$2-billion, 5-year project targets 10-20 communities

The Private Sector Organistion of Jamaica (PSOJ) partnering with the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is next Monday (July 25) slated to launch a $2-billion, five-year Social Transformation and Renewal initiative, dubbed Project STAR.

Hosted by media personality, Miss Kitty, the PSOJ said Project STAR will take the form of a live televised ‘One Love Conversation’ – a series of sensitive, but necessary, discussions designed to stimulate the mindset shift critical for real change.

According to the PSOJ, Project STAR is national in scope and will deliver a range of proven social interventions to between 10 and 20 underinvested communities across Jamaica.

Rollout will begin in September in East downtown Kingston, to be followed by May Pen proper and Savanna-La-Mar.

“Project STAR was born out of a sincere belief that positive change is always possible….and that every Jamaican community can thrive, if given the right resources” Keith Duncan, Project STAR co-chair.

“It will take an all-of-society approach, but the goal is the social and economic transformation of target communities – driven by a mindset change, and delivered through a suite of customised community-building activities.”

A key differentiator for Project STAR’s is its evidence-based approach. To achieve this, the PSOJ has key collaborators, including: researcher Dr Deanna Ashley of the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA), analytics consultancy firm Project ALPHA, headed by Dr Parris Lyew-Ayee, Jr., and Larren Peart of Blue Dot Insights.

In addition to having a robust Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework guided by Dr Nadiya Figueroa, Project STAR will benefit from the PSOJ leveraging its management expertise and resources.

Later this year, STAR will be the largest listing on the Jamaica Social Stock Exchange.

Project STAR was initiated by Duncan, who is also president of the PSOJ,  following the successful establishment of the Crime Monitoring and Oversight Committee (CMOC) under his chairmanship. Project STAR is chaired by Duncan and Commissioner of Police Antony Anderson.

Project STAR will be managed by 25-year social development veteran, Saffrey Brown, the former general manager of Jamaica National Foundation and outgoing chairperson of the Council for Voluntary Social Services (CVSS).