Words by Eirlys Passey, Head of Project and Implementation, Network Services and EMI
“On 30 April, I took part on the Project Management Day of Service (PMDoS)® organised by Wellingtone and held at the Microsoft Reactor London.
PMDoS® started in 2014 thanks to an organisation called PM4Change. The first event was held in the Washington DC area by a group of 40 project managers interested in civic engagement while furthering the Project Management profession. Driven by an all-volunteer PMO, this event has since been replicated in several US cities and London and is dedicated to offering pro-bono consulting services to registered charities. The objective is that the charities take back something tangible that they can implement or work with to move their organisation forward.
I worked with the JAGS Foundation. JAGS is a Croydon-based organisation which seeks to reduce and eliminate violent crime among south London’s youngsters. Tracey Ford, the founder and director of JAGS Foundation, is a truly inspirational woman. The charity was set up in 2010 and is named after Tracey’s son, James Andre Godfrey Smartt-Ford, who, at the age of 17, was shot and killed while at his friend’s ice-skating party. No one has ever been arrested for his murder. Tracey decided she needed to do something to stop the culture of youth violence by speaking out on the issue.
JAGS provides vital bereavement support to families and friends affected by youth murder and has delivered youth awareness programmes in partnership with a number of schools and organisations, including local community organisations to raise awareness of the devastation and consequences caused by youth on youth violence. In addition, JAGS has set up a young women and girls programme designed to lead change through creative arts and social action projects.
Though the time went far too quickly, Tracey and I covered as many of Tracey’s topics as possible and I finished the day really happy to have met Tracey and hopefully having helped such an essential charity.
JAGS relies on volunteers and donations to help them survive. If anyone is interested in finding out more about JAGS or understanding how they can help, please visit their website: https://www.jagsfoundation.org/”