KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS) is set to host its annual National Volunteer Conference on Thursday, November 7, 2024.

This year’s event will be held under the theme ‘Voice, Visibility and Influence: Creating a Lasting Impact’ and aims to empower voluntary organisations with the skills and strategies needed to strengthen advocacy efforts and drive meaningful change.

According to a news release, Gary ‘Butch’ Hendrickson, president of the CVSS, said the conference is designed to foster an active advocacy culture within civil society by equipping participants with the tools necessary to effectively promote causes, influence decision-makers, and contribute to national development.

“It will provide a platform for voluntary organisations to come together, share insights, and reach a consensus on the role of civil society organisations (CSOs) as key actors in governance,” he said.

Kim Mair, CVSS’ chair, said that one of the primary goals of the conference is to create greater public awareness of the significant contributions made by volunteer organisations in Jamaica

In addition to raising awareness, the conference aims to build local and regional partnerships, fostering leadership in an inclusive and engaging space. By promoting collective action toward common causes, the event seeks to strengthen the culture of collaboration among public, private, and civil society organisations.

Aniceto Rodriguez Ruiz, head of cooperation at the EU states that the EU is a long-standing global champion for civil society as development actors in their own right and supports their engagement as contributors to democratic processes and to achieving better development outcomes.

The European Union has provided 95 per cent of the funding of this 30-month intervention action to strengthen civil society organisations in Jamaica.

Other sponsors include Sandals Foundation, National Baking Company, JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation, and the Jamaica Public Service Company Foundation.

AnnMarie Kirlew Evering, programme manager at CVSS, informed that the conference will feature a distinguished line-up of speakers, including Richard Jones, officer-in-charge at the Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC), who will serve as the guest speaker.

Renowned for his advocacy work in promoting civil society engagement in policy development across the Caribbean, Jones is expected to provide valuable insights into how civil society organisations (CSOs) can enhance their influence and visibility in shaping national policies.

Other speakers of the conference include Dr Maurice McNaughton, director of the Centre of Excellence for Innovation at Mona Schools of Business and Management, who will speak on data driven advocacy and methods for collecting and interpreting data to inform strategy; Dr Deanna Ashley, executive director of the Violence Prevention Alliance, who will launch a central data platform that will allow CSOs to share data to determine the impact and design of their programmes; and Kalando Wilmoth, communication specialist who will present on how CSOs can leverage social media for advocacy.

The programme will also include a panel discussion on strengthening democracy through grassroots actions. The panel will be moderated by Alison Christie Binger, former president of the Public Relations Society of Jamaica, communication strategist, trainer and coach. Among the panellists are Jeanette Calder, executive director, Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal; Damion Hylton, social development specialist and deputy chief of party, Winrock International; Tishauna Mullings, social development practitioner of Nexxt Stepp and Carla Moore, assistant lecturer of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies at The University of the West Indies.

“The event promises to be a critical opportunity for participants to engage in discussions about advocacy, partnership-building, and leadership development, all with the goal of enhancing the role of volunteer organisations in national development,” said Nancy Pinchas, executive director at the CVSS.

She said that as civil society continues to play a crucial role in addressing societal challenges, the CVSS National Volunteer Conference will serve as a key forum for organisations to unite their voices, amplify their impact, and work collaboratively towards creating lasting, positive change in Jamaica.

Persons can register for the conference via the CVSS’s website at https://cvssja.org. or on Eventbrite.