COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

The Community Development Taskforce after multiple meetings with stakeholders identified several needs that can facilitate the achievement of national goals as outlined in Jamaica Vision 2030. Our key partners in Jamaica; the Ministry of National Security (MNS) and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) played a tremendous role in directing our team to national projects. One such project involved working closely with the MNS We Transform Initiative- a rehabilitation program for at risk youths enrolled in juvenile correction facilities. We also made a step towards working with primary church groups to provide support to local communities. We will continue to work closely with our partners in 2023 to play a role in community development in Jamaica.

In February 2022, our taskforce hosted Let’s Talk, the first in a series of public discussions on Jamaica’s Community Development Strate i Plan with representatives of PIOJ and MNS. Discussions highligh challenges impacting the crime prevention mechanism, overarching roles of the citizen security secretariat, the MNS national security and safety and the role non-for-profit organizati including the Church play in community development.

The taskforce identified the following areas in which JDTAN co leverage its resources: • assisting the church to become m organized to play a pivotal role in the communities • work with MNS on its We Transform Mentorship program- focus on at risk youth enrolled in the juvenile prisons with mentorship being an integral link in the rehabilitation process. • MNS also advised of plans to develop a community based mental health resource group constituted f individuals living within a community. The JDTAN Mental H Taskforce was brought on board and has successfully pro Psychological First Aid training and certification for 30+ me working with the We Transform program. Other partners are curr working to provide the youths with toiletries.

During 2023, The Community Development Taskforce will contin work with our partners in Jamaica to identify areas of need that c satisfied through our organization and its partners.

The Jamaica Diaspora Health Taskforce (JDHTF) had a succe g changed leadership in March. The JDHTF's signature event was the Toronto Health Summit, August 27-30, under the auspices of the deanship at George Brown College (GBC). Efforts are underway to forge and sustain long term, symbiotic nursing and other allied health connections between GBC and our Jamaican partners.

Additionally, the JDHTF sponsored over 10 Jaminars on topics such as quality improvement for nurses at Cornwall Regional Hospital, mental health, COVID-19, breast cancer, diet and non-communicable diseases, stroke, and heart disease.

Meetings with the Minister of Health & Wellness of Jamaica, Dr. Tufton; the Chief Nurse, Mrs.Patricia Ingram-Martin; and the NAJ President, Mrs. Patsy Edwards-Henry and JDHTF cemented former bonds with JDHTF and JDTAN. JDHTF forged and strengthened new relationships with the Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica, the Medical Association of Jamaica, and the Sickle Cell Foundation of Jamaica

We also donated basic life support equipment and books to the Bustamante Children's Hospital in Jamaica with the assistance of the Jamaica Nurses Association of Florida (JNAF) and the Chief Nurse of Jamaica. We look forward to another successful year in 2023.