The Development Gap Volunteer Information Pack

THE

Development

Gapan affiliate taskforce for

sustainable development

through volunteer

tourism. 1 http://www.thedevelopmentgap.com | www.twitter.com/DevelopmentGap | www.facebook.com/devgap

http://www.thedevelopmentgap.com/

http://www.facebook.com/devgap

http://www.twitter.com/DevelopmentGap

CONTENTS1. INTRODUCTION – PAGE 22. WHAT CAN THE VOLUNTEERS REALLY DO? - PAGE 3

• FOREST PRESERVATION – PAGE 3• ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION – PAGE 4• ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND PETITIONING – PAGE 6• ENVIRONMENTAL BUILDING – PAGE 8• WILDLIFE – PAGE 9• HOUSING ASSESSMENTS & PETITIONING – PAGE 10• MOBILITY – PAGE 10• LOCAL EDUCATION PROGRAMMES – PAGE 11• LOCAL BUILDING – PAGE 12• HELATH & SAFETY – PAGE 13• HISTORIC PRESERVATION – PAGE 15• BUSINESS – PAGE 16

3. WHAT DO THE VOLUNTEERS GET OUT OF THE EXPERIENCE? - PAGE 174. WHAT VOLUNTEERS CAN EXPECT FROM THE DEVELOPMENT GAP ORGANIZATION –

PAGE 185. VOLUNTEER SAFETY – PAGE 196. HOW ARE WE DIFFERENT FROM OTHER PROJECTS WITH VOLUNTEERS IN JAMAICA–

PAGE 207. HOW DO WE WORK WITH... - PAGE 23

2 http://www.thedevelopmentgap.com | www.twitter.com/DevelopmentGap | www.facebook.com/devgap




What Is

The Development Gap

All About and Why Is It Necessary?

THE PASTTO DATE, JAMAICA’S MOST IMPORTANT AND SOCIALLY BENEFICIAL EXPORT HAS BEEN ITS CULTURE. EVERYWHERE YOU GO, IF ONE ASKS PEOPLE ABOUT JAMAICA, THEIR MAIN CONNECTION TO THE ISLAND IS BOB MARLEY. WE ARE PROUD OF THIS FACT AND ARE CONTINUOUSLY HONOURED THAT OUR SMALL ISLAND CAN HAVE SUCH AN INFLUENCE ON THE WORLD. BOB MARLEY LIVED AND SANG DURING TUMULTUOUS

TIMES IN OUR ISLAND’S HISTORY. NOW WE FACE A SIMILAR REVOLUTION - THAT OF HOW NATIONS ARE TO MOVE FORWARD IN A SUSTAINABLE AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER. GROWTH FOR GROWTH’S SAKE CAN NO LONGER BE A BUSINESS MODEL FOR WE MUST NOW TAKE THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE PEOPLE INTO ACCOUNT.

The PresentTHE DEVELOPMENT GAP WILL ADDRESS MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES BUT OUR MAIN GOALS CAN BE SUMMED UP AS SUCH: WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF EXPORTING CULTURE AND IMPORTING ASSISTANCE. MANY DEVELOPED NATIONS HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF GETTING THEIR PICK OF THE DEVELOPING WORLD’S BRIGHTEST AND MOST PROMISING MEMBERS.

THEY MIGRATE TO DEVELOPED NATIONS LEAVING THEIR HOME COUNTRIES MISSING A VERY VALUABLE DEMOGRAPHIC. IN ORDER TO FILL THAT GAP, WE HOPE TO CREATE A SORT OF REVERSE BRAIN-DRAIN. WE IMPORT AID FROM SKILLED AND MOTIVATED INDIVIDUALS WHO COME TO HELP US ACHIEVE DEVELOPED STATUS, A GOAL WE HOPE TO REACH BY 2030 - BUT DOING SO SUSTAINABLY. WE ALSO EXPORT THE ART, MUSIC, FASHION AND CRAFTS OF JAMAICANS, USING THE PROFITS NOT ONLY TO OFFER A VIABLE OCCUPATION FOR ARTISTICALLY INCLINED INDIVIDUALS BETTER SUITED TO CREATIVE LIFESTYLES. SUCH PEOPLE THRIVE BETTER IN A DEVELOPED COUNTRY’S MARKET SO WE TAKE THEIR WORK TO THAT MARKET OURSELVES.

