Monday, February 11th, 2019.
As some of you know I’ll be returning to Jamaica soon to go on a community development project with Seneca College. I went previously in 2017 as a student and worked at the Hope Institute Hospital. This year I will be returning as a mentor to support the students and faculty on the trip.
Over the last few months I’ve attended the project retreat to meet the students and faculty I’ll be supporting as well as helping to facilitate during their weekly classes and answer questions for this year’s students attending the trip.
Leading up to the trip, we prepare the students with ethics-based lessons on appropriate conduct while on an international project as well as discussing social issues going on in the communities and placements we will be supporting.
Hope Institute Hospital - Residential hospital for patients seeking cancer treatment or requiring palliative care.
School of Hope - Public school for students with intellectual, developmental and/or physical disabilities.
Jamaican National Children’s Home (JNCH) - Residential program/orphanage for children 0 – 18 who are in child protective custody.
Tarrant High School - Working with the guidance department at the high school.
Family Unification and ReIntegration (FURI) - Drop in program for deportees.
Mona Baptist Church - The church is very community-minded and active. The run numerous programs that benefit economically disadvantaged community members.
Bellevue Mental Health Hospital - Residential hospital for patients with mental health challenges.
Open Arms - Shelter for homeless men and women.
Child Development Agency (CDA) - The CDA is a national organization that operates with a similar mandate to our Children’s Aid Society.
Mona Commons & Mackenzie Community - Captured-land community (a community with no legal rights to the land they inhabit) of approximately 2000+ families existing with little infrastructure support (water and hydro) but great strength and passion.
Past projects include: workshops with potential community leaders; healthy relationship groups with teens and pre-teens; co-facilitating annual Fun Day with community leaders; creation of leadership development opportunities.
Drewsland Community - This is a new opportunity for our project. Drew’s Landing is a community of about 2200+ people located approximately 45 minutes from Papine. In 2017, faculty and mentors from our project met with community leaders who had heard of our work with Mona Commons and had an interest in pursuing a similar partnership. Last year we spent a few days meeting community members and ran focus groups that assisted in identifying areas of future partnership. We have communicated with them throughout the year and are very excited to begin a formal and full partnership for our 2019 Project.
Augustown - Last year through a community connection, faculty met with the principal and teachers of Augustown Basic School, who have requested that we pursue a possible partnership with them. Our hope for 2019 is we begin to formally work with Augustown Basic School and start the process of community engagement.
As a mentor I will be splitting my time between going to the various organizations to check in with the students and support them, as well as working in Drewsland and Augustown on our new developments. There is a current issue with gun violence in the community and we will be doing some work with trauma management.