The Human Resource Management Association of Jamaica (HRMAJ) has offered its support to Project STAR, a Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) project, with the first community intervention held on October 8, which was recognised as HR Day.

The HRMAJ and Project STAR team visited the inner-city community of Rose Garden, to engage with the residents.

Project STAR is a social and economic transformation project for the community, which will span over five years.

This event, dubbed ‘Walk and Talk’, was the culminating activity for HR Week, which was celebrated October 2-8 under the theme ‘Creating a culture of greatness’.

The event came on the heels of the organisation’s two-day HR & Leadership Virtual Masterclass Conference, held on October 6 and October 7 under the theme ‘Stepping Up… Igniting Greatness’.

“HR Week and HR Day is usually a time reserved to celebrate and fete the hardworking HR professionals across Jamaica for the amazing work they do,” said Melissa Anderson, director and chair of the Membership Services Committee.

However, of Project STAR, she stated: “This year we felt lead as an association to go a bit further and instead give our service, time and expertise to a cause that we recognised to be of national importance.”

HRMAJ was inspired and moved by the objectives of Project STAR. The professional body felt compelled to offer support. This will happen by leveraging the Association’s expertise in human capital development through learning and development interventions, training, workshops, seminars, webinars, policy influence, and tapping into the membership body of hiring managers from the public and private sector who could assist with the creation of employment opportunities.

HRMAJ President Lois Walters posited: “HRMAJ is proud to join hands and hearts with all the stakeholders of PSOJ’s Project STAR. Jamaica’s vision 2030 speaks to achieving sustainable development goals, including a high level of human capital development. Therefore, we must create a country with equity and inclusion, and no one is left behind. A key pillar of this is a social transformation where all persons are valued and can thrive.”

BRINGING RENEWAL TO JAMAICA

Anderson added: “Project STAR encapsulates a significant aspect of our strategic focus as an association to transform people; at the individual, corporate and community levels. We are passionate about the objectives Project STAR has set out to achieve and happy to join forces to bring renewal to Jamaica, land we love.”

Members of the Board of HRMAJ, the PSOJ, and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), divided themselves into small groups, where they traversed the lanes of the East Downtown Kingston neighbourhood to embark on this transformation project for the community.

The weather sought to rain on the team’s efforts, but they persisted in deducing how best they could serve the Rose Garden community.

Anderson noted: “We were all intent on covering the ground to get the word out in the community, and so our resolve was greater than a bit of bad weather.”

The various issues ravaging the community came to light as the delegation handed out flyers. Dialogue with residents revealed their fears due to the threat and ravages of crime facing the community.

“Trauma from loss of family members to crime was evident. There were broken hearts, grieving family members, and anger. The community will also need counselling services,” said Anderson.

However, the resilient spirit of the Rose Garden community was evident, as the community members shared their desire for opportunities to better themselves through entrepreneurial ventures such as bars and bearer services or the ability to open bank accounts. Others expressed interest in employment in various industries, like tourism and hospitality.

“Their needs varied from wanting to be gainfully employed, getting certified and trained, business/start-up advice and funding, a way to get out of the community,” the team chair noted.

Community development initiatives are not new to the Rose Garden residents, so the STAR team received some hesitancy regarding follow-through on proposed assistance.

Anderson shared: “The experience was eye-opening for the team. The lack of hope and broken trust of the members of the community, they have been promised change many times before and had little confidence, thinking it would be another broken promise.”

However, the STAR team assured residents of their firm intentions, with Anderson stating: “The community outreach has just started and the Project STAR project team is doing the necessary groundwork to gather and understand the needs of the various communities to come up with the appropriate solutions and interventions. HRMAJ will use the needs assessment to inform us on the best approach to take to support the objectives and deploy our resources.”

With HRMAJ having previously undertaken many other mini-interventions, a national transformation five-year project of this nature led by Project STAR is a natural and necessary first for the organisation.

She continued: “This initiative is significant in fulfilling the mission and strategic goal of HRMAJ.”

This resolve reflects HRMAJ’s mandate to empower Jamaican communities and enterprises to increase workforce productivity, job creation, and competitiveness in the global marketplace to sustain Jamaica, with Project STAR representing a manifestation of this zeal.