COOPERATION FOR DEVELOPMENT: THE JAMAICAN EXPERIENCE

1. COOPERATION FOR • DEVELOPMENT: • THE JAMAICAN EXPERIENCE

2. Background to OAS/Jamaica Cooperation Initiatives • The Organization of American States has been cooperating with Jamaica in several areas including Labour and Social Protection for many years • Most of the Social Protection initiatives relate to our flagship Social Safety Net programme • The Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education, PATH, is a programme of assistance to the lowest quintile of poor families in Jamaica, which uses conditional payments to improve attainments in Health and Education Statistics to assist in breaking the inter-generational cycle of poverty

3. Background to OAS/Jamaica Cooperation Initiatives - PATH • PATH is a Government of Jamaica Programme with partial financing from the World Bank and the IDB • PATH is it itself a cooperation initiative • PATH was introduced in 2002 as the replacement programme for three (3) Social Assistance Programmes

4. OAS/Jamaica Cooperation Initiatives – Bridge Jamaica • In 2007, the OAS initiated a horizontal cooperation programme known as Puente in the Caribbean • Bridge Jamaica is our version of Chile’s Puente programme • Bridge Jamaica provides selected PATH families with targeted interventions to provide access to critical services which link them to their basic rights as citizens • The OAS serves as the focal point for cooperation and knowledge sharing for Puente in the Caribbean

5. OAS/Jamaica Cooperation Initiatives – Bridge Jamaica • Bridge Jamaica includes a very intensive case work component • The case work lessons learned from the Bridge Jamaica intervention formed the backbone of our recently implemented Case Management Initiative • Case Management will be an important part of our soon to be introduced Graduation Strategy for families on PATH

6. Recent OAS/Jamaica Cooperation – Study Tour by St. Kitts • In June 2012, the OAS facilitated a delegation from St. Kitts to visit Jamaica • Opportunity was used to learn about the PATH and Bridge Jamaica programmes • St. Kitts used the learning experience to assist in the implementation of their own Social Safety Net programme

7. Recent OAS/Jamaica Cooperation – Study Tour to Washington, DC In July 2012, the OAS, the Department of Labor and the IDB hosted a delegation from Jamaica to exchange ideas on labour and social protection issues The topics of discussions included pensions and labour market interventions especially those related to tacking the issue of youth unemployment The visit included tours of facilities and programmes focussed on these subjects

8. Recent OAS/Caribbean Cooperation – Barbados Workshop • In September 2013, the OAS hosted fifteen Caribbean countries and organizations at a Social Protection Workshop in Barbados • Countries/organizations presented on their programmes and several opportunities for cooperation were proposed • Important exchange of information

9. OAS/Jamaican Cooperation - The Way Forward • Graduation Strategy • - Case Management • - Steps to Work • Cooperation activities with other countries

10. OAS Cooperation Memories

11. OAS Cooperation Memories

12. OAS Cooperation Memories