WROC at 47 Beechwood Avenue. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

Nashauna Drummond, Acting Lifestyle Coordinator

On March 8, 24 years ago the Women Resource Outreach Centre (WROC) was born. Its birth was propelled by the need to support women at a time when things were very hard. "It came out of the Committee of Women for Progress. It had a political and advocacy agenda and was instrumental in advocating for the adoption of the maternity leave legislation. We had a very activist agenda. In the 1980s we needed another kind of response," explains Linette Vassell, chairperson of the board of directors.

Practical and basic

WROC's new response was practical and very basic. From the building they acquired at 47 Beechwood Avenue, they are changing the lives of not only women, but the citizens of the surrounding Lyndhurst/Greenwich Park inner-city communities. Their programmes range from health care to applying for NIS cards. These services cater to their target group:women, the youth, the elderly and men.

They operate a health clinic every Wednesday and Friday, and a Pap smear facility on the first day of each month. They also give advice on other aspects of healthy living, like lifestyle changes for diabetics.

Walk-in counselling is also available. If anyone has a problem and just needs to talk to someone, they can walk right in and be greeted by clinical psychologist Faith St. Catherine. She explains that most of the cases she gets are depression and stress-related issues.

They also offer craft and recreational activities for the elderly. Every Thursday between 10: 00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., about 60 seniors, some from as far as Portmore, turn up for craft classes. WROC also assists them in accessing poor relief funds, bus passes, Jamaica Drugs for the Elderly Programme (JADEP) and 15 of them with meals on wheels that operates out of the Red Cross organisation. Some women have also been assisted to get away from very abusive situations and placed in golden age homes.

WROC's women's club, 'Women Working for Progress,' is one of the ways through which the organisation and unemployed women are able to generate funds. Christine Senior, who works with the group, explains that most of the women are single, unemployed and have low self-esteem. The counsellors conduct workshops and training sessions with them. "We help them to identify things that are classified as domestic violence and not as norm of 'ghetto life'."

There is also a sewing project and women in the club have developed the Beechwood Home Accessories. Here they sell some of the finished products, which include tablecloths, place mats, and covers for home appliances, such as microwaves, blenders, toasters, etc.

Senior explains how the women's new-found independence has had a domino effect in the homes. "Sometimes we beat on the men. The responsible ones are burdened, frustration sets in, and escalates into violence. When men see the women trying, they see it as a change."

Vassell agrees, noting, "Gender pressure also affects men." St. Catherine notes that parents are required to attend parent support meetings once each month for students of the homework centre. She explained that at first, the men were not attending but they have started to attend, and two of them are actually single parents. They note that sometimes when the men see the changes in the women, this inspires them to change.

Funding

WROC celebrates their 24th birthday on Thursday and they have been making a difference for over two decades. The achievement gives their board chairperson Linette Vassell (left) and psychologist Faith St. Catherine a lot to smile about. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

Financial sustainability is a recurrent issue. Cynthia Hume, human resource mobiliser, explains that they constantly have to come up with projects that will help to make them more self-sufficient. One such project is the Visa Application and Document services (VADS) on Hope Road. For a minimal fee, they assist persons (male and female) in filling out visa application forms and make appointments or help them to apply for their National Insurance Scheme (NIS) numbers.

The organisation also receives some funding from international aid agency Christian Aid. This helps mostly with their work in the rural areas. Some help also comes from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

NCB Foundation

Flair learnt also that the National Commercial Bank (NCB), through its foundation, has been approached and they do plan to assist by providing computers for a centre from which students and community members will receive training.

Recently, the members of the women's group have learnt how to make beaded jewellery, courtesy of board member Dr. Alric Joseph. Vassell explains that their board members do practical work and don't just attend meetings.

Hume is hopeful that corporate Jamaica will assist by sponsoring a programme or individuals by adopting (sponsoring) a child.

Work Continues

Women of WROC, from left: Chairperson of the board of directors Linette Vassell, psychologist Faith St. Catherine, resource mobiliser Cynthia Hume, Ena McDonald, Paulette Burke, Health and Wellness and Community mobiliser Christine Senior. - photos by Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

After 24 years, Vassell notes that they are grateful and hopeful that change can take place with the right strategies. "Even if we have 1000 WROCs, poverty, violence, and marginalisation would still exist. These are structural things that cannot change until the society and Government focus on people-centred development, which enables women and community to take part in decision making."

Vassell notes that WROC still has a lot of room to grow in developing deeper links with the community.

WROC is located at 47 Beechwood Ave. Tel: 929-8873.