Growth & Jobs | CVSS conference to chart new course for volunteerism in Jamaica

Jamaica’s ability to respond to future disasters may depend not only on the willingness of people to help, but also on how effectively volunteers are organised, equipped and supported.

Against the backdrop of the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, the Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS) will bring together national and international stakeholders at its biennial National Volunteer Conference to chart a new course for volunteerism and strengthen its role in building a more resilient Jamaica.

The 2026 National Volunteer Conference, scheduled for November 5, will be held under the theme ‘Crisis to Capacity: Building a Future-Ready Volunteer Ecosystem for a Resilient Jamaica’.”The conference will be held at the AC Hotel Kingston, in partnership with the United States Embassy in Jamaica.

The conference will bring together approximately 150 leaders from government, civil society, youth organisations, academia, the private sector and international development partners, with additional participation from Jamaicans at home and in the diaspora online.

Executive director of the CVSS, Nancy Pinchas, said the conference presents an important opportunity to build on the lessons of Hurricane Melissa and strengthen the systems needed to support volunteerism in times of crisis and beyond.

“Hurricane Melissa demonstrated the tremendous value of people coming together to support one another during a crisis. However, we must ensure that this spirit of volunteerism is supported by the structures, training, technology and partnerships needed to sustain the response beyond the immediate emergency. Our goal is to build a volunteer ecosystem that is better prepared, more coordinated, and capable of strengthening communities before, during and after a crisis,” the executive director said.

The conference will feature presentations and discussions by leaders and experts in volunteer mobilisation, civic engagement, disaster resilience, digital innovation and community development. Speakers confirmed to participate include: Dana Sacchetti, head of office (Jamaica), World Food Programme who will be the keynote speaker and will present on volunteerism as a strategic national asset; Brigadier Markland Lloyd, from the Office of the Prime Minister who will share Jamaica’s National Disaster Response Framework; Dr Maurice McNaughton, director of the Centre for Innovation at the Mona School of Business & Management, UWI, who will present on data mapping and community volunteer mobilization, and Priyanka Mais, northern Caribbean Area coordinator for United Nations Volunteer Programme, who will speak on youth inclusion in volunteerism.

Their contributions will help participants examine practical approaches to volunteer coordination, information integrity, civic leadership, community security and evidence-based policy, while identifying opportunities to strengthen collaboration across sectors.

The CVSS executive director said the conference must produce practical recommendations that translate discussions into measurable progress.

“We want participants to leave with more than new knowledge and good ideas. We want a shared commitment to action, with clear priorities for strengthening volunteer coordination, expanding youth participation, embracing responsible innovation and building stronger partnerships across sectors. Volunteerism is a valuable national resource and, with the right investment and support, it can play an even greater role in Jamaica’s resilience and development,” the executive director said.

A major outcome of the conference will be the development of a National Volunteer Action Agenda, which will identify priority actions to guide future investment, policy dialogue and collaboration in strengthening the country’s volunteer systems.

The agenda is expected to provide a framework for improving coordination among volunteer-involving organisations, building the practical capacity of volunteers and leaders, strengthening the use of digital technologies and deepening partnerships among government, civil society, young people, businesses and international stakeholders.

Conference recommendations and knowledge products will also be disseminated nationally through the CVSS’s civil society and volunteer networks to encourage wider engagement and support implementation beyond the event.

The CVSS anticipates that the conference will strengthen participants’ knowledge and practical skills in volunteer coordination, responsible technology use, information integrity and community resilience, while creating opportunities for more sustained collaboration across Jamaica’s volunteer sector.