The FutureWE WILL BEGIN WORK IN THE PARISH OF MANCHESTER, JAMAICA WHERE THERE ARE ALREADY DETAILED PLANS FOR HOW THE PARISH WILL DEVELOP SUSTAINABLY IN THE UPCOMING YEARS. WE ALSO BEGIN IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM AND SURROUNDING UNIVERSITY TOWNS IN THE FLEMISH REGION SIMPLY DUE TO FAMILIARITY WITH THE INNER WORKINGS OF THAT AREA. VOLUNTEERS FROM FLANDERS WILL COME TO THE MANCHESTER REGION,

LIVING WITH HOST FAMILIES, AND UNDERTAKING PROJECTS THAT THEY ARE INTERESTED IN. IT WILL NOT BE ALL WORK - WE WILL PROVIDE FANTASTIC VACATION ACTIVITIES, ALLOWING OUR VOLUNTEERS TO REAP THE FULL BENEFITS OF A HOLIDAY IN THE SUN. HOWEVER OUR VOLUNTEERS WILL LEAVE WITH MUCH MORE THAN JUST BEAUTIFUL PICTURES AND A TAN. THEY WILL HAVE EXPERIENCED THE JOY OF MEETING NEW PEOPLE, DOING SOMETHING FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOOD ITSELF AND HELPING A NATION MOVE FORWARD STEP BY STEP!





What Can The Volunteers Really Do?FOR EACH OF THE BROAD THEMES OF THE MANCHESTER LOCAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PLAN WHICH IS TO BE CARRIED OUT BY THE MANCHESTER PARISH DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (PDC), OUR VOLUNTEERS CAN FIND A PLACE TO PARTICIPATE AND MAKE THE WORK THAT LOCALS HAVE TO DO THAT MUCH EASIER!

Cool, Clean, and Green. The Parish will preserve its natural resources while building upon its cool climate, attractive environment and green vistas.

FOREST PRESERVATIONVolunteers can work with the Forestry Department to participate in reafforestation and other natural beautification projects including:

• Target degraded watershed areas in tree planting initiatives to help in retarding runoff, reducing erosion, increasing rainfall and improving water quality. The trees selected will be a variety (West Indian Mahogany, West Indian Cedar, Blue Mahoe, etc.) and will be indigenous to the area.

• Start a thatch palm-replanting program should be started to help with rebuilding the numbers that have been destroyed and removed from the Canoe Valley area.

• Plant trees in the windiest areas of the Parish to act as windbreaks and reduce dust generation and soil erosion as part of mined land reclamation/restoration programmes.

• Create/run/maintain a non-profit environmental organisation that takes donations and issue certificates in return for monetary contributions which go directly towards the purchasing and planting or replanting of trees

• Working with Manchester PDC to perform site evaluations by noting the location of valuable trees and other natural landscape features on a site plan or schematic drawing for their preservation.

• Working with Manchester PDC to mark trees under the tree preservation order on sites or in woodland areas to make them easily identifiable by the Local Authority, developers, farmers, homeowners, and other interested parties/entities by using signs, tags, spray paints, ribbons, etc.

• Encourage tree crops such as coffee, cocoa or fruit (citrus for example) to prevent the destruction of forested areas by planting them under tree canopies. This will not only provide environmental benefits (shade, wind breaks, etc.), but also give farmers a continuous and long-term cash income from fruit harvesting.

• Create programmes in arboriculture to train individuals for the care and maintenance of preserved trees. This will include planting, properly pruning and treating trees for any disease.





ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONVolunteers can share knowledge about how to preserve the local area:

• Workshops on ‘green habits’ to the masses• Farmers should be helped with river basin management educational programmes that will enhance

conservation efforts• Educate farmers on proper monitoring and

effective use of artificial fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals to reduce the amount of pollutant that enters surface and underground water sources, encourage use of mulch to control weed growth and use of organic pesticides.

