TRANSFORMATION Through Volunteerism — the theme of the this year’s Regional Volunteerism Symposium held at the Jamaica Conference Centre last Friday. The symposium was a collaborative effort among Cuso International, The Council for Voluntary Social Services, and Jamaica National Foundation.

The aim of the symposium was to raise awareness to the importance of re-igniting the flame of volunteerism in Jamaica and to recognise the significant contribution of volunteers and voluntary organisations to national and regional development.

In attendance were over 50 representatives from various governments, ministries, corporate foundations, and volunteer-involving agencies across the region.

Among them was keynote speaker Earl Jarrett, general manager of the Jamaica National Building Society. He spoke about his own voluntary experiences as a young man. He emphasised the importance of young people gaining voluntary experience, which not only gives them advantage when seeking employment, but also allows them to build network with the various persons and organisations in which they volunteer.

The highlight of the event came when young volunteers from the High Rise Management centre, a local voluntary institution, performed a drama piece, which explored issues surrounding youth volunteerism.

Juici Patties was another local organisation that has been undertaking the task of getting youths involved in volunteerism. Through their annual summer voluntary programme, students from schools across the island are invited to participate in voluntary activities including beautification clean-up projects, as well as farming activities.

Stakeholders, Cuso International and Jamaica National Foundation, have also been working on the ground in Jamaica trying to mobilise volunteers and connecting them with institutions seeking volunteers.

Cuso International, which has been in Jamaica since 1961, is an international development organisation that works to reduce poverty and inequality around the world, through the efforts of volunteers.

Cuso representative, Onyka Barrett, spoke with teenAGE about the plans of organisation to engage young people in voluntary activities across the region:

“A part of our entire strategy for the next five years is to focus on youth, by creating a more enabling environment for youth, in terms of providing access to justice, entrepreneurship and employability, and participation and volunteerism”.

JN Foundation representative, Saffrey Brown spoke with teenAGE about the organisation’s volunteer programme Action Jamaica.

“The programme facilitates persons and organisations that need volunteers by sourcing those volunteers, many of who come from high schools across Jamaica”.

The JN Foundation believes through its volunteer programme, they can encourage Jamaicans to become involved in transformation process of their communities.