Jamaica: Volunteer Care/Orphanage work in the Caribbean

Jamaica: Volunteer Care-Work with Children and Adults

At Projects Abroad we work with orphanages and children's homes in and around Mandeville, St. Ann’s Bay and Junction. Though we don't pretend that we can solve all the social problems affecting modern day Jamaica, we can work to make a difference to the prospects of a large number of children and underprivileged individuals. But we cannot do this without the help of our volunteers.

As a volunteer on a Care project in Jamaica you have an important role to play, whether you are a trained professional offering us the benefit of your experience or on a gap year or career break looking for some experience of development work. Everybody is welcomed, provided they are willing to work hard and be committed to the role, their work-colleagues and the children they are there to help.

Voluntary work with orphans and the elderly with Projects Abroad

In whichever volunteer Care project you find yourself, you need to be ready for a challenge. Many of the children have had very difficult lives and may be desperate for attention. There are likely to be some who have health problems or who require special attention due to disabilities or those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. Your job is to help improve their lives in whatever way possible. This will be quite varied; it may involve playing games and sports with the children or helping with their homework. You may even want to take a group out on a trip. Projects Abroad will support you in any way that we can.

Helping with basic education is also important as many of the children arrive at the homes after being orphaned, abandoned or placed there by the courts and have received no previous formal education. Volunteers can teach in pre-school or special needs schools located at the orphanage or at a special needs school for children with mental, physical and learning disabilities. Volunteers at these placements assist with interactive activities that enhance the growth and development of the children.

Volunteers also help to provide vital information about nutrition and some of the homes we work with have their own small farms on site. As the children in the homes get older volunteers are also needed to help teach the children trades like catering, farming, woodwork, music, tailoring and printing.

The elderly need your attention as well. By working with the elderly you provide assistance to individuals who have been neglected or abandoned by their families or who are in need of support at this stage in their lives. The objective is to provide adequate, needs-based and efficient care to these individuals. Volunteers can assist on this project by helping to feed and groom the elderly as well as reading to them, taking them for a walk around the compound and engaging them in wholesome activities that will stimulate them mentally, physically and socially. This is a chance to get really creative and help to touch the lives of the elderly in a meaningful way.

Volunteering Abroad on a Care Project in Jamaica

In addition to working in an orphanage, children’s home or home for the elderly, volunteers can work on two specific care projects; the Children’s Advocacy Project and the Parenting Project. These projects are particularly good for volunteers with experience in social work, psychology, sociology, family life education or counselling. However, volunteers who have a general interest in these areas can also take part.

The Children’s Advocacy Project includes psycho-social and psycho-educational assessment and treatment for at least 200 children. The project also creates adolescent and parent support groups. Volunteers work at the Counselling and Psychological Services Centre, Community Counselling and Restorative Justice Centre or Department of Behavioural Sciences. Volunteers help with needs assessments, preparing documents for workshops and seminars, designing brochures, assisting in psycho-educational assessments and working with children in play therapy. Volunteers can also help with homework and after school activities.

The Parenting Project is designed to allow volunteers to work with 4 to 5 families in a specific community. At times parents do not have the skills or resources to help their children in productive ways. Projects Abroad Jamaica is partnering with the Rural Family Support Organisation to expand their Roving Care Givers Programme. This programme provides rural home visits designed to provide support and enrichment to young children and their parents. Volunteers create activities for the children, use educational toys to develop their skills, have talks with parents on topics such as communication, nutrition and proper discipline and also plan workshops and seminars on parenting. All volunteers undergo a two day training workshop prior to commencement of their work.