On May 20, 25 first and second year students from Alpha Vocational Training Centre (AVTC), observed Labour Day by visiting and serving the residents of the Golden Age Home in Kingston, Jamaica. This home is the largest elderly care facility in Jamaica and houses more than 450 individuals.
The young men used their skills to serve the elderly community in a number of ways. This included the building and painting of benches by the carpentry students, the cutting of 20 residents’ hair by barbeing students, and musical performances by music students. This was a very meaningful experience for the residents who have limited interactions with young people.
This activity was meant to promote empathy, mercy and compassion among the young men towards other vulnerable groups in society. Going forward, AVTC plans to organise more social outreach activities for students both at the Golden Age Home and elsewhere. Due to the Home’s glowing feedback and requests for the return of the students, AVTC will allow its barbering students to return for a monthly trim of residents’ hair going forward. This is one of the many memorable and engaging ways in which the school promotes and instills the Mercy Core Values within its students.
