VOUCH, THE Voluntary Organisation For The Upliftment Of Children came into being in 1979 when two children's organisations, the Child Welfare Association and the Jamaica Children's Service Society, merged to form a single entity.
The Child Welfare Association started in 1916 with special emphasis on health care for children up to the age of six. The Jamaica Children's Service Society started in 1943 and their special interest was prevention of child abuse and the training of social workers. The merger of these two organisations made VOUCH the largest non-government children's agency in Jamaica.
From the outset to the present, VOUCH has been located at 1 National Heroes Circle and provides a unique package of services. The provision is an all-inclusive multi-faceted mix of services to children from pre-natal stage to the age of six.
This is done through a clinic with a full-time doctor, nurses aides and a well-stocked pharmacy, run by a qualified pharmacist; a nursery, a day-care centre, a pre-school centre with trained care givers and a basic school for children ages 4-6. There is also a reasonably well-equipped amusement/play area.
Training courses
VOUCH also conducts training courses for caregivers and serves as a placement facility for such institutions as the University Hospital, Kingston School of Nursing, Kingston Public Hospital and Excelsior Community College and others.
The Agency seeks to work with the community and other relevant Non-Government Organisations (NGOS) to promote good health, education and well being of children primarily age 0-6 years and to develop and encourage parental responsibility. Through association with other organisations it strives to enhance the capabilities of the caregivers and basic-school teachers.
VOUCH caters essentially to the immediate communities of Fletcher's Land and Allman Town but also reaches out to distant communities such as Portmore in St. Catherine, Duhaney Park, Kingston, and Yallahs in St. Thomas. Parents who work in reasonably close proximity to the complex find it convenient to use the services for their children. Enhancement of the facilities and increased public relations efforts could ensure maximisation of the use of the complex.
The most consistent source of funding for VOUCH is derived from fees charged by the day care centre and the Basic School. It should be noted, however, that fees are kept usually low as the Agency caters mostly to patrons in the lower income brackets.
No fees charged
In fact, there are instances in which no fees are charged because the parents are unable to afford the already highly discounted fees. Where such cases arise sponsorship is sought for those children, often with some degree of success. Government occasionally provides a small subvention for the running of the Agency. The rest of the funding comes from VOUCH'S own fund-raising activities and from the generosity of local and foreign donors.
The past few years have seen a decline in the fortunes of VOUCH, due partly to the pau-city of sponsors and partly through lack of proper administration. The present Board is strongly of the view that VOUCH should be fully resuscitated as it continues to provide a useful service to the community. Serious efforts are being made to attract more clients, more donors as well as to do more to generate additional funds.
The Kiwanis Club of North St. Andrew has had a long association with VOUCH dating back to the mid-1980's and highlighted in the building and donation of a school house, which now houses the Sylvia Foot Basic School.
The recent declining fortunes of VOUCH has been brought to the attention of the Club which has been implementing a programme of donations and infrastructural repairs as its contribution to the rebuilding effort. The club will continue to work closely with VOUCH and also assist in the search for sponsors as this very noble institution seeks to revive itself while continuing to offer much needed service to the community.
