Dr. Rebecca Finlason-Harper
Dr. Ambassador Rebecca Harper is a communications professional with almost twenty years’ experience in the development of Strategic National Communications Plans, related to empowering families to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, through agriculture, environment, poverty alleviation, youth, at-risk youth, special education, and community development. She has received the Global Family First Movement Award, making her an award-winning author for her parenting book, Communication Is a Family Game, and the upcoming book, Out of Many Families, One Nation. Dr. Rebecca Harper is also an Ambassador of Civility and a world leader in Family Civility and has the founder of National Family Civility Day on November 15.
She now hosts two Facebook Lives, Let’s Talk Family Civility on Mondays at 4:00pm EST and Interpersonal Parenting on Thursday at 7:00pm EST
Born in Mandeville, Jamaica, and a mother of three, Dr. Harper is a graduate of Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, with a specialization in Communications Studies, and is a registered Social Services Worker in Ontario, Canada. Prior to this, she hosted her own parenting show and was a Justice of the Peace, in Jamaica. She has also been a project manager for numerous projects and programs in developing countries, to build strong families and strong nations. Before moving to Canada with her children, she sat on various boards in Jamaica, including The Child Protection and Family Services Agency, Early Childhood Commission, and Natural History Museum.
In Jamaica, she has personally developed nation changing programs. Her passion in community development and nation building has led her to always promote children’s rights, rehabilitation of youth, and community development. She has spearheaded several national communication plans, including using agriculture to bring families out of poverty, youth employment, education for special needs and at-risk youth, and national environmental recycling programs. With her experience, she has learnt that a centralized Family Commission would make a significant impact to the development of a country. She has conducted research and development for aquaponics and hydroponics systems to be low cost and easy to use for third world countries. The pilot was funded by the International Development Bank/GVEP IDEAS competition offered to all countries in the Caribbean, and was awarded a grant of $200,000GBP. Project evaluation showed project execution was successful by creating employment for small farmers, proving the model to be replicable and sustainable.
While heading the nation’s largest zoo in Jamaica, Hope Zoo Preservation Foundation, she was able to extend her passion for animals and the environment, where she developed successful
national educational, family, and environmental programs and campaigns.
Dr. Harper lives by Maya Angelou’s quote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’’ And it is
The Family Civility Institute
The Family Civility Institute establishes Family Commissions and trains Family Civility Workers (FCW) in communities around the world. The FCW on-the-job training lasts one year and leads to a diploma and self-employment opportunities in the community. After completion, the FCW becomes a member of the Institute which is renewed for a fee every year and includes two training courses per year and relevant information to assist in the FCW’s work.
About Family Civility Day
Family Civility Day recognizes the following categories:
- The best Family Civility Workers in these commissions,
- Community members and leaders of countries for their work in establishing the Universal Design of Family (Family that is celebrated and accessible to all their members, regardless of relationship, age, disability or other factors).
- Businesses that promote Family Civility
- Owners of Universal Designed public spaces for Family