ROOTS FM/ZincLink CMC contributes to social healing of communities in Jamaica
25-10-2006 (Kingston)
UNESCO continuous its support to the ROOTS FM/ZincLink community multimedia centre and its outreach activities geared at uniting unstable communities in Jamaica, in the face of escalating crime.
Over an eighteen-month period, the centre has engaged in a series of outside broadcasts called, “Community Link-Up”, designed to create an environment in which residents of inner-city communities can form alliances and friendships despite garrison political boundaries.
Residents were given the opportunity to express their fears, thoughts, opinions and suggestions relating to crime and violence alleviation in their communities.
Broadcast content as well as content accessed via the Internet, focused on other areas such as history of the community, outstanding community news makers or contributors of the past, community success stories, entrepreneurs contributing to the economic development of the community, employment, skills training and development, sports among other topics decided on by community residents.
The Roots/ZincLink multimedia centre also exists as part of the Mustard Seed Communities, a broader organization, which focuses on providing a home or a sense of belonging to the homeless, disabled, abandoned children, teenage mothers searching for help and unsupervised youth in the communities.
The multimedia centre has provided a hub of activities for these groups and has become the voice of love and social healing to the wider crime prone communities.
“…As the guns bark and the once crowded streets, lanes and corners become desolate, shaken families draw close to their radios… ROOTS FM tells the story … a familiar voice calls for peace… residents are mobilised to reclaim their communities… Through the radio and the Internet those from the upper echelon of society are encouraged to come and see the light that shines at the Mustard Seed Communities and to contribute to the healing of a people through purchase of pottery and other form of craft items designed at the computer lab and produced by community members…”
“Community Link-Up”, Phase 1, began in April 2005 with support from UNESCO. Initially, broadcasts were conducted on a weekly basis. Communities were selected based on levels of crime, community development and other social intervention activities as well as levels of physical and infrastructural development.
The most severe cases were targeted. During the first period, twenty-one communities were visited and showcased. In Phase 2, 10 other communities were targeted.
There are over 200 inner-city communities in Jamaica. Roots FM/ZincLink is the only CMC that operates in the heart of several of these crime-prone communities. This CMC gives voice to the marginalised in these communities and serve as a valued medium for non-partisan mediators to assist with the conflict within these communities.
UNESCO is partnering with ROOTS FM to utilise these experiences and strategies developed by each community as means of highlighting innovations and approaches for media and crime reduction, which may be considered for regional application.
Residents were given the opportunity to express their fears, thoughts, opinions and suggestions relating to crime and violence alleviation in their communities.
Broadcast content as well as content accessed via the Internet, focused on other areas such as history of the community, outstanding community news makers or contributors of the past, community success stories, entrepreneurs contributing to the economic development of the community, employment, skills training and development, sports among other topics decided on by community residents.
The Roots/ZincLink multimedia centre also exists as part of the Mustard Seed Communities, a broader organization, which focuses on providing a home or a sense of belonging to the homeless, disabled, abandoned children, teenage mothers searching for help and unsupervised youth in the communities.
The multimedia centre has provided a hub of activities for these groups and has become the voice of love and social healing to the wider crime prone communities.
“…As the guns bark and the once crowded streets, lanes and corners become desolate, shaken families draw close to their radios… ROOTS FM tells the story … a familiar voice calls for peace… residents are mobilised to reclaim their communities… Through the radio and the Internet those from the upper echelon of society are encouraged to come and see the light that shines at the Mustard Seed Communities and to contribute to the healing of a people through purchase of pottery and other form of craft items designed at the computer lab and produced by community members…”
“Community Link-Up”, Phase 1, began in April 2005 with support from UNESCO. Initially, broadcasts were conducted on a weekly basis. Communities were selected based on levels of crime, community development and other social intervention activities as well as levels of physical and infrastructural development.
The most severe cases were targeted. During the first period, twenty-one communities were visited and showcased. In Phase 2, 10 other communities were targeted.
There are over 200 inner-city communities in Jamaica. Roots FM/ZincLink is the only CMC that operates in the heart of several of these crime-prone communities. This CMC gives voice to the marginalised in these communities and serve as a valued medium for non-partisan mediators to assist with the conflict within these communities.
UNESCO is partnering with ROOTS FM to utilise these experiences and strategies developed by each community as means of highlighting innovations and approaches for media and crime reduction, which may be considered for regional application.
Related themes/countries
· Jamaica
· 2006
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Contact information
- UNESCO
Source
- UNESCO Office for the Caribbean
Field office