At a glance
- This is a volunteer opportunity with Projects Abroad. Devxchange will assist you in choosing the right fit, raising funds with your own campaign page, issuing tax receipts to donors if project meets CRA criteria as a charitable activity. Devxchange will also assist you in onboarding with Projects Abroad.
- Work alongside local psychologists to address mental health issues in a mental health clinic or by taking part in community-based initiatives.
- You’ll encounter a wide range of patient profiles, which exposes you to a broad range of mental health issues.
- Raise awareness around these issues, so that people are better able to understand the importance of mental health.
Details
- Interact with and support patients
- Observe clinical assessments and play therapy
- Conduct educational sessions about mental health issues
- Assist with planning for different events
- Conduct research and data analysis
Includes/Excludes
Food and accommodation
- Food (three meals a day)
- Airport pick-up and drop-off
- Full induction and orientation by an experienced staff member on arrival
- Transport to and from your work placement
- In-country support and 24-hour back-up from our team of full-time local staff
- Emergency assistance from our international emergency response team
- Project equipment and materials, including access to our database with thousands of resources
- Training and workshops from our experienced local staff
- Regular social events and community activities with other volunteers and interns
- Access to our local office with internet connection
- Certification of project completion
- Access to our alumni services and discounts
- Visa support and advice
- Fundraising support, including your own personalized fundraising website with DevXchange
- Tax Receipts for your donors if activity meets CRA criteria for charitable activity.
- Pre-departure preparation by your own specialist Volunteer Advisor
- Personalized MyProjectsAbroad website, with all the information you need about your project, accommodation and destination
- A free cultural awareness course
- Membership to our volunteer social media groups, to share information and to get in touch
- Support to help you complete registration or internship documents, if applicable
Not Included
- Flights
- Visa Costs (where applicable)
- 10% Admin fee for donations involving tax receipts.
Itinerary
Are you a current psychology student, or a recent graduate? Looking to gain psychology work experience in Jamaica? Then this internship is ideal for you. You’ll be able to put your theoretical knowledge into practice while helping people in need of treatment for mental illness.
In order to join this project, you need to be studying social work, psychology or guidance counseling, or have a qualification in one of these fields. You’ll also need to commit to at least four weeks on this project.
Our start and end dates are flexible, however, so you can choose a time that suits you. We encourage you to stay longer so you can do and learn more.
You will work alongside qualified local professionals during your time in Jamaica. Furthermore, you will have a Projects Abroad supervisor who will ensure that you get the most out of your placement. You will receive a thorough induction upon arrival, to ensure you are prepared before you begin working with patients.
There are two different options on this internship. Depending on your skills and experience, you can either work in a mental health clinic and hospital, or take part in outreach work in the local community. Tasks will include:
- Interact with and support patients
- Observe clinical assessments and play therapy
- Conduct educational sessions about mental health issues
- Assist with planning for different events
- Conduct research and data analysis
Wake up in the home of your host family, and enjoy a delicious breakfast before you start your working day. You’ll travel to your placement via taxi. On your first day, our staff will travel with you to show you the way.
A typical day on this internship runs from 8.30am – 2.30pm, Monday to Friday. Your daily activities will vary, depending on the placement you choose.
If you have chosen to intern at a mental health clinic, you will you will work directly with young children and adults with various mental health issues. This will take place under the supervision of a qualified psychologist. On any given day, you may find yourself interviewing patients, observing assessments or assisting with research.
For those who have selected the community-based option, you’ll spend much of your time on outreaches. These may involve individual or group counselling, conducting classroom guidance sessions, and supervised home visits. Please note that this option is not available during July and August.
Once you’ve finished work for the day, it’s time to explore your temporary home. You can join in on our weekly activities, which are a great way to have fun, meet your fellow volunteers and learn about aspects of the local culture. You should definitely sample some Jamaican cuisine from one of the local restaurants. Or why not enjoy a home cooked dinner with your host family?
Mandeville
You will be based in the large town of Mandeville, situated around 100 km west of the capital, Kingston. Interns work at a government-run mental health clinic for adults and children. If you choose the community-based option, you’ll spend time at a local high school and a home for the homeless and mentally challenged.
While Mandeville is fairly quiet, it has all the amenities you might need, such as restaurants, banks, and shops. Furthermore, there are many travel opportunities on the island, so you will be able to explore all that it has to offer. These include incredible natural wonders, a lively reggae music scene, and exciting activities such as river rafting.
Food and accommodation
You’ll stay with a host family in Mandeville. They will welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and have you teach them about your own culture. We believe that this is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Jamaica and have a truly unique experience.
We will always try to let you live alongside at least one other Projects Abroad volunteer or intern at the same host family. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.
Your programme fee includes three meals a day.
Free Time and Leisure Activities
When you think of the tropical Caribbean, Jamaica is one of the first countries that comes to mind. With its white-sand beaches and vibrant culture, this island nation has a lot to offer. It’s an amazing location to volunteer in, and explore during your free time.
The local cuisine is definitely worth trying, with tasty dishes like Jamaican patties and jerk chicken. You can enjoy these at seaside restaurants and then head down to the sea for a cooling swim in the ocean.
With a rich culture and friendly locals, exploring markets and museums is a must-do. Visiting the famous Bob Marley Museum in Kingston makes for an enlightening weekend trip. While you’re there, you can also tour Fort Charles and the National Heroes Park.
There will be other volunteers working on different projects in Jamaica while you’re there. This means you can choose to explore independently or connect with other volunteers and travel as a group.
