Projects Abroad in Jamaica

  Jamaica

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 9-12 weeks
Dates: Year Round/Rolling Starts

Description: The Caribbean island of Jamaica is well known for its idyllic beaches, turquoise seas and romantic sunsets, however beyond the tourist brochure façade is a country of laid-back welcoming people, smiling children and a lush mountainous interior well worth exploring.

Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean and was described by Christopher Columbus in the late 15th century as the 'fairest land my eyes have ever seen'. Plenty of visitors today would still agree and tourism is a vital source of income for the island. However, many visitors who find time to venture off the cruise ships do not make it beyond one or two coastal towns and often miss out on one of Jamaica's biggest assets - its incredible mix of people.

Volunteering in Jamaica is a unique way to experience the real Jamaica, a world away from the tourist hype. Projects are available for anyone interested in volunteering in the developing world, whether you are a volunteer on a gap year, a summer placement, or a career break. We offer placements in teaching, care, sports and medicine-including nursing and general medicine.

Projects Abroad Jamaica is based in the University town of Mandeville. Situated inland at a cooler altitude of about 2000ft, 100km west of Kingston, Mandeville is removed from the main tourist trail. The town is the capital of Jamaica's Manchester Parish and retains an English 'village' feel with its grassy town square and local parish church.

However, there are areas in and around Mandeville which are home to poorer communities, where there is a real need for help. As a volunteer with Projects Abroad in Jamaica you will have the chance to make a real difference whether you are teaching English in a school, or working on a Care project. You will live with a local host family who will provide you the very best that Jamaican hospitality has to offer and you will find you rapidly integrate into the local community.

Volunteer work opportunities in Jamaica

Teaching - Volunteer teachers work alongside the Jamaican staff to help improve the pronunciation of Standard English. By running lessons in Standard English and making them fun and inclusive you can really help to develop the pupils' confidence. They are sure to be interested in you and your life, and you can take advantage of this to get them talking to yourself and each other.

In most schools you will begin as a classroom assistant, supporting the teacher in their lessons. However, as you get to know the children better and start to grow in confidence you may want to take on more responsibility. If you have any other interests or subjects you would like to teach - such as math, art, music, drama or sport there will be opportunities to incorporate these into your classes too.

Care - At Projects Abroad we work with orphanages, children's homes and centers for street children in and around the inland town of Mandeville. 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 these children. But we cannot do this without the help of our volunteers.

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. Your job is to help to 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.

Sports - The most popular sport is soccer, but cricket, basketball, athletics and netball are also widely taught in schools. Soccer is engrained in Jamaican culture and boys' soccer competitions get impressive attendance. Cricket is a lasting memento of the colonial days; however, over time the sport has gained fans and players from all social backgrounds and is now popular across Jamaica regardless of economic status or background. Basketball is a much more recent sporting addition in schools and has become the fastest growing sport on the island in the last ten years.

Whichever sports you enjoy, if you have a passion for developing sports in schools you can help to coach children as a volunteer sports coach. We offer our volunteer sport coaches the opportunity to work with local sports teachers in both elementary and high schools in and around the inland town of Mandeville.

Medicine - The majority of medical volunteers find that the facilities are of a good standard, in fact Jamaica was one of the first countries to establish a national health service, however, you are likely to encounter many diseases that are less common in North America and Europe.

Volunteers work in a large public hospital in Mandeville. You will spend time working in both in-patient and out-patient services in departments such as general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics.

Your supervisor can ensure that you work in a variety of areas during your placement, and learn as much as possible about medical and healthcare practice in Jamaica.

Doctors and nurses welcome volunteers with a range of experience, so long as they are enthusiastic and keen to participate. By showing initiative and building a good rapport with your colleagues, you can get very involved with the doctors and patients with whom you are working.

Highlights: Volunteers in Jamaica are spoilt for choice in terms of travel opportunities, both at the weekends or after volunteering. The Milk River Bath is a popular day trip from Mandeville, this natural hot spring is renowned for its healing powers, and is a relaxing way to spend the day after a busy week at work.
Jamaican beach

Further a field literally hundreds of paradise beaches await, with added attractions at places like Ocho Rios, home to the aptly named Eden Falls, where you can tube or raft down the river. Water sports like diving and snorkeling are popular around the entire coast or lie back in a hammock and sample a classic Jamaican rum cocktail.

Finally, no experience of Jamaica is complete without experiencing the vibrant music scene. Strains of Jamaica's most famous citizen, Bob Marley will undoubtedly follow you everywhere on the island and spectacular music festivals take place throughout the year.

All accommodation is organized, paid for and monitored by Projects Abroad. All project placements are regularly visited and checked. We require high standards of supervision and accommodation, which are verified before you arrive in Jamaica.

This project offers the opportunity to become fully immersed in the culture in a manner which even the most hardened of backpackers could never hope to do.

Qualifications: none

Cost in US$: From US$2,895 Up

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 16-80

This Program is open to World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Jamaica Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently Or in Groups of 2-5

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Exit DebriefingAbroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Projects Abroad's Mission Statement: As part of the global economy, Projects Abroad helps create local employment wherever we send volunteers. Employing local staff overseas and using their talents and knowledge is important to us. This local knowledge and support enables the organization to channel the skills of the volunteers from more affluent countries to regions around the world where they are needed. Volunteers also learn from their placements and the people they meet, and they gain experience in a chosen field. In the 21st century, we believe this mutual respect is what cultural exchange is all about.

Year Founded: 1992