Program Reviews

This was my first experience with a volunteer program and I was very impressed. Maureen and her staff are incredibly professional and welcoming. There was a clear itinerary from day one that was followed throughout the trip. There was also room for flexibility and adjustments when needed or when additional trips or visits were desired. The schools where we worked were safe and open to visitors. We were fully welcomed into the school life and everyone along the way has treated us like family. Maureen's stated that her goal was to make us feel welcomed and cared for and I felt that way every minute of our stay. Also, the food was incredible and I appreciated the effort to show us many different parts of the Jamaican culture. I feel like I have a better understanding now of Jamaica and it's people (not just the beach like most tourists do).

I had an incredible experience in Jamaica and I am so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone!! This was the first time I've ever done something like this but it was positive and everyone was so helpful and supportive. I loved working with the kids at the school and orphanage. They were so sweet and I would definitely recommend this program to anyone!!!

I really enjoyed my stay at smoky manor with the Evans family. The house was very clean and this was my fourth volunteer vacation and i would say this was the best food by far and was the cleanest of them all. The staff have been great answering all the emails and keeping up with what we want well here in Jamaica. The two schools we visited were great, the teacher and community all came together to get the projects we had set aside to get done. I really enjoyed the area the schools location as well. Overall I learned a lot and really enjoyed my stay here! I will for sure recommend this place to other Canadians and hope to bring another group to Jamaica. You all are great people, and are doing all the right things to better the lives of people around you! I thank you for taking the group into your lives and lets us see a piece of how Jamaicans live. You have a beautiful family and a very nice home. We are so glade we took the time to come and stay at Smokey Manor.

I enjoyed the experience at Smokey Manor. Working with less privileged schools was certainly an eye-opening experience for me, as I had never seen similar conditions at home in Canada. I particularly enjoyed learning how to mix cement with dirt and gravel while we helped to redo the floor of the classroom at Golden Hill Basic School. It's great to see how people can make the most of what they have and live their lives with a positive attitude no matter what they are faced with. I liked being able to make a difference in the lives of children who I've encountered, as this allows for me to truly feel the impact of the effort we put forth into our volunteer trip. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Jamaica and I'm grateful to have experienced it with Jamaica Volunteer Programs at Smokey Manor. Yeah mon!

This program is a great way to see the culture of Jamaica. With helping the schools and meeting all of the friendly locals you really feel like a part of the community. Going to the orphanage and playing with the children is just a blast to do.

The work done at the schools was very productive. Transportation is a little expensive. Fun to learn new culture of the schools and see how kids are taught in Jamaica. Overall, great experience and I would definitely come back.

Volunteering with Jamaica Volunteer Programs was a very satisfying experience. I volunteered as a Maths and English teacher for teenage boys at the YMCA ranging from 13 to 17 years old. Since I was the only volunteer working there, it was the first time that I had to take initiative and work hard. I learned to overcome the struggles that I first had when teaching the boys, as well as having patience and understanding for them. There were 17 kids in my classroom, which made it easier to gain one-on-one time and really get to know them as individuals. During lunch times, I would hang out with the kids and see how they interacted. I would have to say that teaching the boys at the YMCA was my favorite memory during my stay in Jamaica. Most of them face a lot troubles at home and do not come from much; and because of this I was able to think about the many things I take for granted. The volunteer staff in Jamaica were very welcoming and ensured that I would be safe at all times. Other than the volunteering aspect, there were many opportunities to experience the culture of Jamaica. Going to Portland, the Bob Marley Museum and Hellshire Beach were just some of the great traveling opportunities I had. The cuisine in Jamaica is also very fresh and delicious.Although my stay was wonderful, my only regret is that I did not stay longer to teach the kids at YMCA and get to know them even more.

We came to Jamaica as a semi-retired couple wishing to combine visits with our grandchild and her parents who live in Jamaica with a volunteer experience. The Jamaica Volunteers program provided us with both great accommodations during the week and an incredible experience teaching at Constant Spring Primary and Junior High School.

We were treated like family at Smokey Manor by Maureen Wright-Evans, her family and staff. The meals were true Jamaican cuisine`and plentiful. Situated in the hills overlooking Kingston, the air was sweet and the views lovely.

On our first day at the Constant Spring School, we were warmly welcomed by the Principal and Vice Principal and immediately brought to a 5th and 4th grade class respectively. Within minutes of arriving in the classroom we were given the opportunity to teach a class! While quite energetic, the students were respectful, eager to learn and very affectionate. During our 2 weeks, we taught and experienced classes in grades 2,3,4,5, and 6. Despite large class size (32-40), cramped conditions, and constant noise (many classrooms were rail car style with no door and only a low thin wall) the classrooms themselves were quite rich with many pictures and much information on walls and hung on strings that stretched across the class room. The curriculum was very rich covering not only the typical 3 R academic subjects, but also included religions of the world, social studies and even Spanish! The teachers were mostly excellent, with an amazing ability to maintain classroom order, while keeping the students engaged and interested under very difficult conditions. A highlight of the week for us was introducing all 3 4th grade classes to Judaism, which included the blessings at the beginning of Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath. The kids were most interested and it was a great experience for all!

I am visually impaired and volunteered at Constant Spring School working closely with a fellow volunteer. The children at the school were incredible and truly touched my heart. They were sometimes boisterous but so willing to help. I often had five children escorting me around the school. On our last day we bought some sports equipment for the school and they gave the most amazing thank you ceremony which included children singing and a patois poem. These children made such a huge impression on me and I hope I made an impression on them.
The tours are spectacular and you really get to see how beautiful jamaica is but it's the local people we met that really make jamaica beautiful. Hellshire beach was my favourite tour because you get a chance to chat to the locals. It's such an amazing place.

Smokey manor is lovely. The walls are thin so you can hear other volunteers. There was a great mixture of old and young volunteers and we all got on well. The food was great but I would have liked some spicy food and the opportunity to eat out. I had my 40th birthday while volunteering and it was the best birthday. The highlight was the Norwegian girls singing happy birthday and the dance class given by Lovely Lanette.

I would have liked the opportunity to go to a local market and talk to more local people.

We did so much in 2 weeks. It was a trip of a lifetime and one I will never forget . Thank you JVP

The program was great! I had a blast and loved being part of the experience. I felt part of the family as soon as I walked in the door. Maureen honestly felt as my Jamaican momma. My favorite part of the trip was talking with her about being a strong woman in Jamaica. She had wisdom and an understanding about being a woman and what that means in the world today. One thing I wished we had an opportunity to do during this trip would be to sit down one-on-one with more Jamaican adults and hear about everyday life, politics and culture. I didn't feel that we had a chance to talk to adults about life here being in the schools. I also wished we had more of an impact in the schools. I felt that we weren't needed in the schools and if anything, we were more of a distraction to the teachers. I have nothing but respect for Jamaican teachers. The respect the students have the the teachers is undeniable. Coming into the classroom I felt that there was something more we could do but I felt as if we were used as a way for the teachers to have a break from the class and leave the class to us. Not being a education major made the time in the schools less helpful and more underwhelming. I felt that the school needed and appreciated us being there but didn't know what to do with us. I also felt that the only time we were immersed into the culture was through tourist attractions. I wish we had a chance to see everyday life and talk to locals. I understand that it is dangerous here and I don't know what could change to make it a happy medium between tourist and local attractions but it was something that was talked about with the group multiple times. Overall the trip was great! I've been surrounded by laughter, good company with good hearts all in the Jamaican air. Overall no complaints!