Program Reviews

After excitedly planning this trip for two years, as the day of departure grew nearer both myself and classmates began to get cold feet, overthinking it for one reason or another (notably the price). However, from the moment we landed I knew I made the right choice. The country (especially Manchester where we stayed) was hands down one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, from the breathtaking green landscapes, to the extremely hospitable Jamaican people, from whom I feel we all can learn a lot from in how to live a happy life. Omar and JVE have seemingly perfected how to enfuse cultural immersion, meaningful service, and fun into one trip. After a different traditional breakfast, we worked at the school for the day, dividing ourselves up between helping in the classroom or teaching the primary children baseball, with volunteers freely circulating as they wish to. After school we visited the nearby boys home, playing games (including football, basketball, and dominos) with the 50 some boys there. In my humble opinion this was by far the highlight of the trip, as many of the boys were too in highschool, and shared interests with all of us from back home in the states. At night we came home and had a large traditional Jamaican meal and by 830 we were given the rest of the night to enjoy the 30 acre property as we pleased.

During our engages with the Jamaican people, the phrase “one people, one family” truly set in, as the way people live and interact with another is almost as if it was the same as from the states, only in a different enviroment. It was through this experience that my aspirations of becoming an enviromental engineer were reaffirmed, and I hope to rectory soon. We may have made much progress during our weeklong stay, but there still remains much work to be done to help this amazing country continue to develop into what it can be.

Getting to experience “Jamaican time” and the thrill of driving around in the mountains itself was worth it. Throw in the lasting impact made upon both myself and those I helped, and it’s clear that every penny was well spent. I am embarrassed to have ever hesitated in the first place about going, so please don’t make the same mistake I did, and if you ever have an opportunity to travel with JVE, jump on it ASAP!!

As part of my school’s mission trip abroad, I visited Jamaica in the Manchester Parish for a week during January 2019. Through JVE, I was able to wholly immerse myself in the Jamaican culture through both the food and people that I encountered during my stay. The house, Tan Y Bryn served as a great place to sleep and enjoy Jamaican cuisine provided by the staff working there. Continuing with the staff, all of the employees at Tan Y Bryn were very amicable towards my volunteer group and helped us with every small need from plumbing to toiletries. While the housing accommodations were great, JVE truly shines through the service opportunities they provided for myself and other volunteers. We spent most of the time working at the Mt. Olivet Primary School and the Mt. Olivet Boys Home located only a 8 minute car ride away from Tan Y Bryn. During my time at the school, I was able to connect with many students and had special moment with a few individuals. Overall, I can wholeheartedly say that JVE was an excellent organisation to work with and I would definitely work with them again in the future if I return on a service trip to Jamiaca.

During my time here in Jamaica I learned many new things about the culture and how the people here live. I truly learned how lucky i am to have what I have and how I should be more thankful for all the little things I have. I also learned how you can be really happy with just having the basic things in life. You do not need to have all the best stuff and all of the new toys and gadgets to be happy. As long as you have your friends family and the basics you can really enjoy life. Also just experiencing everyday life really gave me an understanding how lucky I am. I had never had to worry about not having enough water to shower. I also really enjoyed different foods I got to try. Just experiencing all the different ways different foods are prepared and how much time actually goes into making them. I loved the program because of the different things it exposed me to and just being able to enjoy how beautiful this little island really is.

The experience was one of a kind... definitely recommend it! It started with us getting here and while we were eating at ultimate jerk, i found out what real Jamaican culture is like. After, when we worked with the boys, it was memorable because we made real connections with them that i didn't think were possible in such a short time. When we would play football with the guys from the home, they felt what connection with someone was... something that some hadn't felt before. when we did the cultural exchange, it was really meaningful because they showed us so much about their culture with just little bits of music and dancing. They taught me that happiness is more than just owning things. Happiness is about the times spent with people you love and the people you care about and i learned that while realizing the kids dindt have all the money in the world... even coming into school with ripped pants, but yet they all had a smile on their face at all times.