• Lead in tours for young locals and tourists informing them about the local biodiversity.

• Design and support public education campaigns/programs/initiatives that focus on new ideas to promote sustainability in environmental, economic and socio-cultural areas.

• Support efforts to increase organic farming in the Parish. This brings with it both economic and environmental benefits for the future.

• Educate fishermen and fishing communities about avoiding over-fishing and protecting the marine environment.

• Start public education campaigns about the benefits of reed bed sewage treatment systems, and the impacts of utilising hazardous waste and pouring it down the drains.

• Embark on a No Plastic and Paper Bag Shopping Day (Fridays) that will have customers carry a canvas or net tote bag (with the supermarkets’ logo) when doing grocery shopping. This will be a safe and convenient way to carry purchases. It will also eliminate the amount and need for the dealers' disposable paper or plastic bags.

• Create a campaign that educates school children from the kindergarten to the secondary level on ways to improve their daily impact on the environment. This will include saving some disposable items to use later in class craft and science projects.

• Launch a bin program that will give fruit vendors in Manchester proper waste receptacles to house the unwanted fruit peels and spoils that will be emptied daily and transported to a larger container to be picked up. This can later be used in compost sites or given to livestock farmers to add to the feed of cattle and pigs.





• Promote a Curbside Recycling Program in Manchester. This will involve homes, businesses, offices, schools and other sources that generate paper and cardboard waste to sort prior to disposal and store them away properly for drop-off or pick up.

• Promote a public education drive on the aspects of backyard or onsite composting. Local communities can organise composting demonstrations and seminars to encourage homeowners and or businesses to compost on their own properties. The goal is to bring about a cultural change towards sustainable waste management methods.

• Initiate pilots to encourage voluntary primary and secondary schools to collect organic waste for composting using standardized bins. The bins will be strategically positioned on the school grounds and will be made from durable materials (metals and plastics).

• Develop a programme to collect electronics in working order and redistribute them to entities and organisation in need. Old computer hardware for instance should be donated to schools and or community centres to enhance their existing or develop prospective IT (Information Technology) learning and training. Also inform people on how to dispose of technological waste.





ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND PETITIONINGVolunteers can help the Manchester PDC complete tasks:

• Help raise awareness and create a petition signed by locals to protect valuable areas like Canoe Valley, the dunes and mangroves of the Alligator Pond area

• “Manchester has a significant share of Jamaica's 1,000 known caves, including some of the deepest and longest cave systems” - Volunteers can survey and map these caves. They can also clean up the vandalized areas as well as document and study the local wildlife as a means of getting bonus credit in their university courses or gathering information for their thesis.

• Create petitions which “Encourage the bauxite mining companies to provide and maintain corridors that offer protection, habitat, and food for a variety of wildlife species to counteract loss of habitat and habitat fragmentation.”

• Work with Manchester PDC to conduct a research study on Alligator Pond for the purposes of identifying areas that should be protected. The study will

include a literature review, examination of land use plans, identification of environmental assets, and review of potential protecting agencies.

• Explore seagrass replanting programs for areas that are depleted to help in replenishing fish numbers.

• Complete the disaster mapping for the entire Parish, including landslide and flood events and landslide and flood-prone areas.

• Identify lands that are less suitable for agriculture, particularly those with low soil fertility levels and slightly steep or rocky terrain and designate these lands for residential, commercial, industrial or open space uses.

• Conduct a feasibility study and cost analysis for cold storage units in southern Manchester. This study should identify potential locations, funding sources, management arrangements, and technical issues for the facility or facilities. It should also consider using alternative energy sources to power the operation. NCU could contribute to the research, while JBI and/or JAS could provide financial support.

• Explore food processing techniques that reduce waste, especially methods that use parts of raw materials that are otherwise wasted.





• Support efforts to protect the marine ecosystem• Identify areas that would be suitable for aquaculture• Examine the overall state of groundwater quality in the event of a heavy dependence on the available

sources for any intended development in that specific area.• Schedule maintenance and chlorination, spring cleaning of water system. Also, implement perimeter

fencing to ensure safety of the water and covering of water tanks to prevent water contamination from dust and so on.

