The Lauriston and Thompson Pen Community 4-H Club isn't exactly large, but its members are on a mission to change Jamaica.

Of course, they've started small, but their plans are as lofty as they come. Shian Christie is a founding member of the club.

"We try to engage as many residents of the community as possible, especially the young people. We find that when young people are part of a service club, they tend to see themselves as part of a bigger picture," he said.

The club was started in 1997, bringing residents of Thompson Pen and Lauris-ton, neighbouring Spanish Town communities, together each Saturday to come up with ways to improve their own lives and the lives of other residents of the area.

"We want to engage members as much as is possible, so we bring in professionals like policemen, journalists and even politicians to come and speak with us on various topics," said Christie.

Saving the youth

On Saturdays, club members spend time together and are encouraged to become engaged in dance, drama, visual arts and music. The club will, at times, bring in experts to help with these lessons.

"We want to keep the young people off the streets and out of trouble, so we try to find fun things for them to focus on," Christie said.

The club has also held sessions on problem solving, agriculture and leadership training.

"We try to have a wide range of activities so everyone can find something to be involved with."

Small projects, big differences

The spin-off benefits to the community are many. So far, club members have initiated a plant propagation project, which saw members planting trees all across both communities, a drum-for-dump project, which involves acquiring drums to help keep the area clean, and the establishment of an annual Labour Day project.

"We also just go around and do work for those in the community who need assistance. We've painted buildings and cleaned people's yards," Christie said.

So the work of the Lauriston and Thompson Pen Community 4-H Club continues quietly in the privacy of the small middle-income neighbourhood. There's no national pronouncements of their work, nor any fanfare for their small but important achievements. But one thing is for sure: the members of that Spanish Town service club are, in their own right, models for all Jamaicans to follow.