Plan a wedding, adventure tour and now, volunteer opportunity, on Jamaica Tourist Board’s official website, VisitJamaica.com
KINGSTON, JAMAICA – The Jamaica Tourist Board has added a dedicated page to its website for visitors who desire to volunteer during their vacation trip to the island. Visitors can now easily plan volunteer experiences through this voluntourism initiative. The combination of voluntary service with the traditional elements of a vacation has become increasingly popular in Jamaica and the website page is in response to this growing trend. One of the first of its kind in the Caribbean, the webpage offers a database of faith, health and education based volunteer programs, with more categories to appear as they become available.
“The Jamaica Tourist Board is focused on allowing our visitors to have an enriching experience while they vacation on the island,” said Paul Pennicook, Jamaica’s Director of Tourism. “While our Jamaican people will surely benefit from the assistance of altruistic travelers, we hope that they take home an experience of a lifetime, and share the celebrated Jamaican spirit and warmth with their friends and family.”
From the home page of VisitJamaica.com, visitors can go to the “Feel the Vibe” tab and click “Volunteer in Jamaica.” There are a host of activities for travelers to choose from, along with an FAQ section and guide to volunteering in Jamaica.
A sampling of volunteer opportunities includes:
Girl’s Brigade (GB) is one of the available programs that travelers can integrate into their trip to Kingston. Volunteers will participate in empowerment sessions with girls imparting values and principles which equip them for the future. To find out about available opportunities, email [email protected].
The health-based volunteer program, Angels of Love, provides voluntary services for critically ill underprivileged children of Jamaica. Whether it is a visit to the hospital to play with the children, or helping plan a fundraising event, visitors are encouraged to donate some of their time. Email [email protected] for more information.
Children First is an organization that caters to the needs of children through education. Volunteers can participate by helping out at the youth wellness center, the mobile health clinic or through a variety of empowerment and educational programs. Please email [email protected] for more information on opportunities to help.
For further information on volunteering in Jamaica, please visit http://www.visitjamaica.com/Volunteer.