• Explore the possibility of extracting water from the operational wells of Trinity, Porus; which could be pumped up and stored in reservoirs (which could be built in elevated areas in Mandeville).

• Locate possible sites for future wells in order to meet the growing demand from the increasing population. A possible location is in South Manchester near Cross Keys or Alligator Pond.

• Install new pumps and wells, and assessing their reliability and ensuring long-term sustainability.





ENVIRONMENTAL BUILDINGVolunteers can help locals build environmentally responsible items:

• Build and instruct locals on use of alternative energy sources (wind energy, solar...)• Create firebreaks to protect local farms and residential areas from forest fires.• Create irrigation channels parallel to agricultural property boundaries and roadways to store surface

runoff to be utilised for the watering of crops.• Convert, engineer and utilise where practical the craters left by post-bauxite mining activities for

water catchment facilities to provide added supply and distribution towards some domestic, commercial, institutional and agricultural uses. This will be an ideal rehabilitation solution for these mined-out areas than back filling and it also presents the opportunity for an alternative land use.

• Implement rainwater-harvesting systems on non-domestic premises (schools, commercial units and industries) to help in satisfying the potentially greater demand on main water supply. Rainwater collection in larger buildings will be more effective due to their larger roof area.

• Endorse the construction of cistern (underground water storage) systems that will provide total or partial supply to housing developments.

• Create several drop-off points in the Development Areas of Manchester with the help of charitable organisations such as Food for the Poor, Salvation Army and Lions Club to collect donated clothing, shoes, appliances (that can be restored and or in working condition) and toys. This will help to increase the space at the dumpsite through reuse.

• Erection of solar powered photovoltaic street lights.





WILDLIFEVolunteers with a love of animals and nature will be kept busy and happy with the many different wildlife preservation projects put forth by the Manchester PDC:

• Encourage the reintroduction of native reptiles, animals and insects such as lizards, birds, snails, worms, etc to help to enhance the fauna and raise biodiversity.

• Launch a Manatee rehabilitation programme to help with the declining numbers. This will involve the breeding of manatees in captivity.

• Ensure the protection of turtle nesting areas against sand mining activities by erecting proper signage to highlight these areas.

• A pilot project for the development of artificial reefs (patch reefs) could be established. This would be directed to increasing the productivity of corals in the Alligator Pond area.

• Explore and implement Eco-Reefs® to be used as artificial coral reefs• Create a Reef-Care Clean-up Programme that will be held on an annual basis. This will involve

voluntary scuba divers picking up garbage and other foreign debris off the coral reefs and bringing it to the surface to be dumped or disposed of properly.





QUALITY OF LIFE

HOUSING ASSESSMENTS & PETITIONSVolunteers can help create petitions and perform assessments in the towns:

• Explore alternative methods of construction through examining best practices for construction technology. This will be done using case studies and cost impact (assessments?).

• Begin dialogue with construction companies and developers to examine affordable material options and sustainable building opportunities.

• Prepare a housing study for Manchester, which identifies persons and/or special groups in need of housing.

MOBILITYVolunteers can improve the accessibility of the urban areas:

• Encourage walking by improving the pedestrian environment throughout town centres and communities. This will involve building sidewalks where appropriate and or with adequate road reservation and painting in pedestrian crossings and crosswalks.

• Sidewalks and walkways should be maintained, free of cracks and potholes, so that they are accessible to wheelchairs.

• All public institutions and ground-level businesses should be wheelchair-accessible, with entrance ramps.





LOCAL EDUCATION PROGRAMMESVolunteers can work with local schools and make an impact by providing specific workshops:

• Promote ‘lifelong learning’ for students of every age and at all stages of their lives by supporting initiatives that provide greater access to education.

• Support the teaching of entrepreneurship in secondary and tertiary institutions. This will help to make more people confident in pursuing their own business ideas and create a basis for more self-employment opportunities in Manchester. It will additionally address the ‘brain-drain’ problem (educated members of the community either move to urban areas on the island or migrate to other countries all together), resulting in more educated young professionals choosing to stay in the Parish.

