Voluntary organisations from the parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew will be participating in a two-day workshop under the auspices of the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Argentinean Embassy in Jamaica and the international humanitarian organization, the White Helmets Initiative Authority.

The workshop which is entitled, “White Helmets Seminary - Workshop for the Promotion of Volunteer Corps for Humanitarian Assistance and its Continental Articulation is being co-sponsored by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and will be hosted at their offices on March 7 - 8, 2006 at 9:00 a.m.

The workshop will help to forge and strengthen partnerships as well as reinforce the aims and objectives of the National Volunteer Programme and will seek to pull together representatives from the Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS), Voluntary Organization for the Upliftment of Children (VOUCH), Jamaica Red Cross, National Youth Service (NYS), Combined Disabilities Association, Jamaica 4H Clubs, Jamaica Council of Churches, The Salvation Army, the Scouts Association of Jamaica, St. Johns Ambulance and the Young Men’s and Women’s Christian Associations (YMCA/YWCA).  

The White Helmets Initiative was established to facilitate the eradication of poverty while strengthening the capability of the international community to address emergency humanitarian, social, and developmental needs. Among its primary objectives is the placement of volunteer technical teams specialising in humanitarian relief to countries in the Caribbean and Latin American region. 

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sophia Mitchell
Information Officer
Tel: (876) 928-5111-4
Fax:  (876) 928-5503/ 928-8763
Website:  www.odpem.org.jm