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Residents in the Treasure Beach community in St Elizabeth are the latest beneficiaries of free digital literacy and data skills training under a newly formed partnership between the Flow Foundation and the Treasure Beach Women’s Group (TBWG).
The partnership represents the first phase of an innovative project, the Treasure Beach Smart Community Initiative, which is a collaboration between the Mona School of Business & Management (MSBM), the Treasure Beach Destination Management Organization, the TBWG and the Flow Foundation which is providing the free training under its Skills for the Future Programme and community connectivity.
Already, many residents and members of the TBWG, a non-profit, registered charity organization whose mission is to promote the advancement of Women and the Treasure Beach community, are participating and benefitting from the training programme.
Speaking at the launch event, Dr Maurice McNaughton, Director of the Centre of Innovation at the MSBM said “The future of our country rests with our communities. It is absolutely imperative that we empower individuals with the necessary skills to become digitally competent. I am not talking about being able to use computers or use social media although those skills play an important role. I am talking about the ability to effectively use data and digital innovation to drive transformation within our communities, developing the capacity of our citizens so that they become digitally savvy individuals who are able to fully participate in, or contribute to, the digital economy and employ technology to innovate and create entrepreneurial endeavours.”
McNaughton continued, “The TBWG has done significant work to advance the welfare of this community. Our partnerships, both with the TBWG and the Flow Foundation, will contribute to the achievement of an even greater vision – One that will bring together digital skills training and empowerment at the individual level, digital capacity building and strengthening at the community level, and the use of innovations such as the Treasure Beach Mobile App to create what we refer to as a digitally smart community. I am definitely looking forward to this collaboration.”
In her comments, Kayon Mitchell, Executive Director of the Flow Foundation said, “The pandemic brought our work at Flow into sharp focus. It accelerated our expansion plans and resulted in over 250 communities across the island being connected to our fibre network; but it is not just about our services. It is also about ensuring that our residents are empowered to competently and safely navigate the online space, developing the necessary skills to pursue all the opportunities that are available. Through this initiative, we are developing the digital and data skills that will enable the progress of Jamaicans across the country. This is at the heart of what we do at our Foundation.”
Mitchell shared that the programme was free to anyone wishing to participate as the Flow Foundation had underwritten the charges. She encouraged the residents to be purposeful – invest the time, complete the programme and work in teams with friends. She also reiterated that there were more opportunities to be had through the Foundation’s other programmes, which are also free to participants.
“Through our Training for Professionals Programme, you may pursue certified courses from some of the world’s top publishers. You may also register on The Hive – the Caribbean’s first marketplace for freelancers and employers, where you may earn additional income,” she shared.
Mitchell also recognised the importance of partnerships in driving digital inclusion across Jamaica.
“No one organization can do it alone. Our partners are an integral part of the process as the success of our programme is dependent on the organisations that have bought into the vision and are on board,” she said as she commended the TBWG.
“Together, we will empower Jamaicans through digital inclusion as we embark on this journey starting with residents who are digitally literate, competent and savvy,” she closed.
Fern Falconer-Lemon, President, Treasure Beach Women’s Group was thrilled about the partnership.
“Technology is taking over the world. There are so many opportunities available today such as being able to access employment from home. Our group has 60 members and there is so much potential within the group. I am proud of the impact we have had these past 20+ years. We have made great strides but there is still much more to do and this training, this partnership will take us further along our journey,” she shared.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Denise Wedderburn, Project Coordinator, who stated “This training programme is called “Skills for the Future” but these are not skills for the future. These are skills for now. We are living a new reality and it is a digital life. I have often said that we are consumers of technology but it is time for us to become creators. If we don’t, then we will become roadkill on ‘information super highway’. We cannot afford this – not for our country, not for our society and certainly not for Treasure Beach. Failure is not an option. There are many opportunities and grants available to help us with our community development plans, but we must have the requisite digital skills to take advantage of them.”
Wedderburn further shared, “You know women are the backbone of our community – they are farmers, fisher folk, business people. However, without the development of our youth and men, this community will not be the community of choice to live, work, raise children and do business. This is why this programme is so important. It is only through training that individuals be empowered, and we can move forward as a smarter community.”
Siseenia Moxam-Nelson, TBWG Cohort Facilitator, could hardly contain her excitement.
“I am just so happy to be a part of this project which is the start of making my community smarter. It is a wonderful opportunity for the community and I am learning so much from the students in my cohort,” she said.
For Antoinette Parchment, TBWG member and a Skills for the Future trainee, “It has been interesting working with the different personalities in my group. I excelled at part one and now I am working on the challenge of part two. This course has improved my data literacy skills. I am encouraging others to participate,” she shared.
The partnership supports the Flow Foundation’s programme of enabling progress through digital inclusion and bridging the digital divide. Since the start of the year, the organization has forged several strategic partnerships which has resulted in thousands of individuals enrolled in its free training initiatives.
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