• Support public access for all groups through the maintenance of traditional services that provides information in a variety of ways including print and oral delivery. A Storytelling Session remains an exciting method to get children enthusiastic about developing reading habits.

• Provide information technology for public access for all social groups. This will involve the tutoring of basic computer skills and encouraging local residents to participate in programmes designed to combat illiteracy.

• Ensure that special provision will be made for newly literate people and for those with disabilities (visually impaired) to have easy access to appropriate reading materials to enhance and maintain their individual skills. Library workshops can be held for this set of persons on how to use library technologies and searching for various reading materials.

• Ensure the continued communication with citizens of Manchester to support local training programmes and citizen access to these kinds of programmes through workshops and the dissemination of public education materials (pamphlets, flyers and so on).

• Hold ongoing community forums across the Parish on parenting, family life, and civic responsibility.• Supply homebuyers with a brochure outlining their rights and what to expect from the seller or

developer. This information should highlight the law that guarantees recreational space in subdivisions and explain the role of residents in maintaining these spaces. Parish Council can give brochure to homebuyers when they purchase their property.





LOCAL BUILDINGVolunteers can build necessary additions to the towns:

• Ensure that libraries have adequate natural and artificial lighting, proper ventilation, space saving, wheelchair accessible (ramps and wide doors) and properly landscaped and buffered against surrounding noise sources. This means that the design component or refurbishing aspects will be the most vital to encourage a comfortable reading and learning environment.

• Develop new and some existing library facilities with renewable energy (solar, wind, bio-gas, etc.) to offset electricity costs and additionally to educate local residents on their potential. This can also be used as a promotional tool for acceptance of these alternative sources of energy.

• Help design and build local parks including:◦ Gardens and a water feature (fountain or bird bath)◦ Children’s play area◦ Fitness stations◦ Sitting areas◦ Jogging and walking trails◦ Hard courts (basketball, netball and scrimmage)◦ Amphitheatre

• Launch public campaigns and initiatives to build, encourage and coordinate grassroots support for open space and parks, their importance and benefits to be gained through their creation. This campaign will emphasise the local residents’ role in getting involved in projects geared towards the development of walking and jogging trails, open space projects, and maintenance and cleanup activities on an ongoing basis.

• Develop unique beautification initiatives and make improvements to the pedestrian environment within each Regional, Emerging and Local centre.





HEALTH & SAFETYVolunteers can inform locals about issues in health and safety:

• Create a public campaign to promote healthy lifestyles and healthy foods. The program should have a component encouraging farmers to replant land with vegetable crops. The initiative could also be tied to the campaign to promote locally-grown food.

• Establish a farmers’ market in the Town Centres of all nine Development Areas of Manchester and educate locals on the benefits of buying local produce.

• Support the renovation of the markets in Mandeville, Porus, and Christiana.• Support/promote increased local involvement in health through self-help groups for education,

women’s networks for education re: pre/post –natal, child development, and sex education, parent support groups, youth health groups, etc.

• Offer pick-up and drop-off delivery for services such as prescriptions and health visits for elderly, pregnant mothers, and those located in remote areas/with difficulty accessing facilities. For a nominal fee these kinds of services can respond to this issue of access. There is also the opportunity for fees to be offset by assistance from the NHF for those who qualify.

• Organise and implement a proactive public education campaign on fire safety targeting groups such as schoolaged children, business owners and homeowners to highlight the importance of, and encourage practicing fire safety in the home and business place.





• Design a public education program to promote the types of health care services available to the public. The campaign will include information about subsidies (the National Health Fund in particular), accessibility, and the need for persons to pay minimal fees.

• Increase public education initiatives to assist in raising the general awareness of citizens of Manchester regarding the availability of current and prospective Public Health services and programs.

• Promote the reviltalisation of Neighbourhood Watch Groups to tackle the fear of crime within the communities and across the wider Manchester through integration programmes and activities in an effort to unify communities. These integration programmes and activities will include small social gatherings (barbeques, community sports’ day, fairs, etc.) and the creation of park and recreational spaces.

