Corporate Outreach

Local

Victoria Mutual continues to maintain its sponsorship of a number of activities that not only generate national appeal and pride, but continue to have a significant impact on youth and community development, the promotion of character building, family life and, by extension, social stability.

National Leadership Prayer Breakfast    

Since 1985, Victoria Mutual has been supporting the initiative of the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast (NLPB) Committee to foster greater unity in the nation, particularly among the nation's leaders, at all levels. Each year, leading up to the Breakfast, the NLPB Committee, along with representatives from Victoria Mutual, make courtesy calls to some of Jamaica's leaders.

Under the theme "Building on the Right Foundation" the NLPB brought together 450 of our nation's leaders for prayer and fellowship, this year. In addition, the NLPB Committee invited citizens to participate in a Prayer Blitz by uniting in prayer each day leading up to the event on specific areas of need within the society. The free will offering collected at the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast goes towards a named charity each year. This year's offerings were donated to the Build Jamaica Foundation to assist this organization in various projects.

VMBS Under-13 Football Competition

Victoria Mutual is pleased to have been given the opportunity to influence a wide cross section of Jamaica’s youths through The VMBS St. James Under-13 Football Competition. Since the development of this programme in 1990, the Society has witnessed the positive impact of this competition on the young boys who participate each year. We realise how much they look forward to the event when we see the look of pride as they parade in their team colours.

Many of the boys have moved on to use their enhanced talent and skills to represent their country, but most take away the values of discipline, teamwork, fair play and commitment, which is encouraged throughout the competition. Last year, 22 schools, including primary and all age, competed in the competition. We believe in and will continue to promote the importance of participation in sporting activity, and its potential for shaping the behaviour of our young people.

VMBS Marriage and the Family Series

VMBS is not only concerned with the physical housing structures, but also in honing healthy families with values that sustain happy homes. It is against this background, that over the last 20 years, Victoria Mutual has invited psychologists, counsellors and other professionals to discuss issues concerning marital relationships and family life.

The seminars are usually informative, interactive, as well as stimulating, and patrons benefit from professional advice free of cost. In addition, each evening, they are treated to a mini entertainment package and exposition. We invite the public to join us each year, throughout the month of June, to engage in enlightening discussions on various topics.

Better Family Life Programme

This Programme, which started out as a joint initiative between the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) and VMBS, encourages effective parenting, marriage and relationship skills through training videos, workbooks and workshops. Churches, schools and community-based groups are targeted in an effort to strengthen the moral values in our society.

Boys’ and Girls’ Championships

We are particularly proud of what we were able to achieve and contribute to our nation’s youth through sponsorship of the Boys’ and Girls’ Championships for 14 years. During this period, we gave many young athletes the opportunity to showcase their talents and skills, and to take advantage of the financial assistance that was provided by the organisation through scholarships, awards and grants. 

Scholarship Programme

Many Jamaicans, have benefited and will continue to benefit from our Scholarships and Grants Programme. Scholarships and grants are awarded annually to GSAT students, students pursuing tertiary studies and teachers who have the desire to upgrade their skills in order to serve our children better.

VMBS Teachers’ Scholarship

The VMBS Teachers’ Scholarship Programme was initiated as a result of our commitment to education in general, and to our Teachers, in particular. We especially wanted to assist those who had the drive and passion for moulding young minds and are committed to this important role that they play in our society. This initiative is extremely important to us and we are very pleased that since we started this Programme 19 years ago, we have been able to award ninety-six scholarships to our nation’s teachers.

Teachers who are members of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association may apply for this Scholarship in order to pursue final year studies at a local tertiary institution. Each year, six teachers are awarded, who are expected to continue teaching for two years (upon completion of the course).

VMBS GSAT and Junior Plan “Head-Start” Scholarships

The aim of these Scholarships is to reward the achievement of the young savers in our School’s Savings Programme, as well as our Junior Plan savers, by offering a helping hand in funding their next step towards higher education. These savers would have successfully completed their GSAT Exams.

For the GSAT Scholarship, the top-performing candidate at each participating school would receive assistance in purchasing books, uniforms and/or payment of tuition fees for the first year of high school. The overall top performing boy and girl also receive an additional cash prize, as well as the school and teachers of these top performers.

While the Junior Plan Scholarship is awarded to the overall top performer and active VMBS Junior Plan saver in each county. The three savers should be on the School Savers Programme or hold Junior Plan accounts, to qualify for the Junior Plan Scholarship.

In addition to cash prizes, each child is awarded a VMBS trophy. VMBS currently has approximately 80 schools in its School Savings Programme, including primary, all-age and high schools. These schools are dispersed across the island and every VMBS branch has at least one school that is eligible for the scholarship. Students, who are awarded Junior Plan Scholarships, are not eligible for the VMBS GSAT Scholarships and vice versa.

Master Plan and Future Plan “Head-Start” Scholarships

All our savers who have been accepted to local tertiary institutions are given the opportunity to access financial assistance through these Scholarships. Both Scholarships are payable over three years or the duration of the course (whichever is less). Only one student is awarded the Master Plan Scholarship each year, while three scholarships are awarded to the top performer in each county through the Future Plan Scholarships. 

Business Developer “Head-Start” Grant

For our savers who have the entrepreneurial spirit, we offer this Grant. This programme, which is monitored by the United Way of Jamaica, gives our savers the opportunity to earn a steady income by making their small business ideas a reality. Business ideas do not have to be grand to be considered. This award (grant) stands in lieu of the “Head-Start” academic scholarships that other savers may have qualified for based on their scholastic achievements. VMBS would want to encourage and support savers who may not be scholastic but are very entrepreneurial. 

International

Victoria Mutual continues to provide financial assistance and human resources to support initiatives from which members of the Jamaican Diaspora can benefit.

Soccerfest

This event, which brings together Jamaican Alumnae in Canada each year for friendly soccer matches, has become one of our premier overseas sponsorships. It gives us an opportunity to bond with our clients within the communities and to offer our support to what has become a fun filled family day for Caribbean Nationals.

VM Caribbean Challenge (Cricket) Cup Competition

The Victoria Mutual Caribbean Challenge (Cricket) Cup Competition has been an important avenue through which we, at VMBS, have been able to stay in touch with our valued customers and friends in the UK. We are also aware that in sponsoring this competition, we are playing an important role in providing opportunities for training and developing the skills of West Indian players who have a passion for the sport. Victoria Mutual is pleased that many who have aspirations of playing a major rolein the future of West Indian Cricketregard their participation in this competition as a step towards achieving that goal. Equally, we are happy that even those who may never be able to play for the elite West Indies Team can demonstrate their love of the game through their involvement in this Competition.

Penn Relays 

As the main sponsor of the Boys’ and Girls’ Championships for 14 years, VMBS thought it was particularly important and that it was a natural fit to support the Jamaican athletes at the Penn Relays. After all, our primary purpose for doing the sponsorship was to create opportunities for our youths to practise their athletic skills and develop the confidence in order to compete well at the highest international levels. Held after the Championships each year, the Penn Relays represents the first “world stage” opportunity for which we prepared our Jamaican youngsters participating in the Boys’ and Girls’ Championships.

As a result of all our local and international efforts, we have been publicly recognized locally and internationally for our distinguished record in corporate responsibility by several organizations. These include the United Way of Jamaica, Team Jamaica Bickle, the National Association of Jamaican Supportive Organizations (NAJASO), the City Council of New York and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce.