JNBS Resolution Project reaches 10-year mark

A decade on, the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) Resolution Project is still capturing images, and the interests of the students taking them.

"Currently, the programme is the leading photography project in the island, benefiting youth from varying backgrounds, specifically in rural Jamaica," said former Project Manager Alicia Glasgow. "There is enormous potential for further growth and impact, and the JN Foundation is committed to creating and accessing greater opportunities in line with its vision and purpose of promoting youth advocacy through photography."

Originally called Youth Zoom, the Resolution Project began in 2004.

There are 42 registered schools and 142 students. Each school receives digital cameras and participates in workshops in strategic locations across Jamaica. The fundamentals of photography and advocacy and the basics of journalism are taught. Students then tell intricate stories with their cameras, critically examine the issues facing them, and creatively articulate them in their photographs. The annual cycle starts every September or October and ends in March or April the following year.

Rebranded in 2009, a special community component was introduced in 2010 to incorporate youngsters living in volatile and underserved communities across the island. The pilot community project in Tivoli involved 10 young men who were detained as part of the joint military and police operation in that community in May 2010. In August 2011, the project was replicated in the marginalised St James community of Granville with 17 young people aged 12 to 19. The Savanna-la-Mar Resolution Project (April 2012) engaged 27 youngsters aged 10 to 19 from four communities, while, in December 2012, a special weeklong Christmas camp was held for 15 teenage wards of the Alpha Boys' Home.

exposure

Since 2011, greater emphasis has been placed on widening the reach and exposure of the students' work. This had led to photographs by participants forming part of the exhibition at the Consulate General of New York in February 2011. Photos also currently enjoy a permanent exhibition in the Norman Manley International and Sangster International airports.

Five workshops were held last month, with five more slated for March in Ocho Rios, Mandeville, Savanna-la-Mar, Montego Bay, and Morant Bay. This prepares students for Project Resolution's final competition in April.

"In celebration of the 10th anniversary of Resolution Project, this year's competition will focus on youth identity and culture, with the theme 'Resolution X: My Generation'," Glasgow said. "We are celebrating youth leadership and advocacy, and providing a platform for young people to express their perceptions of their role in society through photography." Participants will submit images related to perceptions about youth culture, specifically in terms of body image, deportment, dress, and fads.