Marilyn Thompson: A champion and advocate for inclusion

MARILYN Thompson, social worker at Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL), has worked with the organisation for the past 17 years.

Thompson personifies the theme #InspireInclusion through her own journey with the organisation. She started as an administrator at JASL and was tasked with the responsibility of coordinating two projects — one under UN Women, 2010-2012, titled ‘Supporting Gender Equality in the Context of HIV/AIDS’; and the other under UN Trust Fund, 2013-2016, named ‘Expanding Gains to Decrease and Prevent Violence Against Women in the Context of HIV AIDS’. The UN Trust Fund Project, Thompson shares, birthed what we know today as the Silent Protest, held every November 25 on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Her involvement in these two projects led her to transition into the role as social worker, a job she does selflessly, while championing the cause of women and girls.

She inspires inclusion through her training and experiences at JASL, which is closely intertwined with her spiritual journey and convictions, which have equipped her with most if not all the vital tools and strategies to enable her to empower women and girls to love themselves, feel valued, to be empowered, and feel a great sense of inclusion in most if not every sphere of their lives.

JASL’s strategies are entrenched in its vision statement of ‘Creating a Jamaican society which celebrates human diversity; preserves the rights and dignity of all; and provides services to all based on Love, Action, and Support’. JASL’s vision embodies the IWD’s call to #InspireInclusion. Its vision is to create an enabling environment, everywhere for all, especially for our women and girls.

For Thompson, her strategies to inspire inclusion started with embracing JASL’s vision for the Jamaican society, followed by utilising her education in gender, and paralegal studies, along with the skills acquired and developed over the years through direct interaction with clients. External and in-house training, learning from personal life experiences (both challenges and successes) and working and worshipping in an inner-city community have had a profound impact on how and why she does her work.

Thompson believes her unique, calm demeanour, empathetic nature, non-judgemental attitude and listening skills enhance her work with women and girls. She says these attributes help to inspire inclusion in each client as she carefully probes for information and documents the sensitive conversations, plus provides encouragement each step of the way. Her experiences help her to objectively assess each case, identify areas of need, and enable her to refer each person to, or connect them with, the relevant services or people needed to resolve the presenting issues.

Over time, Thompson has gained a wealth of knowledge and first-hand experience from working with women from all spheres of society in Jamaica, regionally and internationally. This exposure has contributed to her resilience, independence, and spiritual growth. These are some of the characteristics and qualities she tries to pass on to each woman she encounters to, help accelerate progress and empowerment.

JASL has ensured over the years that information provided in confidentiality by its clients enables the staff to access the services required and to equip each client with all the information they need to identify adversities, which many face but do not necessarily recognise. Many women experience gender-based violence (GBV), but accept it as a normal part of life. Through JASL’s GBV workshops and other fora, women are sensitised to their own needs and to identify GBV and other unacceptable life experiences. In her role as social worker, Thompson has gone above and beyond the call of duty to provide these women with information on how to protect themselves and their families and address their concerns. Thompson, and JASL by extension, empowers its female staff and clients to be their own advocates so that they are able to vocalise their issues and offer solution to address those issues.

In Jamaica, a high percentage of women run their households single-handedly. Many of JASL’s female clients comprise this group and are from vulnerable populations; many are abused, low literate, grossly under-employed, underpaid or unemployed. When such cases are identified the women are offered all the psychological and social support needed to help move them from a place of powerlessness, apathy and helplessness, to becoming empowered, confident, independent women. The women are offered assistance to complete their education, learn a skill, or acquire recognised certification in their area of skill, as well as support for their children’s education. They also have the option to start or expand existing business.

Thompson, alongside JASL’s women, both staff and clients, can stand out in any crowd and are seen and celebrated as women who #InspireInclusion as JASL helps to accelerate progress and empowerment.