TOWARDS helping more adults with special needs acquire social skills, build healthy relationships and becoming independent, the Jamaica Association on Intellectual Disabilities (JAID) is already making plans from proceeds of the 2018 Digicel 5K for Special Needs.
“We are extremely happy that Digicel Foundation continues to support adults with special needs,” Christine Rodriguez, outgoing executive director of JAID, is quoted in a release.
With the $1 million in funding received from last year’s 5K Run, JAID was able to build its Adult Leadership Programme, a project designed to give participants the skills they need to reach their life goals and live up to their full potential, in preparation for integration with the wider society, the release said.
The programme is supported by JAID’s Adult Continuing Education Programme, which currently involves 15 students who specialise in textile art design. Additionally, JAID’s social enterprise project, Chupse, which involves making exquisite jewellery out of natural materials such as fish scales and coffee beans, is opening up business opportunities for other adults with special needs.
Rodriguez pointed out that it is not only acquiring skills that is important for adult Jamaicans with intellectual disabilities.
In stressing how important it is for them to acquire social skills, build healthy relationships and to become independent Jamaicans, the JAID chief said: “We aim to continue building these three programmes with funds from this year’s 5K. We are excited about how they are developing.”
JAID is among seven special-needs organisations that are looking forward to putting plans into action and boosting their programmes ahead of the seventh annual Digicel 5K Run for Special Needs.
Other organisations that will benefit this year include: Community Based Rehabilitation Centre, Early Stimulation Plus, Jamaica Autism Support Association, Jamaica Down’s Syndrome Foundation, Jamaica Society for the Blind, and Promise Learning Centre.
Last year, five of these entities each received $1 million towards their ongoing programmes.
More than 13,000 participants are expected for the Digicel 5K Run for Special Needs, which will include ‘Fun Zones’ along the route and an after-party. Race time on Saturday, October 6, 2018 is 7:00 pm at the Digicel Headquarters, 14 Ocean Boulevard, downtown Kingston.
The release said all proceeds will go to organisations serving Jamaicans with special needs, with the aim of raising awareness and deepening Jamaicans’ understanding of the particular needs of this community.
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