TOLL GATE, Clarendon — Young people in Clarendon and its environs are being urged to become volunteers as a means of helping Jamaica achieve first world status.

The call was made by various speakers at the One Jamaica Youth Action Day hosted by Juici Patties at its One Jamaica Family Park in the parish last Sunday.

One Jamaica Day, an event celebrating and promoting volunteerism in Jamaica, is the brainchild of Clarendon businessman Jukie Chin, proprietor of Juici Patties.

The event, which marked the start of a year-long commitment to help build Jamaica through a series of youth-led initiatives, was merged with the company’s annual kiddies’ Christmas treat. It featured display booths from various service groups, entertainment from performing arts group ASHE, Romain Virgo and I-Octane, plus motivational speeches from highly respected Jamaicans.

Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, the first of many to take the stage, hailed the initiative as an important event for Jamaica’s future.

“It is a very good feature, especially at this time of the year when we are thinking of each other,” Sir Patrick said. “It helps to bring people together.”

“It helps to develop a passion for unity, volunteerism, and patriotism for our country as we look towards vision 2030. This initiative is also celebrating the volunteerism and the goal of volunteerism is to give back whether by visiting the hospital or helping the elderly and the shut-ins,” the governor general said.

North East Manchester Member of Parliament, and Opposition Spokesman on Finance Audley Shaw hailed Chin and his wife for having conceptualised One Jamaica Day.

“They are an inspiration to young people who want to achieve something in life,” Shaw said.

Counselling psychologist Dr Leahcim Semaj also told the young audience to follow the example set by the Chin family. Using Jamaican athletes Usain Bolt and Veronica Campbell Brown as references, he aslo urged them to be self-reliant in the pursuit of success.

“Usain Bolt and Veronica Campbell Brown are normal Jamaicans who became great success stories and if we can do what they did, we can have the same level of success,” he said.

“First, they decided that they needed to do something with their lives. Then they tek weh dem self from all non-progressive element. They never ask for any handouts from their members of parliament; they committed themselves to their dream,” Semaj said.

Director of United Way Jamaica, Winsome Wilkins, while appealing for more young Jamaicans to become volunteers, spoke to the many benefits that can be gained from the effort.

“There are lots of opportunities in volunteerism,” she said. “You gain experience, you get to meet a lot of people and it makes you feel good about yourself knowing that you are helping to make life better for others.”

Dr Denise Eldemire-Shearer, director of the Aging and Wellness Centre at the University of the West Indies, encouraged the youngsters to start by helping the elderly in their communities.

“Let us take the example of Mr and Mrs Chin who have been working with the elderly for quite a while,” she said. “You can start in your community. They want to go church or they may need you to run a little errand, so in the spirit of ‘One Jamaica’ let us reach out to the elderly,” Shearer said.

Dr Herbert Gayle, head of Fathers Incorporated, implored young males to educate themselves socially and academically in order to change the negative perception of Jamaican fathers.

“The father has four functions,” he explained. “They are to protect, provide, nurture and be a role model, so those of you who have access to your father, let him know that he’s not an ATM. Let him know that you need more than that,” he said.

“Young people,” he continued, “I expect you to change this when you grow up, so I want to encourage you to educate yourself so that you can become good fathers.”