United Way of Jamaica
History
•
Since its inception in 1985, The United Way of
Jamaica has been investing in early childhood
education by funding various programmes and
projects across the island and partnering with its
stakeholders to address safety, security and
nutritional concerns of many Early Childhood
Institutions(ECI).
•
In Manchester and Clarendon, 19 early childhood
institutions received assistance to upgrade building
and playground facilities, install security fencing,
renovate canteen and sanitary facilities, since 2000.
History
• To date, a total of 250 ECI’s received fire safety
equipment through United Way’s partnership
with:
- Jamaica Public Service
- GraceKennedy Foundation
- Jamaica Producers Group
- Usain Bolt Foundation
History
•
The Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI), a
committee of the United Way of Jamaica, has
adopted and upgraded the VOUCH/Sylvia Foote
basic school, library and recreational areas.
•
Further, members of WLI regularly conduct reading
days with the children
•
Additionally they fund the salary of a special
education teacher.
The United Way (UW) Community Impact model
Rather than raising funds and disbursing them to agencies
that respond to local community needs, United Way’s new
community impact approach seeks to address the
causes of systemic community problems rather than just
treating their symptoms.
United Way does this by bringing community actors
together to identify priority issues, analyze the root causes
of those issues and develop and carry out strategies that
address those root causes, thus altering the conditions
that impact lives.
UW will now become an agent for change: a catalyst, a
convener and/or a collaborator.
The United Way (UW) Community Impact model
This model arose because while community agencies do
good work individually, they are not in a position to
address underlying community conditions on their own,
and are now being asked to collaborate with each other on
joint strategies, while sometimes competing for funding.
New and different skills will be required to bring together
government, business, and community NGO,s who
probably never worked together on common issues.
United Way is well placed to catalyze this activity.
United Way Business Model
How United Ways support community impact
strategies
Develop & implement
education, income & health
impact strategies
that improve lives
Understand partner’s
interests; and build
ongoing relationships with
them
Frame strategies and
connect them to partner’s
interests/aspirations
6
Impact Model Development Process
• ISSUE IDENTIFICATION – Engage with the community,
including partners, to identify pressing community issues;
select issues for United Way involvement.
• STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT – Establish target outcomes;
research and develop strategies to achieve them; identify
United Way’s and other partners’ roles.
• IMPLEMENTATION PLAN – Set milestones; fundraising goals
based on financial forecast; incorporate into resource
development plan; create communication plan.
• EVALUATION – Evaluate progress and results; coursecorrect as necessary.
The Project
• The United Way of Jamaica (UWJ) has made
Early Childhood Education one of its
priorities and is committed to bringing together
contributors, providers, planners and other
stakeholders to ensure that the best resources
and facilities are available for our children’s
learning and development.
Why start with Education?
Mastery of literacy at Grade 4 is only 62%
Internationally
Jamaica ranks 129th out of 205 in literacy
70% of adults do not have the required skills for
job training
Education = Economic Development
“Investment in human capital breeds not only
economic success for those being educated,
but also for the overall economy.”
-- Arthur J. Rolnick, senior vice president
and director of research, Federal
Reserve Bank
Why Early Childhood Education?
•
Primary Education is a UN Millennium Goal.
•
•
Global Citizens Care about Education.
•
•
48% of global consumers support the Primary Education Goal
Strategic priority in Vision 2030 development plan.
•
•
Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to
complete a full course of primary schooling.
Establish world class education and training
Women/Mothers in Particular Care about Education.
•
Education and health are #1 rated causes among mothers globally.
Source: IModerate Research, September 2011
Return On Investment (ROI)
Is Strong in Early Learning
Policymakers should invest in young children, where the return
on investment is stronger than in low-skill adults.
Nobel Laureate, James Heckman
Why Early Childhood Education?
Early learning influences long-term success and gives high
returns
Quality Early Learning
REDUCES
• Crime Rates
• Teenage Pregnancy
• Welfare Dependency
• Job Training Costs
• Special Education Cost
• Grade Repetition
Quality Early Learning
INCREASES
• Success in School
• Graduation Rates
• Workforce Readiness
• Job Productivity
• Community Engagement
Many studies document a return to society of more than
$ 17 for every dollar invested in early child care and
education programs. A.Rolnick: Perry Preschool Programme 2004
Why Early Childhood education?
Some children start behind and never catch up
however
Studies show that simple psychosocial stimulation in early
childhood can compensate for developmental delays and
reduce social inequality in later life.
Why Early Childhood Education?
•
Improved labour market outcomes
•
A recently concluded 20- year World Bank study in Jamaica
showed that EC stimulation resulted in a 42% increase in the
earning power of stunted children compared to a control group.
Source: 2013 World Bank follow up study,2013
•
United Way Worldwide regional project
•
The Inter-American Development Bank and United Way
Worldwide recently signed an agreement to promote
programmes and projects aimed at improving early childhood
development in the Latin American and Caribbean Region.
The Issue
•
Although enrollment in Early Childhood institutions
in Jamaica is high, the learning experience is very
poor.
•
One of the major challenges for early childhood
education is the lack of trained teachers, as only
29% of the 9000 practitioners are qualified, and
2,500+ are untrained.
•
Children are not being properly prepared to begin
primary education, and this introduces and
perpetuates costly cycles of remedial training into
the educational process.
The opportunity for United Way of Jamaica
• Mobilize resources to improve the quality of the
teachers in basic schools
• Partner with Corporate entities
• Partner with employees through payroll giving
• Retain the trained teachers
• Work in progress
• Scale the program to have a national impact
• Engage our volunteers islandwide
.
Volunteer board member participates in reading programme at Amy Bailey
Basic
School
Volunteer board member participates in reading programme at Amy Bailey
Basic School
Progress to date
• The UWJ’s most recent initiative is an investment of
$16M by the Alcoa Foundation to provide training
for 150 basic school teachers in the “Fundamentals
of Early Childhood Education” over a two year
period.
• In addition, 150 parents will receive training to help
them to assist and stimulate their children. The
training is being done through the Mico University
and the goal of the programme is to have a 20%
increase in the number of students from
Manchester and Clarendon achieving mastery in
numeracy and literacy at the end of two years.
Children represent
28% of our population
and
100% of our future
Thank You!