Transcript Slide 1

Puente in Jamaica
Progress Report
Introduction & Background
Jamaica is active member of REDLAC
 Honourary Member of Coordinating
Committee since 2005
 Fifth Annual Conference hosted in 1998
 Regional workshop hosted in 2003
 Formal introduction to Chile’s Puente
Programme

Introduction & Background
OAS informed in 2007 that Jamaica was
one of 3 English-speaking Caribbean
countries to pilot the transfer of Puente
methodologies
 Jamaica Regional launch and workshop in
June 2007
 Jamaica participated in 2-week internship
in Chile in November 2007

Introduction & Background
OAS invaluable partner to REDLAC
 Funding secured from CIDA to facilitate
transfer of social protection mechanism
 Jamaica fully committed to the
programme and grateful for its inclusion

Status of Puente in Jamaica
Renamed Bridge Jamaica Programme, in
keeping with cultural context
 Potential for inter institutional cooperation

Objectives of Bridge Jamaica
To provide integral psychosocial support to
96 families
 To ensure that families live in dignity

Programme Design

Sub component of Inner City Basic
Services Project public safety component
 US$29.3
intervention to improve lives of inner
city dwellers
 World Bank funded
 Improvements to physical infrastructure,
public safety complemented by social
interventions
Programme Design
Two phases: 50 then 46 households
 Ratio: 1 family support counsellor to 32
households
 24 months for implementation

Collaboration JSIF and the State

Ministry of Labour & Social Security
responsiblities:
 Supplying
contact information for beneficiaries
 Assessing potential beneficiaries for enrolment
 Supervising social workers
 Providing administrative support to social
workers
 Monthly reporting
Collaboration JSIF and the State

JSIF responsible for:
 Signing
family contracts
 Identifying prospective beneficiary households
 Establish and maintain link with government
and non government agencies
 Coordinate and conduct training for
beneficiaries
 Contract social workers
Collaboration JSIF and the State

Both JSIF and the MLSS responsible for:
 Delineating
the pillars of the bridge as
outlined project documents
 Integrating resources
 Develop operations manual
 Develop materials and products
 Coordination of requirements of both
programmes
 Monitoring and evaluation of outputs
Social Protection Network
Access the most vulnerable
 Lessen effects of targeting errors
 Reduce cost of implementation
 More integrated approach to social
programming
 Wider social support and impact

Role of PIOJ

Planning Institute of Jamaica will
supervise implementation of the project
Staff Assignment & Training

May 2008 technical visit and supervision:
 20
persons trained in the specifics of the
programme
 6 prospective family support counsellors
trained
Project Materials & Tools
Operations Manual drafted
 Family Workbooks drafted
 Family Support Counsellor Workbook
drafted
 Family contracts translated
 Monitoring and evaluation framework
drafted

Challenges

Major challenge is to avoid duplication
with other similar programmes
Next Steps
Staff assignment
 Contract family counsellors
 Identify project coordinator
 Follow up training for staff
 Communication/Visibility campaign
 Formalize agreement for social protection
network
 Finalize project material
 Interview and registration of families
 Official launch
 Contract social anthropologist

Technical Visit, May 2008
Technical Visit, May 2008
Technical Visit, May 2008
Technical Visit, May 2008
Technical Visit, May 2008
Technical Visit, May 2008