Basil Jarrett | The need for a strong volunteer army

IT PAINS me, no, shames me to say this, but prior to the events of October 28, I had never heard of the Council of Volunteer and Support Services (CVSS). I know. I’m utterly embarrassed to admit this.

It’s even more shameful when you realise that the headquarters of this important organisation literally sits across the road from JDF Headquarters at 2D Camp Road and yet, after hearing the name of the organisation for the first time, it sent me scrambling to do a Google search.

Here’s what I found. CVSS is Jamaica’s oldest and most trusted platform for organised volunteerism. Think of it as the UN of Jamaican volunteerism. Established in 1940, long before hashtags or humanitarian TikToks, the council has quietly built a network of NGOs, churches, youth groups, corporate volunteers, and civic organisations all under one roof. Their job? To bring order, ethics, and efficiency to the business of volunteering, especially during times of disaster.

At a high-level meeting last Friday at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS), Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange, was tasked with overseeing the national volunteer support effort. That system has now been activated, with CVSS serving as a key coordinating agency.

WHAT THEY DO

CVSS doesn’t just collect names and send people out. They screen, train, deploy, and debrief, while matching skills with needs. And they do it in a way that ensures that your good intentions don’t accidentally become someone else’s problem. In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, the CVSS was already way down the wicket as a main clearing house for the volunteer response effort. This makes the entity one of the nation’s most important asset right now, serving as the main volunteer coordination hub for all those ready to roll up their sleeves and help rebuild Jamaica.

Yes, the urge is strong to just show up out West with a bag of supplies and a heart full of hope. That’s who we are as Jamaicans. We jump fence, light fire, and help our neighbours in time of need. But in disaster zones, well-meaning people without coordination can quickly become part of the chaos.

ORGANISING THROUGH THE CHAOS

Don’t believe me? Just look at the crawling traffic and congested lanes of cars trying to enter and exit St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Hanover and Trelawny. Thousands of good intentioned volunteers, desperate to make a difference, but sadly, duplicating aid in some areas, clogging roadways meant for ambulances and service vehicles in others, and becoming a liability themselves when bands of marauding criminals feel emboldened enough to help relieve them of their relief boxes of bully beef and rice. Unsafe debris removal, child safety risks, donated goods spoiling on warehouse floors because no one managed the logistics… . These are all part and parcel when too many disorganised cooks are in the kitchen.

This is how CVSS’s system works: Volunteers register to help at www.cvssja.org/signup. From there CVSS enters them into a database and categorises them according to location, availability and very importantly, skills and abilities. CVSS’s network includes boots-on-the-ground organisations such as the JDF, ODPEM, Food for the Poor, the JDF, World Food Programme, World Central Kitchen and did I mention JDF? Those organisations then tap into CVSS to say for example, hey, I need 100 able bodied men to unpack and distribute two containers of rise in Bush Mouth, St Elizabeth on such date and at such time. CVSS then matches able-bodied individuals from their database with the requisite skills, in this case two hands, two feet, and one big heart, and arranges for them to be deployed. The system ensures that the right people, with the right skills, get to the right places, quickly and efficiently, to meet the urgent needs of affected communities.

WHAT OTHER COUNTRIES GOT RIGHT

CVSS isn’t unique. There are numerous examples of CVSS type organisations worldwide, that have made impactful contributions to disaster relief and recovery. In New Zealand, following the Christchurch earthquakes in 2011, the Student Volunteer Army, a pre-trained youth corps, was effectively integrated with emergency services to rescue and recovery operations. In Japan, post-tsunami recovery was supercharged by their existing Volunteer Coordination Centres that mapped, funded, and drilled into local government operations. And in the United States, FEMA doesn’t go anywhere without its VOADs (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) which work before the storm to recruit, vet, and train citizens for after the storm.

Hurricane Melissa is an unprecedented humanitarian disaster and a massive logistical challenge. But in the wake of the storm, thousands of Jamaicans are showing true compassion, generosity and goodwill by offering to assist thousands who have been displaced and are still suffering from the impact. Already, CVSS has recruited over 7,000 of these willing and able Jamaicans, without much hoopla or fanfare. They have set a target of 20,000 over the next couple of weeks. Right now, the most pressing needs are for doctors, nurses, logisticians, drivers, heavy equipment operators, mental health professionals, cooks, carpenters, communications people, and of course, persons with two able hands and two able feet. CVSS is also seeking the loan or volunteer use of tools and heavy equipment, including front-end loaders, forklifts, chainsaws, and similar machinery, to support ongoing cleanup and rebuilding efforts.

STAND UP. SIGN UP

Jamaica’s strength lies in our people’s willingness to step up in times of crisis. We need to ensure, however, that this goodwill is transformed into coordinated, impactful action. Whether you’re a trained professional, a student, or someone with time and tools to spare, there’s a role for you in this national effort.

Right now, it is difficult to see beyond the current disaster. This is understandable. But a major part of creating resilience is ensuring that we are prepared for the next crisis. CVSS’s database and volunteer coordination system, with its 7,000 and counting members, should serve as the permanent, funded institution under law, with youth brigades, corporate registries, regular drills, and an organic presence in the DNA of any national disaster response effort.

Interested volunteers and organisations are encouraged to register with CVSS via their Volunteer Registration Portal at www.cvssja.org/signup or by contacting the CVSS Volunteer Coordination Centre at (876) 906-0065 or email volunteers@cvssja.org.

Major Basil Jarrett is the director of communications at the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) and crisis communications consultant. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Threads @IamBasilJarrett and linkedin.com/in/basiljarrett. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com