Celebrating 35 Years of Strengthening Bermuda’s Families

Family Centre began in the 1990s as a tutoring programme founded by Martha Dismont. What started small quickly grew into a registered charity focused on supporting the emotional and social wellbeing of children and families.

• 1990 – Family Centre, originally known as The Learning Centre of Bermuda (TLC), is founded by Martha Dismont as a tutoring organization for primary school aged children, mainly focused on Language Arts, Mathematics and Reading. The TLC tutoring programme’s success leads to after-school and summer school programmes being established.
• 1992 – 35 students benefit from the afterschool programme each week, and an average of 50 students per week attend the TLC summer school programme, held at Devonshire Recreation Club.
• 1994 – The Learning Centre defines its purpose and philosophy as a not-for-profit organization, and lists its Founding and Charter Members: Martha Dismont, Executive Director; June-Ann Furbert, Assistant Director; Alfred Augustus, Secretary & Treasurer; and June Augustus, Project Director.
• 1995 – Specialized camps are introduced, to assist children with behavioural, social and emotional challenges.
• 1996 – Family Centre Counselling Services are formally established.
• 1996 – The Inter-Agency Committee for Children and Families (IAC, now The Nonprofit Alliance of Bermuda) was founded when Family Centre invited both public and private organizations who were providing helping services to children and families to meet for the purposes of building collaboration and shared standards.
• 1997 – Charitable Registration: ‘Family’ is officially added to our name and ‘The Family Learning Centre’ becomes Bermuda Registered Charity #378.
• 1999 – Family Centre (then ‘The Family Learning Centre’) hosts its first Cup Match Tag Day fundraiser

In the 2000s, Family Centre expanded its reach, gained international accreditation, and strengthened partnerships to improve support for children in schools and the wider community.

• 2000 – The Family Learning Centre is incorporated as a local company
• 2001 – Boys’ Groups are first offered, to assist with the social development of boys aged 11-14.
• 2002 – Accreditation: Family Centre becomes accredited for the first time from the Council on Accreditation and is the first Bermuda-based charity to achieve this international standard for nonprofits.
• 2004 – Our Identity: The organization is officially renamed and registered as ‘The Family Centre’
• 2004 – Friends of The Family Centre 501C3 is incorporated to enable US donors to make tax-deductible contributions to our charity
• 2007 – Family Centre partnered with the Ministry of Education (MOE), working with one Middle School to build a model for safe and positive school of students and staff to pilot a variety of social supports to individual students and to support a strengthened school climate. 175 students and 44 staff were impacted, with the results showing a decrease in school suspensions, and the development of proactive behaviour management practices.
• 2008 – Family Centre entered into the first multi-year contract with MOE to train staff in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) on how to effectively respond to children’s behaviour. 103 public school staff receive TCI training.
• 2009 – School Climate Assessment: Family Centre assessed 9 public schools, including all 5 middle schools to attain baseline data on parent, student and teacher perceptions of the climate with the school. The #1 finding: neither staff nor students felt safe at school.
• 2009 – Beyond Rugby Bermuda is established in partnership with BRFU and Bermuda public schools.
• 2009 – Family Forum is founded after Martha Dismont’s call to action as a response to gun violence in the community.

The 2010s brought new youth programmes, research, and inter-agency collaboration, along with a permanent home at Sunshine League House to better serve families.

• 2011 – The Youth Development Zone (YDZ) was formed under the leadership of Family Centre as an effort of multiple agencies to make a “collective impact” on a high-risk neighborhood and the youth and families living in North East Hamilton. This impacted 10 Schools located in the YDZ, paving the way for ongoing reform and recognizing the need to improve school climate.
• 2011 – Family Centre’s Youth Leadership Academy programme is created, originally as a partnership with Dellwood Middle School and the Bermuda Police Service
• 2012 – The National Children’s Agenda was completed, under Martha Dismont’s leadership
• 2015 – Family Centre celebrates 25 years of serving Bermuda’s families and hosts a “Children Come First” Telethon
• 2015 – Family Centre partners with the Inter Agency Community Response (ICR) and Ministry of National Security on a pilot programme to assess the risk of P4 through S1 students using the Trauma Indicator Checklist. 1,972 students are impacted, with the #1 finding that 20-25% of pilot population is at risk for school failure.
• 2016 – Due to increased demand, Family Centre expands our age-range for Counselling Services to include youth up to 18 years of age.
• 2016 – Family Centre partners with ICR, Department of National Drug Control and the Ministry of Education to provide them with series of workshops on challenging children and multi-generational trauma. 110 adults attend, and 100% of participants reported that they can put into practice the skills learned during the workshop.
• 2017 – Family Centre is gifted the premises at 27 King Street by the Board of Directors of the Sunshine League and renovation works begin.
• 2018 – Family Centre officially moves into its present location at Sunshine League House in Pembroke.
• 2018 – Family Centre hosts Bermuda’s first conference on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
• 2019 – Island-Wide Advocacy Campaign on Domestic Abuse in partnership with Centre Against Abuse
• 2016-2020 – Family Centre partners with the Ministry of Education to a design and implement a ‘Pathway to Success’ School Model. 900 staff and 5,600 students are impacted. Results include: Design and implementation of 2 Success Academies; Development of an MTSS Charter Handbook, Specialized Behaviour Training – Trauma Informed School Practice Training & Consultation.

From 2020 onward, Family Centre has adapted to changing needs, advanced mental health advocacy, and honoured the lasting legacy of our founder Martha Dismont.

• 2020 – Bermuda Adverse Childhood Experiences – ACEs Study White Paper is published by Dr. Stephanie Guthman and Tara Hines, supported by Family Centre and Bermuda Health Council.
• 2020 – Family Centre is designated as essential service provider and introduces telehealth counselling in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 2020 – Family Centre’s Beyond Yoga Bermuda programme is introduced, to help youth develop self-awareness and community building skills through mindfulness techniques and mindful movement practices.
• 2020 – Family Centre Founder Martha Dismont retires after thirty years, passing the baton of Executive Director to Dr. Sandy De Silva, PsyD.
• 2020 – Family Centre leads a “Mentally Healthy Bermuda” televised panel discussion on emotional wellbeing during the pandemic.
• 2021 – Island-Wide Advocacy Campaign on Children’s Mental Health
• 2021 – Family Centre partners with Bermuda Mental Health Foundation for ‘Teen Summit’ at Mental Health Virtual Conference
• 2021 – Family Centre releases “Affirmation Moments” videos sharing tips for ‘Parenting through a Pandemic’
• 2022 – Family Centre Mental Health Tips videos are produced and shared on TV and social media
• 2023 – Island-Wide Advocacy Campaign to protect children: “Because I am a Child” in collaboration with SCARS
• 2023 – Cup Match Tag Day is dedicated in memory of Martha Dismont after her passing in July 2023
• 2023 – Family Centre was honoured by CURB with a Dr. Eva Naomi Hodgson Racial Justice Award for our work on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
• 2023 – Family Centre Founder’s Day is established in memory of Martha Dismont
• 2023 – Family Centre is awarded The Bermudian Magazine’s “Best Family Support Service” (and again in 2024 and 2025!)
• 2024 – Family Centre joins the Adolescent Mental Health Research Campaign in partnership with Dan Cavanagh
• 2025 – Family Centre team expands to include 3 bilingual professionals.