Volunteerism - International Visitor Leadership Program, (pt.1)

Volunteerism is not dead. Volunteerism is alive and well, and will continue to feature as a prominent component of development strategies to ensure social and economic growth worldwide. But more needs to be done to mobilize people into action and to leverage resources for meaningful development. Hence, I want to pause to salute the many unsung heroes who labour in the trenches and also to recognize and applaud the US Department of State for the unwavering commitment to the promotion of volunteerism and the engagement of civil society et al, in order to encourage increased competence and effectiveness in initiatives across countries and regions.

I was recently selected by the US Department of State as the Jamaican representative to participate in the Prestigious International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), to be held in Washington DC April 10-30, 2010. My sincere thanks to the US Embassy, Public Affairs Section for making the recommendation/nomination for my participation in what promises to be a very enriching experience.

I hold the view that sustainable development cannot be discussed neither attained without due engagement of civil society, volunteer organizations, the non-profit sector and charitable foundations as a whole. The value of the ‘bottom up’ approach, and the importance of participation of the ordinary citizen, cannot be overstated, not only to assure civic pride, but to build a socially, economically and politically harmonious globe, one community at a time.

Consequently, a program such as the IVLP, that seeks to bring players together, who share the common idea, that ‘together we can’ make a difference, is welcoming. It is expected that my participation in this prestigious program will ensure that I, as a leader of an organization in the field, can get further hands-on experience and exposure in an environment where best practices will be examined and valuable lessons learnt in an international context.

I further consider this as a tremendous opportunity to expand networks for the Stella Maris Foundation & its constituents, whereby cross fertilization of ideas and possible partnerships can enhance the reach and quality of our work. Finally, as a citizen who is committed to doing my part in improving my community and contributing to local development both at home and regionally, I believe that this program will play a critical part in the continuous development process of effective leadership....

for further details on the IVLP, go to:

http://exchanges.state.gov/ivlp/ivlp.html

To be continued in pt2...