In a monumental move to foster inclusivity and equip over 3,000 Jamaicans with vital digital skills, N.C.B Foundation, in collaboration with Internet Income Jamaica, announced a $30 million renewal of its Level Up programme for 2023.

 Revealed during a launch event held at the NCB Atrium in Kingston, this year’s programme will notably expand its reach to include persons with disabilities and those who have been previously incarcerated. Launched in 2020 during the pandemic, the programme is focused on empowering unemployed and underemployed Jamaicans with digital skills to enable them to enhance their ability to earn. 

Thalia Lyn, Chairperson of the N.C.B. Foundation, remarked: “Our goal is to empower every Jamaican, irrespective of their background or challenges, to adapt successfully to our fast-evolving job market. We are committed to including those who have not had the opportunity to attend university. Everyone deserves the chance to learn, earn, and contribute meaningfully to society.”

Impact of ‘Levelling-Up’

Among the attendees sharing their experiences was Shally Hall, a teenaged mother of two at 16 who is now a flourishing entrepreneur. After being exposed to the programme, Hall started a virtual assistant business that has provided employment for her family members and friends. The 2020 Level Up participant gave a powerful testimony at the launch, stating that the programme has changed her life. “I went from having little knowledge about the digital world to running a successful online business, where I even had up to eight staff members at one point in time. After what I have been through in my life, I never imagined that this would have been me. But here I am today inspiring my children and providing employment for others.”

Like Hall, Kemar Thomas said that Level Up gave him a second chance after being incarcerated. “One of the most important things that I’ve gotten from this programme is confidence. Level Up taught me that no matter what your circumstances are, you can turn your life around, once you get a little support and people who believe in you and push you.” Thomas now earns a living online through “body doubling,” a skill used to assist individuals who have Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Expanded for Inclusivity

Lorette Lyttle, Co-founder of Internet Income Jamaica (IIJ), shared, “The Level Up programme does not discriminate, it empowers. We’re so grateful to the N.C.B. Foundation for partnering with us on an initiative that continues to give so many Jamaicans a second chance to do something meaningful.”

Dr. Christine Hendricks, Executive Director of the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities, added, “I am grateful that at this point in time, the N.C.B. Foundation has chosen to invest in the lives of Jamaicans, especially as persons search for a second income or just a means to earn. Persons with disabilities have long been at the back of so many things, but digital technologies have levelled the playing field, because they offer so many aids for persons with disabilities. I know persons with disabilities who participate in Level Up will be the better for it, and I look forward to seeing them excel.”

Level Up forms part of the N.C.B. Foundation’s $100M+ investment in education this year, which includes its annual scholarships for students pursuing digital studies at the tertiary level, as well as grants for students at all levels. To apply visit www.ncbscholarships.com/level-up/. Applications close on October 14, 2023.