationships from forming. Deputy Governor Crocket will open the event, and Governor Lalgie will offer closing remarks.

The Student Leadership Camp, comprising three half-day workshops July 12–14, is supported by the US–based One Love Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating young people about healthy relationships and empowering them to identify and avoid abuse. It offers both live and virtual sessions, with the physical event staged at the Governor’s official residence noon–4:30 pm and open to the first 30 people who register.
 
Refreshments and local presenters are additional features of the live event, which also connects participants to One Love facilitators and students around the globe via Zoom. A shorter virtual-only program runs 1–4 pm, without the local component.
 
“We are so grateful to both the Governor and Deputy Governor for joining us in this important mission to end relationship violence by educating Bermuda youth about the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships,” said local organizer Tammy Richardson-Augustus, who was introduced to One Love Foundation in 2019 by Marie-Louise Skate, a multi-jurisdictional lawyer and One Love Board Member. “I am heartened to see us begin to talk about such a fraught issue that affects us in Bermuda as it does elsewhere,” said Richardson-Augustus, a law partner, member of the Bermuda Bar Association, and a Justice of the Peace. “Silence sustains abuse.”
 
The One Love Foundation was established in 2010 in honor of Yeardley Love, a Division I lacrosse player at the University of Virginia, who was tragically killed by her ex-boyfriend.
 
Since its launch, the foundation has educated nearly 1.5 million young people through workshops, both in-person and online, teaching them signs of unhealthy and healthy relationship behaviors.
 
“I have witnessed worldwide a lack of youth-based education concerning relationship health,” said Skafte. “Years ago, I started conducting One Love workshops in South Africa and the feedback was so positive, that our programs became part of schools’ curricula. I am grateful my friend and peer Tammy embraces the critical message and tools One Love
provides to our youth. She has been instrumental in sharing our content in Bermuda and I look forward to continuing to collaborate with her.”
 
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over one in three women, nearly one in three men, and over one in two trans or nonbinary people will be in an abusive relationship in their lifetime.
 
“The statistics are staggering, and global domestic violence incidents grew exponentially during COVID-19—creating a shadow pandemic,” noted Richardson-Augustus. “Against this backdrop, we must have more constructive conversations to raise awareness, empower people to identify and avoid abuse, and recognize the impact abuse has, not only on adults in relationships and marriages, but on child observers.”
 
Participants aged 14 through 22 are invited to attend the free event, which will offer a dynamic programme of influential speakers and experts from both the local and One Love community—including legal professionals, charity representatives, judiciary and members of the Bermuda Police Service. The full agenda will include topics on consent and boundary setting, how to exit unhealthy relationships, and more.
 
Attendees will:
 
• Connect with youth around the world for virtual workshops to learn about the 10 signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships
 
 
• Feel empowered to identify and avoid abuse and learn how to love better
 
 
• Gain leadership skills to empower them to lead engaging workshops on relationship health in our community—so Bermuda will have its own youth ambassadors
 
“One Love programming is so effective because it aims to tackle the problem early and relies on young people telling stories and training their peers,” said Richardson-Augustus.
 
“These workshops start life-changing conversations. We encourage young people to join us in what promises to be an inspiring and instructive three days.”
 
Giveaways, refreshments and a certificate of participation will be provided to attendees; the event will also count for volunteer programme hours.
 
To register for the virtual Student Leadership Camp, please visit joinonelove.org/leadership–events
 
For more information on the in-person event, please contact Tammy Richardson-Augustus at trichardsonaugustus@gmail.com
 
For more information on the One Love Foundation, please visit joinonelove.org or contact Marketing & Communications Manager Kiki Yannantuono at kiki.yannantuono@joinonelove.org
  • Feature Photos Supplied: Tammy Richardson-Augustus & Marie-Louise Skafte