Celia McLaren Reid faced what she described as the toughest challenge of her life when her two-year-old son was diagnosed with renal cancer in 2020. The level of care that he would require meant that a regular 9-5 would be near impossible, so the mother of two decided to create an earning path that would give her the flexibility to care for her child full-time. 

NCB Foundation’s Level Up Grant came just in time, and McLaren Reid quickly enrolled in the short online training courses offered through the programme. After graduating, she wasted no time building her online virtual assistant platform, and quickly became one of the top earners from her cohort.  

FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULE

“I am so grateful for the Level Up Grant programme and the opportunity it provided me to build my own virtual assistant business,” said McLaren Reid.

“Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to create a flexible work schedule that allowed me to care for my son while also providing for my family.”  

With long-term clients from all over the world, McLaren Reid notes that what started out as a temporary solution has since grown into a viable means of earning a living for her family. The biggest bonus – her now five-year-old son being declared cancer-free in November 2022.  

“Celia’s entire experience is truly inspiring,” shared Nadeen Matthews Blair, CEO of NCB Foundation.

“She is proof that acquiring digital skills and becoming a digital producer is not only a viable avenue for earning a living, but also one that can give persons the freedom and flexibility to earn in a way that fits their life and needs.” 

Speaking at the 2023 Level Up Grant Graduation event, held on April 3, Matthews Blair also noted: “The programme’s success is best illustrated by the inspiring stories of our graduates, like Celia McLaren Reid, who have overcome personal challenges and emerged as top earners, while striking a healthy balance between work and life. Our Level Up Grant programme has empowered Jamaicans to create the lives they once could only dream about.”  

Now in its third year, the NCB Foundation has invested more than $75 million into the Level Up Grant programme. The foundation and its partners Internet Income Jamaica (IIJ), and iCreate Limited started the Level Up Grant during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Through the programme, grant recipients can complete short online courses in specialised digital areas such as social media management, transcription, virtual assistant and remote call centre support, digital marketing, graphic design, grant writing, business communications, crisis/trauma/grief counselling, and small business management. 

More than 9,000 participants have since graduated from the Level Up Grant programme, with the next cohort set to enroll in July 2023.