• Launch a massive campaign titled ‘Break the Silence’ that will be geared towards educating communities on the important role they play in community policing. This initiative will help to transform community behaviour towards sharing information/intelligence with the local Police.





HISTORIC PRESERVATIONVolunteers can participate in protecting the history of the region:

• Liaise and work with historical heritage and preservation organisations and societies to develop ways to protect sites in Manchester. – Jamaica National Heritage Trust, Archaeological Society of Jamaica, National Library of Jamaica, Jamaican

Historical Society, International Council on Monuments and Sites, The Jamaica Tourist Board, National Resources Conservation Authority. Ways of protecting sites could be in done through the creation of maps – artistic historically-accurate maps of Manchester for sale to tourists, tour guides.

• Renovate the St George’s Anglican Church (popularly known as the ‘Duppy Church’ [Ghost Church]) to be included in a historic churches tour. This will be worth the attention because of the age of church (18th century structure) headstones, and stone markers. In the event that this structure is beyond restoration, then explore the possibility of a compatible or another similar use. For instance; it could be the location for the starting point of church tours in Parish, whilst recognising the history of the building and site and the remaining stones.

• Collaborate with JNHT to create a map showing historical points of interest or monuments, sites (for e.g. Medina House), and groups of buildings. These would be posted at locations easily accessed and or frequented by visitors such as the Manchester Shopping Centre and the Manchester Parish Council.

• Create heritage trails that combine natural physical attraction of caves and outdoor activities like light hiking with eco-tourism, leading to caves and boat tours in the Alligator Pond area.

• Install hidden surveillance cameras along the cave perimeter to help protect and monitor them against any acts of vandalism and theft of artifacts.

• Coordinate Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) so that groups of buildings with historical significance are preserved and maintained. This will help to reduce the burden of cost on the public sector, with the allowance for small business opportunities. In other words, private business owners leasing a building from government will contribute slightly higher property tax, based on the maintenance of building’s facade (based on its historical value, uniqueness and potential to attract more business).





BUSINESSVolunteers can put their business know-how to work by sharing it with locals:

• Support small businesses in product development, business planning, quality standards, etc. This can include workshops, training sessions, or business advising.

• Assist new businesses in non-established sectors (sustainable technology, renewable energy, etc.—see New Economic Opportunities) in finding and securing financing.

• Develop a website to help entrepreneurs network within their industries worldwide.

• Provide assistance with businesses management to small businesses.

• Provide technical assistance to small businesses dealing in sustainable technology. Where assistance

cannot be provided directly, establish a system to connect businesses with organisations which do have the applicable knowledge base.





What Do Volunteers Get out of the Experience?THERE ARE SEVERAL ADVANTAGES TO WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPMENT GAP BUT EVEN SO, WE ARE ONLY BEGINNING AND PLAN TO IMPROVE THE BENEFITS RECEIVED BY OUR VOLUNTEERS. WE DO NOT BELIEVE IN PAYING TO VOLUNTEER AND SO WE TRY TO MAKE THE EXPERIENCE AS ENRICHING, AFFORDABLE AND EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE. PLUS, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE FUN IF YOU'RE IN JAMAICA SO WE ENSURE YOU GET TO SEE THE BEST THAT THE ISLAND HAS TO OFFER!

Hosting The Development Gap organization pairs you off with a suitable hosting family. Your host family is your guide to Jamaican culture, language and behaviour. These houses are all equipped with the modern accommodations one would expect: internet connection, telephone lines and adequate plumbing which may or may not include hot water (but certainly is not always necessary).

touching Base The Development Gap organization also ensures that you have a European mentor who had been through the voluntary process before and has a familiarity with the locals. This team-leader is the person you can call day or night if you find you have troubles adjusting to aspects of life in Jamaica or if you have had a peculiarly Jamaican experience that you need clarification on. There are also weekly meetings with your fellows to swap stories, tips and ideas.