I have been to many places around the world for service and Jamaica was unique. With that being said, it was fun because it was a different. I had never stayed in a house like that for a service project, but I think that it enhanced the comradery and the expeirence. I liked the idea of having a lot of time to play with the kids. Also, being a part of the culture was nice. It was as if we were not only there for service but also for vacation.

Our girl scout troop had a fabulous service trip to an orphanage in Jamaica thanks to the help of Jamaica Volunteer Expeditions. The trip was life changing and the bonds we formed with the children we met will never be forgotten. Jamaica Volunteer Expeditions was key to the success of our trip -- they worked tirelessly with our leader to ensure everything was organized prior to our arrival. The staff of JVE ensured our trip was safe, informative and fun for adults and girls alike. No detail was left to chance and our trip was exactly what we hoped it would be and so much more. We are looking forward to a return journey next summer to visit all our new friends at the orphanage and we are excited to work with Jamaica Volunteer Expeditions again. JVE worked to ensure that the program fit perfectly with the goals of girl scouts in building girls of courage, confidence and character. Our trip was a huge success and although we know we can't solve all the world's problems -- it was wonderful to be able to make a difference for the amazing children we met in Jamaica.

Jamaica Volunteer Expeditions was such a terrific company to work with for our Girl Scout trip abroad. From the very first day I contacted the company expressing interest in volunteering to help children in Jamaica they were extremely helpful in providing information and suggestions for my group which consisted of 8 Girl Scouts and 8 mother's. They worked with me throughout the whole planning process for months before our trip, and were on top of getting back to me with any questions I needed answered.
As for the volunteer program that they set up for our group it was a perfect match! I couldn't have planned anything better. Volunteering at an orphanage was so rewarding. All of us on the trip formed such a bond with the people of the orphanage; residents and administrative workers.
The whole staff of Jamaica Volunteer Expeditions was amazing to work with! They were with us from start to finish, offering support the whole time.
I was very impressed with Jamaica Volunteer Expeditions, and so was my whole group. It was such a heart filled experience and impacted us in ways that are hard to explain. We loved it so much we hope to return next year!
I definitely recommend Jamaica Volunteer Expeditions to help organize a program for anyone that is interested in volunteering abroad!

I always knew that I wanted to volunteer, but nothing really captivated me until I found an opportunity to volunteer in Kingston. I wasn't sure what to expect so I was very nervous, especially as a young woman travelling alone. I worked with children ages 4-17 at an orphanage. The other volunteers and I created a summer program for the kids where we held computer, math, english, and art classes. We also played games and had loads of fun! In addition to volunteering, I experienced Jamaican cuisine, the beautiful sights and the night life. I have since been back 5 times to visit the kids, one of which times my mum and step dad came to meet the kids and see the orphanage!
I could ramble on, so if you have any questions or would like to know more about my experience, feel free to contact Jamaica Volunteer Expeditions and ask to speak with me :)
I highly recommend the program!
- Sasha

It has taken me a while to come on here and write my review as I wanted to gain some perspective after the experience I had in Jamaica. I want my review to help other people, not to use this as a form of complaint as that is not my aim. The background to my trip, I am a qualified nurse in England who has wanted to volunteer from as long as I can remember. I started my search on where to go & I found Jamaica Volunteer Expeditions online. From the beginning was impressed with their website, fast responses, Skype call to introduce themselves so was very excited to embark on my trip. I decided to go for 5 weeks from 21st February - 28th March 2015. Unfortunately I did cut my trip short due to some of the problems I experienced whilst I was there. And ended up leaving on Weds 25th March.
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As I am a nurse I stuck with that field and volunteered in an elderly care home, I also volunteered in a children's orphanage on an afternoon. In the middle of my stay I was invited to join a school group to visit the Blue Mountains and helped planting a tree in the national park.
I honestly think if you are going into the experience with your eyes open & are made aware exactly what service this company and also his mothers company Jamaica Volunteer Programs provides then you won't have any problems, however I wasn't. This is a company... For profit... And the word "voluntourism" would be more appropriate. I was also told on a number of occasions this is a "lucrative business" and "we are running a business here".

