Residents in as many as 20 communities islandwide are to benefit from a social transformation and renewal programme scheduled to run over five years at a cost of $2 billion, according to the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ).

Titled Project STAR, the initiative is set to be launched at 8:30 pm on Monday, July 25 in a live televised “One Love Conversation” hosted by media personality Miss Kitty, the PSOJ explained, adding that the Jamaica Constabulary Force is a partner on the project.

“Project STAR was born out of a sincere belief that positive change is always possible – and that every Jamaican community can thrive, if given the right resources,” a news release from the project’s publicists quoted Keith Duncan, co-chair of the initiative and PSOJ president.

“It will take an all-of-society approach, but the goal is the social and economic transformation of target communities, driven by a mindset change, and delivered through a suite of customised community-building activities,” Duncan added.

Roll-out of Project STAR, the publicists said, will begin in September in downtown Kingston, followed by May Pen in Clarendon, and Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland.

In an effort to ensure that the project is evidence-based, the organisers said they are collaborating with researcher Dr Deanna Ashley of the Violence Prevention Alliance; analytics consultancy firm Project ALPHA, headed by Dr Parris Lyew-Ayee, Jr; and Larren Peart of Blue Dot Insights.

“In addition to having a robust learning framework guided by Dr Nadiya Figueroa, Project STAR will benefit from the PSOJ leveraging its management expertise and resources,” the release stated.

The project was initiated by Duncan and will be managed by 25-year social development veteran Saffrey Brown, former general manager of Jamaica National Foundation and outgoing Council of Voluntary Social Services chair.