Many volunteer programs in Jamaica come as ready made travel packages. Ours is simpler. Friends of Jamaica is a small nonprofit tennis academy in Montego Bay, and our volunteers work side by side with our coaches and the children we serve.
Every Saturday our courts fill up with kids from some of the toughest neighborhoods in Montego Bay, including Flanker, Norwood, Mount Zion, Glendevon, Salt Spring and Bottom Pen. Tennis is how we start. Around it we build tutoring, mentorship, meals and transportation, so children have a safe place to learn and a reason to keep showing up.
Whether you have a few days in Montego Bay, a few weeks to give, or a few hours a week at home, there is a real role for you here. This guide covers the ways to volunteer, how to plan a trip and how to apply.
We match volunteers to what they are good at and the time they have. These are the roles we need most.
Help our coaches run drills, feed balls, keep groups moving and cheer kids on through their first rallies. You do not need to be a teaching pro. If you play regularly, enjoy kids and can follow a coach's lead, you will be useful from day one. Club players, college players and retired players are all welcome.
Tennis brings kids in, and school is what widens their options. Tutors help with reading, writing, math and homework, and help students get ready for exams like Jamaica's Primary Exit Profile (PEP). Teachers, education students and anyone patient with young readers can make a big difference here.
For a child growing up in a tough neighborhood, one steady adult who asks about school, goals and dreams can change a lot. Mentors listen, talk about what their own work and life look like, and show up consistently. Mentoring works best over time, so it suits volunteers who can come back more than once.
You do not have to travel to help. Our small team needs people who can work from home a few hours a week:
This role suits people with marketing, communications or office experience, and students who want real nonprofit work on their resume.
We also hold fundraising events in the United States. Volunteers help with check in, the raffle, silent auction items and sponsor outreach at events like Jamaica Night, our fundraising Pro-Am at Longfellow Tennis Club in Wayland, Massachusetts, on April 2, 2027.
A little planning goes a long way. A few tips from our team:
We keep things personal. After you apply, someone from our team will reach out by email to learn more about you, talk through dates and agree on a role. Because you will be working with children, we get to know every volunteer before they join a session, and we ask all volunteers to follow our coaches' guidance on the court and in the classroom.
Volunteering with us is not a tour. You will see the real Montego Bay, meet families who care deeply about their kids, and leave knowing exactly what your time made possible.
Prefer to support in another way? You can also sponsor a child or make a donation that helps fund coaching, tutoring and meals.
Tell us a little about yourself, the role that interests you and your dates. We reply by email.
Not for every role. Coaching assistants should be comfortable on a court, but tutors, mentors and remote volunteers do not need to play at all.
Yes. Our admin and social media volunteers work from home a few hours a week, helping with posts, writing, event promotion and organization. Choose Administration or Social Media in the application.
Volunteers who come to Montego Bay arrange and pay for their own flights, accommodation and travel insurance. Please apply and confirm your dates with us before you book.
Tell us your dates in the application and we will see what fits our session schedule. Some roles, like mentoring, work best for volunteers who can come back more than once.
Yes, and it helps a lot. Racquets, balls, tennis shoes and school supplies are always useful. See our Donate Equipment page for what we need most.
Our program is based in Mount Zion, Rose Hall, in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and serves children from nearby neighborhoods.