Mon | Sep 23, 2024

Alvin Day’s Global Empowerment Institute, CCCJ partner

Published:Monday | September 23, 2024 | 12:06 AM
Participating in the signing of the MOU are Alvin Day (second left), executive director of the Global Empowerment Institute and Dr Donna Powell Wilson (second right), executive director of the Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica (CCCJ), while looking
Contributed
Participating in the signing of the MOU are Alvin Day (second left), executive director of the Global Empowerment Institute and Dr Donna Powell Wilson (second right), executive director of the Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica (CCCJ), while looking on are Calvin A. Hunter (left), Caribbean business manager at the Global Empowerment Institute, and Norman Malcolm (right), director of corporate services at CCCJ.

The Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica (CCCJ) and the Global Empowerment Institute on September 11 signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) designed to enhance educational opportunities and foster collaboration in Jamaica.

This strategic agreement is aimed at revolutionising student development by bridging the gap between academic knowledge and essential life skills, providing students with a holistic educational experience that includes the development of their self-confidence, emotional resilience, and professional readiness.

The signing ceremony was held at the CCCJ headquarters in Kingston.

The partnership will see a Caterpillars Can Fly Professional Development and Mentorship course being offered to more than 8,000 students across community colleges islandwide, starting in September 2024. According to the Caribbean business manager of Global Empowerment Institute, Calvin A. Hunter, discussions have already started with the University of Technology, the teachers’ colleges of Jamaica, a university in Guyana, The University of the West Indies, and the State University of New York Early Opportunity Center, USA, to offer the course as part of their curriculum by 2025. Students will earn three credits for 45 hours of work based on the content and successes of Alvin Day’s best-selling book, If Caterpillars Can Fly – So Can I.

Speaking at the MOU signing ceremony, Dr Donna Powell Wilson, executive director of CCCJ, said: “The CCCJ is pleased about this partnership as we look to advance education in Jamaica and provide opportunities for our learners to become better individuals.”

Author and international motivational speaker Alvin Day also shared his perspective on the collaboration, noting, “We are proud of the CCCJ for its innovation in education. Many institutions focus solely on academic content, but this partnership emphasises that students need more than just academics. They need catalysts and reasons to excel. The Caterpillars Can Fly Professional Development and Mentorship Programme is designed to teach students essential coping skills to handle life’s challenges – economic, personal, and more – helping them to master their academic subjects and strive for excellence.”

The MOU outlines a collaborative framework for the programme. The initiative will provide a structured approach to personal and academic development, preparing students for future success in their careers and personal lives. The agreement highlights the commitment of both parties to periodic reviews and potential extensions to further strengthen their collaboration.

Other officials who participated in the signing ceremony were Jason McIntosh, director of curriculum development at CCCJ, and Norman Malcolm, director of corporate services at CCCJ.