We Welcome Volunteers

We are eager to welcome new volunteers! Portland Rehabilitation Management (PRM) homeless shelter provides life affirming, educational opportunities for local and overseas students of medicine, nursing, social work, psychology, recreational therapy and other fields to complete internship or other assignments overseas or local volunteers. The number of staff members working at the shelter varies, as does the number of volunteers, often one or two, or more.

We are especially in need of volunteers with the following backgrounds: mental health, marketing, fundraising, and NGO development.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Volunteers are the backbone of the program and actively sought

We actively seek volunteers to help support our program. Volunteers help us build and sustain the shelter. Our connections with various colleges in the U.S. and Canada allows for recruitment of social workers and other trained professionals. Such volunteers generally must have experience in social work, nursing, psychology, or other health fields or have experience in another field/profession that would be of benefit to the clients and PRM. These include but are not limited to marketing, NGO development, mental health, administration, fundraising, carpentry, construction, and education. Volunteers may work on administrative duties, staff training, client activities, or other responsibilities suitable to the volunteer’s qualifications, interests, and needs of the shelter, and/or reflecting their area of expertise. Some past and present work can be viewed below:

• Mental health work
• Counseling
• Spending time with the clients (activities, discussion, psychosocial
  support, mentoring)
• Medical care for clients
• Supporting projects and starting your own (past projects include
  building a female dormitory, expanding the vegetable garden, bee keeping,
  maintaining fruit trees, and building a chicken coop)
• Administrative work (staying connected with local and international
  individuals and organizations through emails and phone calls)
• Fundraising (supporting current initiatives, starting new projects)
• Any other responsibilities or projects you would like to take on to
  support the shelter! Ideas are always welcome

 

Prospective volunteer requirements

Applications for volunteer positions at PRM are referred to our volunteer coordinator who requests and reviews the clients resume and letters of recommendation. To protect our clients and staff we must do a thorough screening process of all volunteers. In rare instances a volunteer can be fast tracked. We seek to avoid volunteers whose real reason for coming to Jamaica is to party. You will receive notification from the volunteer coordinator when you have been accepted as a volunteer.

To be a volunteer we require the following information:

• Resume or CV
• One professional letter of recommendation
• Interview with volunteer coordinator (in person/Skype/FaceTime)
• A photocopy of government issued identification
• PRM reserves the right to conduct a background check on all volunteers and conduct drug testing while at PRM

 

Generally, we seek volunteers for one month or more

We seek volunteers for a month or more because the longer commitments helps with the continuity of the programs we offer. However, individuals with extremely needed backgrounds may be accepted for shorter periods. These backgrounds include mental health, especially psychiatrists.

 

Housing and meals for volunteers

Housing is provided at Great Huts, unless other funds are available for apartments. Dr. Paul Rhodes, a founder of the PRM Homeless Shelter, created Great Huts eco-resort which helps fund the homeless shelter. Volunteers are housed here and pay $5 per a day to live at Great Huts. This includes housing, and three meals a day are provided at the homeless shelter. Volunteers also have the option to pay an additional $5 a day to receive two catered meals a day at Great Huts. Basic living units include shared bathroom facilities and rooms. Other amenities include access to cable TV (in the lounge), limited laundry services, and free wireless internet. Pick up from the airport can be arranged with the Great Huts; cost for this service is NOT included in the lodging fee, and can vary.

 

Expenses for volunteers

• $5 a day lodging fee at Great Huts
• $5 a day catered meal fee at Great Huts (optional)
• Taxi from the airport (private taxi from Kingston around $135 US dollars, shared taxi around $40 US dollars).
• Airline ticket
• Day to day expenses
• Taxi cost to and from the shelter each day from Great Huts (cost is $1.50 US dollars each way, or $3 a day). The Great Huts Eco-Resort is approximately 20 minute drive from the shelter. Free rides to the shelter can be arranged ahead of time through carpooling. We encourage volunteers to share the cost of gas with the driver.

 

Volunteer commitments and hours

• Volunteers should be willing to work for one to six months.
• We usually ask the volunteer to work at least 5-6 hours per day, 5 days a week (schedule is flexible)

 

Still interested in volunteering?

Fill out an application.

Contact Us

prmvolunteers@gmail.com

 

Please also join our Facebook group for volunteers here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/920658097982722/