TeamWork The Development Gap organization offers you the chance to work in a team on something that matters. You will have Jamaican partners involved in the project. Working with the locals will help to give a sense of immediacy to the impact of what you are doing. Furthermore these will be people that you remember long after you've left the island and gone back to your regular life!

goodies! As we move forward, The Development Gap organization will gain new contacts in various industries and events. We will constantly work toward getting our volunteers the best Jamaican products and services as a 'Thank You' for the time and effort being put in! Also cheap: field trips! Dunn's River Falls, Rick's Café, camping in the Blue Mountains? Yes, please!

A Great Experience Anyone fresh out of university knows just how difficult it can be to get that first job. They all ask for experience in your field and even when you reply, you hardly ever get a response. Furthermore if you simply wish to take a break from your regular life, many volunteer opportunities ask you to pay for it all which is not always convenient. We offer a way to add to your CV, learn a new skill, work with new people, explore the world and create a memory you will have for the rest of your life!





WHat Volunteers Can Expect From The Development Gap OrganizationWHILE WE ARE HAPPY TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR VOLUNTEERS IT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD THAT CERTAIN THINGS ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE EFFICIENCY AND VIABILITY OF OUR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE WE NEED TO ASK OUR VOLUNTEERS TO TAKE CHARGE OF CERTAIN ARRANGEMENTS. YOU ARE BOTH A VOLUNTEER AND A TOURIST SO HERE'S WHAT WE DO AND DON'T DO.

WHAT WE DO:

• Airport pick-up and drop-off

• Orientation meeting (information package, safety tips, tour options, etc.)

• Accommodation

• 24 hour emergency support from a team leader

• Meals

• Field trips and R&R days

WHAT WE DON'T DO:

• Round-trip airline tickets

• Visas or other immigration documents

• Travel insurance

• Local Currency( we provide a list of cambios to go for exchange)





volunteer SafetySECURITY

Jamaica is a very diverse island made up of different centres of activity. While our Kingston and surrounding area can be dangerous like most metropoles, our tourist area is very safe and protected. The pristine hills of Manchester provide a safe and cool platform from which to work unperterbed. We have a direct contact and phone number of the Manchester Police Department which is centrally located in the capital and close to most of our hosting families.

HOSPITALS AND CLINICS

The Hargreve Hospital in Mandeville is a stone's throw from most households and the Mandeville Hospital handles more specialized injuries, illnesses and concerns should such an unfortunate circumstance come to light. Our Physician Correspondent is on hand for check-ups and consultations as well.

HOST FAMILIES

It is in our best interest as a viable enterprise to ensure that our volunteers are safe, happy and comfortable in their surroundings. We try to get our volunteers in touch with their host families before they even arrive to the island in order to give volunteers a sense of what they are coming to. However, no matter your reasoning, rehosting can be requested and furthermore a family evaluation is made at the end of your stay in Jamaica in order to ensure that we have the best possible hosting situation for future or returning volunteers. You will also have 24-hour emergency support from your project's Volunteer Correspondent who can relate to any adjustment issues you may face and can provide a sympathetic ear.

EVERYDAY LIFE

We also provide best practices such as not walking alone at night in poorly lit streets, how to carry valuable equipment in metropoles and what prices are reasonable for things like public transport and street vendor items. You are not going to be in a tourist area and it is therefore important that you learn how to behave like a local and get treated like one by Jamaicans.





how Are We Different From

Other Projects With Foreigners In Jamaica?

PeaceCorps:

PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS ARE FROM AMERICA

Our volunteers come from Europe. European tourists are often deemed more adventurous and desirous of immersion than American tourists. While Peace Corps volunteers are very different from your average tourist, we feel confident in the enthusiasm that our tourist volunteers will show despite the fact that they receive no pay because the activities they are tasked with is not very far removed from what they would want to do on holiday anyway!

PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS ARE EMBEDDED IN THE COUNTRY FOR TWO YEARS

Our volunteers have a fast turn-over rate compared to the Peace Corps. What this means is that given the short time we have with our volunteers our efficiency will be guaranteed as each volunteer has a specific task to perform and the accountability criteria implemented provides a strict framework. What this means is that our volunteers get one specific job done in the time they are here, leaving a physical or ideological change on the region that is quantitatively measurable - not just qualitative – and also immediate. There are other long-term projects that can be done but our main attraction to volunteers is that they come, they complete a great project, they partake in the wonderful touristic attractions and then they go home refreshed and ready for everyday life once more. Anyone can do this, not just people considering a huge lifechange.

PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS EARN A $ALARY

Our volunteers are unpaid. Studies show that people who have an intrinsic motivation to do a task can often lose their motivation when provided with extrinsic motivation. Given the amount of time Peace Corps volunteers spend in the country, they are formally employed. It is a humble salary but it is a salary nonetheless. However our volunteers are here for a short enough time that their intrinsic motivation carries them to the completion of the task. We hope, through this, to provide our volunteers and our host families with an appreciation of alternative currencies.





PROJECTS ABROAD:Projects Abroad asks their volunteers to pay to come – something that seems counterintuitive to many of the people we target as volunteers. In order to address the issue of people who are willing to offer their time and uproot their lives for a time but who cannot afford all the demands of such an effort, we provide an alternative. We do not ask overhead fees and provide them with free housing. We earn money of our own in order to support this set-up and allow this cross-Atlantic cooperation to flourish no matter our volunteer's financial situation.

VILLAGE$ A$ BUSINESSE$ – COMMUNITY TOURISM:Villages As Businesses is a local project in Manchester which tries to implement social entrepreneural principles in whole communities. They do have foreigners who come to the region but they are there officially as tourists, not volunteers working in the communities so we have no conflict of interest.

GlobeAware.org:

Of all the Volunteer Abroad programmes, Globe Aware's project in Rock Springs, Trelawney is most similar to ours. However they also charge modest fees for volunteers due to the fact that they are a complete non-profit. As a social enterprise The Development Gap hopes to make itself fully viable and find other ways of earning enough money to break even and expand. The only burden left for our volunteers is of their travel expense and some food costs – like any regular tourist afterall – but minus accomodation and many other costs. Furthermore we are run BY Jamaicans FOR Jamaicans. Our entire staff at Headquarters is Jamaica-based and contributes to the local economy on a daily basis and stimulates the economy through on-going projects.





HOW DO WE WORK WITH THE PARISH DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE?

The Machester Parish Development Committee has drafted a Manchester Local Sustainable Development Plan – 2030 & Beyond which follows the Jamaica Vision 2030 National Development Plan in order to make the parish a sustainable, economically viable and thriving place to live, work and play for people from all walks of life. We consider ourselves an Affiliated Taskforce which helps with the implementation and human resource recruiting aspects of this project. While offering consultance on their individual projects, we also seek to implement our own community projects, falling in line with the goals of the PDC.This symbiotic relationship will allow both entities to grow to become important changemakers in the parish and gives our social enterprise a starting point. Though we hope to expand beyond the parish, our centre of operations will be Manchester.

HOW DO WE WORK WITH OTHER OFFICIAL BODIES OF MANCHESTER?

Though we work primarily with the PDC, we are not exclusive partners. We hope to network and cooperate in the entire region and with people of all sectors. Ours is a holistic operation with a holistic vision. One area is not enough to combat the issues that come with being a Developing Nation. Our social enterprise is planned in such a way that its growth will subdivide to address needs in all sectors. This is why wholesale cooperation will be necessary and encouraged.

HOW DO WE WORK WITH THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN GENERAL?

As a social enterprise we are between worlds and hope to have endorsement and project management from as well as accountability to governmental bodies where appropriate. Cooperation will be necessary for the success of the project as only then will there be true impact.

HOW DO WE WORK WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR?

We hope to be instrumental in the development of the private sector. As a social enterprise we are necessarily players in the economic arena. However we hope to give viability to arts as a part of the economic landscape, and to further make cultural products marketable and respectable products in the private sector. While our island or even regional network market may not yet be entirely appropriate for such things, by helping to broaden the market available to our bases of operation we will create a new platform for our regional artists. We find this to be of high importance as a large aspect of living in a Developed Nation is the possibility of making a living no matter what your area of expertise or passion. We hope to provide artists in the region with the possibility of making in a living off of their passion instead of having to give up on their dreams due to the demands of everyday life. We also work with sustainable businesses to improve them.





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