| When? | August 3-16 |
|
Where? |
Portland Parish, Jamaica |
| Contact | Georgia Pearson, |
| Registration Form | Download |
Portland Parish, Jamaica - Religious Youth Service-Jamaica is inviting applicants for a service-learning experience from August 3 to 16 to help make improvements at three schools on Jamaica's northeast coast and experience the vibrant culture of this Caribbean island nation celebrating its 50th anniversary of independence under the motto "Out of Many, One People."
The Buff Bay Valley, with a population of more than 8,000 people, is largely a rain forest paradise, containing numerous beautiful waterfalls and large wildlife reserves in Jamaica's Blue Mountains.
The orientation will introduce participants to the local history, culture, and religious. Participants will be welcomed by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture, a Member of Parliament, and community leaders.
RYS staff will lead team-building exercises. The daily schedule includes morning meditation and team meetings; there will be outings and opportunities to interact with the local community, especially on August 6, the 50th anniversary of independence. Service activities will take place at three schools: The Charles Town infant school, Charles Town primary school, and Avocat Primary and Junior High School. Work will include:
- tiling a bathroom
- painting classrooms
- building a playground
- landscaping a nature trail
- building a peace garden in each school
Making schools welcoming and beautiful helps create a good learning environment for students. The second UN Millennium Development Goal is for children to complete a full course of primary schooling. Jamaica, where the net enrollment is over 90 percent, has made admirable progress in basic education. Ongoing challenges include raising the quality of education and addressing attendance problems that are connected to poverty.
Twenty-five participants are being recruited with the assistance of Ambassadors for Peace, RYS alumni; Caribbean Youth Ambassadors programme; Suriname Youth Parliament; the University of the West Indies student engagement programs; and youth from the President’s Youth Award in Guyana.
The participant fee of $550 will cover meals, accommodations, transportation and program expenses within Jamaica; a special grant will reduce the cost to Caribbean participants to $200. The project is supported by the Daughters of Society, International Volunteer Academy, the Social Development Commission, the Portland Chamber of Commerce, and Buff Bay CDC.
For more information contact project developer Georgia Pearson,
For a report of the 2010 RYS project at the Avocat Primary and Junior High School, click here.
Draft Schedule
Thursday, Aug 2, 2012
Staff Arrivals
Staff Orientation
Friday, Aug 3, 2012
Staff Orientation Continues
Arrival of International participants
Saturday, August 4, 2012 - Orientation Day
9:00 Arrival of Local Participants
10:00 Registrations and Socialization
11:00 Introductions, RYS Norms, RYS History
13:00 Lunch
Session: Fears and expectations
Session: Fears and expectations
15:00 Session: Our Vision of 2020
16:30 Team Building/Education Program Theme: Lion, Fox and St Bernard
17:00 History of Jamaica – Ivan Coore
19:00 Dinner
20:00 Intro to Journalling
Sunday, August 5, 2012 - Orientation Day
7:00 Wake up
8:00 Morning Meditation
8:15 Breakfast
9:00 RYS Church Service – St George’s Anglican Church (Oldest church in Portland)
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Free
16:30 Session
18:00 Dinner
19:00 Team building (form teams for the worksites)
Talk---Safety at work
20:30 Team building
21:00 Closing/Journalling
21:30 Staff meeting
Monday, August 6 , 2012 First Work Day
5:30. Wake up
6:30 Meditation-------
6.45 Breakfast/ announcements
7.30 Work sites
8.00 Work starts (prayer)
10.15 Break (snacks)
10.30 Work continues
13.00 Celebration of Jamaica 50
18.00 Group Discussions: Dignity of Labour.
19.00 Dinner
20:00 Cultural Program (All participants must display a cultural aspect of their
Country.)
21:30 Closing/Journalling
22.00 Staff meeting
Tuesday, August 7, 2012 - Second Work Day
5:30 Wake up
6:30 Meditation
6.45 Breakfast/ announcements
7.30 Work sites
8.00 Work starts (prayer)
10.15 Break (snacks)
10.30 Work continues
13.00 Work stops
Back to Hostel
14:00 Lunch
Free Time
16.30 Educational Programs (Intro to Religions in Jamaica – Ambassador for Peace)
19:00 Dinner
20:00 Education program.
Altruistic Service
21:00 Small team meeting + games
21:30 Closing/Journalling
22.00 Staff meeting
Wednesday, August 8, 2012 - Third Work Day
5:30 Wake up
6:30 Meditation----
6.45 Breakfast/ Announcements
7.30 Work sites
8.00 Work starts (prayer)
10.15 Break--snacks
10.30 Work continues
13.00 Work stops
Back to Hostel
14.00 Lunch
Outing/Sightseeing
19:00 Back to Hostel
Dinner
21:00 Small team meeting
21:30 Closing/Journalling
22:00 Staff meeting
Thursday, August 9, 2012 - Fourth Work Day
5.30 Wake up
6.30 Meditation
6.45 Breakfast
7.30 Work sites
8.00 Work starts (prayer)
10.15 Break-(snacks)
10.30 Work continues
13.00 Work stops
Back to Hostel
14:00 Lunch
Sports
16:30 Religious Visit
19:00 Dinner
20:00 Educational program "Spirituality and Social Responsibility"
21:00 Small team meeting
21:30 Closing/Journalling
22:00 Staff meeting
Friday, August 10, 2012 - Fifth Work Day
5:30 Wake up
6:30 Meditation
6:45 Breakfast/Announcements
7:30 work sites
8:00 Work starts (prayer)
9:00 Break (snacks)
9:15 Work continues
11:20 Work stops
11:30 Back to hostel
12:00 Lunch
16.00 Shopping
20:00 Dinner
12:00 General team meeting
21:00 Closing/Journalling
21:30 Staff meeting
Saturday, August 11, 2008 - Sixth Work Day
5:00 Wake up
6:00 Meditation
6:15 Breakfast/Announcements
8:00 Work starts (prayer)
9:00 Break (snacks)
9:15 Work continues
12:30 Work stops
13.30 Lunch
14.30 Social Visits
18:00 Dinner
Sunday, August 12, 2008 - Religious Visits
5:00 Wake up
6:00 Meditation
6:15 Breakfast/Announcements
8:00 Religious Visits
13.30 Lunch
Travel to Reflection Tapioca Village
18:00 Dinner
SIS/SOS
19:00 Reflection Period of Silence
19:30 Closing
Monday, August 13, 2012 - REFLECTION PERIOD
7:00 Wake up
8:00 Remembrance of all world religions
8:30 Breakfast
10:00 Reflection
14:00 Lunch
16:00 Reflection
18:00 Dinner
19:00 Evaluation, Testimonies, Commitment letters etc
20:30 Reflection Continues
Tuesday, August 14, 2012 - Shopping/ Departure day
7:00 Wake up
7:30 Meditation
8:30 Breakfast
Local Departures
22.00 Closing
Wednesday, August 15, 2012 - Departure Day
6:00 Non denominational worship
International DEPARTURES
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Staff evaluation