Things you should be aware of:
- NONE of the money you pay the company goes towards helping the projects you are volunteering with which is the part I found most difficult & upsetting. The thing these places need more than anything is money.
- There is no structure or goal with regards to the volunteering... There was no plan, no aim, I was literally there as a spare pair of hands. Particularly the orphanage I felt as though the children actually experienced more emotional trauma from these people coming in & out of there lives just to come and visit them, play with them for a few days, then leave. They had become accustomed to this & were asking if we'd brought toys because it was now expected that that's what happens. These children have all experienced more in their lives than they should have had to have done from witnessing domestic abuse to actually experiencing abuse in all forms. And now lead a lifestyle where tourists pull up (albeit with the best intentions) on a bus to come and see them & how they live (I hate to use this phrase but it's the only way to describe it... Like animals in a zoo). And on reflection it was quite upsetting.
- The elderly care home was run by Catholics and its biggest problem was financial... I helped and advised as best I could with the experience & skills I have from home but there was a limit to how I could help. I left feeling disheartened that I couldn't do more. The lady who runs the place is a saint... She has worked there for 25 years, 7 days a week with no pay. And still doesn't receive any financial backing from the company that provides these "voluntourists".

Accommodation & Social Aspect
- I stayed at Smokey Manor which is owned and run by Jamaica
Volunteer Programs NOT Jamaica Volunteer Expeditions so experienced complications and conflicts with regards to my accommodation transport excursions etc. as they are very closely linked as they are all family but do run as separate businesses.
- If you do stay at Smokey Manor then you are located up in the hills, no public transport or access to taxis, therefore if on a weekend or evening you want to leave to explore you are charged USD$20 (per person so a car full would be $80!!), this I had not factored into my budgeting and bearing in mind it is a 5-10 min car journey to the bottom of the hill (if that!!). I was also constantly reminded of the high cost of living in Jamaica which they used to justify a lot of their costs.
- Basically you are confined to the guest house unless you are going to your projects or you pay to leave either by transport or on an excursion.
- Lunch is not included (or wasn't with my package) so I arrived on a Saturday and went from breakfast Sunday to evening without another meal, or I would have had to pay the transport fee ($20) just to go the supermarket to get some food.
- Whilst I was there they had overbooked the accommodation and therefore wanted me to move into a house further up the hill & over the road. The house was a building site in the process of being finished, although the inside was beautifully decorated the outside was unfinished, I would have been very isolated, with no access to the facilities I had paid for... E.g. Wifi & meals, I would have had to walk back to the main house for meals on an evening alone. I therefore chose to leave early as the time fell at the end of my stay.

Positives (Yes there were a few)
- Louise the housekeeper cannot be praised enough, she works extremely long hours & cooks the best food!! She was so warm & friendly and genuinely happy to see you!! She is a wonderful woman!!
- I met some of the most amazing people from around the world, mainly from the U.S. who I wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet had I not gone and still keep in regular contact with now and also from the projects.
- Jamaica is a beautiful country & has some beautiful places to visit.

If you are looking for a voluntourism kind of trip and are going into it with your eyes open with regards to what it entails, the financial costs, location etc. then these are good companies to go with. I felt 100% safe throughout my trip.
If you are looking for a true volunteering experience where the projects have a goal and an aim and are genuinely helping the community then I would not recommend this company. I would suggest looking at non-profit organisations who are genuinely there to help the local community and are not running as a business.

I have selected the option for potential volunteers to contact me about this project if they wish too.

Our family was vacationing in Negril and wanted to take some time away from relaxing and this was the perfect excursion. We went with our two children ( age 8 & 10) to a local school to help with their annual sports day. We were able to not only interact with the staff and students, but their families as well. We had a great time, lovely lunch and couldn't have been more pleased with the experience.