OVER 20 community leaders and innovators gathered at the Robeson Center, United States (US) Embassy in Kingston, for the Blueprint for Strategic Impact: Impact Planning Workshop, hosted by NexxStepp Lifelong Educational Services mid-February. During the half-day event, participants engaged with actionable strategies designed to spark sustainable change across communities in Jamaica.

In his opening address, Charles Clatanoff, economic and commercial officer at the embassy, urged the group to seize the opportunity to refine their impact plans, ensuring more Jamaicans can realise their full potential.

“At the US Embassy, we remain committed to partnering with Jamaica to create opportunities for advancement and collaboration through initiatives like Blueprint for Impact which support entrepreneurship and innovation. Our aim is to empower individuals to transform ambitions into impact. Empowering up and coming leaders…helps us make America, Jamaica, and the world stronger, safer, and more prosperous,” he remarked.

The initiative, which was spearheaded by Tishauna Mullings, executive director of NexxStepp Lifelong Educational Services, is driven by her passion for empowering communities and her love for people. Mullings designed the Blueprint for Impact programme to equip changemakers with the right tools to develop and execute transformative plans that impact lives, build stronger communities, reduce poverty rates, and increase Jamaicans’ capacity to earn and live more enriched lives.

“Love is action. Love is showing up for your community. Love is ensuring that the work we do today continues to have an impact tomorrow”, she asserted.

Mullings explained that this session was not about feeling inspired but moving the needle from inspiration to execution.

“The workshop served as a high-level, cross-industry incubator in response to a nation facing persistent socio-economic challenges,” Mullings explained.

With approximately 20 per cent of Jamaican youth unemployed and the International Labour Organization projecting a global youth unemployment rate of 14.9 per cent, corporate executives, social entrepreneurs, and policy leaders collaborated to co-create solutions for Jamaica’s most pressing issues. Participants departed with customised Impact Blueprints, structured using Theory of Change principles to bridge the gap between innovative ideas and real-world transformation.

Krystal Tomlinson, CEO of Success Farm Life Academy, noted that the session provided newfound clarity in her strategic planning process.

“Participating in this session provided me with a fresh sense of clarity, with a deep dive into my business’s strategic planning process and milestone,” said Tomlinson.

Similarly, media practitioner and communications consultant Alanna Leslie expressed that the workshop empowered her to activate her plans for establishing holistic community spaces, emphasising the genuine support and shared passion among attendees.

“Attending the Blueprint for Impact Session was empowering. I came away with a higher sense of value in relation to the viability of my ideas for creating change and contributing to national development. It was a group of love and support, and you could feel the excitement among the attendees. You could feel the anticipation of everyone who was seated in that room,” shared Leslie.

The session embraced the theme of love as a catalyst for action. Participants were invited to dream big and love their communities enough to create tangible change. Emphasising that impact cannot be seasonal but sustainable, Mullings concluded, “The true legacy of love is measured in the change we create.”

NexxStepp Lifelong Educational Services will continue to work with the attendees, tracking progress, fostering collaborations, and providing ongoing resources to ensure these blueprints transform into lasting community improvements.