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, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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