Dear Partners,

The Best Practice Symposium has been rescheduled to the latter part of January 2026 to allow stakeholders the time to refocus and participate meaningfully, in light of the ongoing recovery efforts following the impact of Hurricane Melissa on October 28 and 29.

The Symposium’s programme will be thoughtfully revisited to reflect the current national realities and to honour the evolving context of reintegration for IRMs and ex-offenders in the post-Melissa landscape.

We remain committed to staying in close touch and walking this journey together.

Let us continue to uplift one another.

Yours sincerely, Best Practice Symposium

bestpractice@pioj.gov.jm  

Reintegration of involuntary returned migrants and formerly incarcerated persons  the focus of the 10th annual best practice symposium

KINGSTON, JAMAICA – 6 October 2025 – The 10th staging of the Best Practice Symposium for Social and Community Development will focus on best practices in the critical issue of reintegration for involuntary returned migrants and formerly incarcerated persons.

Theme and Dates

The theme “Reintegration for Sustainable Community Development: Bridging Gaps, Building Futures,” The aim is to thoroughly examine the current situation, explore viable solutions from local and international best practices, and chart a clear way forward for national development.

Speakers

The event will feature an address highlighting official policies of the Government of Jamaica and  highlight best practices from regional countries that have low recidivism rates and also those offering pre-deportation support for involuntarily returned migrants.

There will be powerful testimonies from ex-offenders and returnees who will share personal experiences of the reintegration process.

The public can follow all the presentations live on the PIOJ YouTube channel @ThePIOJ. The full agenda for the symposium is available on the front page of the PIOJ website: www.pioj.gov.jm.

Partner agencies are the Planning Institute of Jamaica Community Renewal Programme, Caribbean Development Bank, Ministry of National Security and Peace, Inter-American Development Bank, Jamaica Social Investment Fund, Department of Correctional Services, HEART NSTA Trust and the Social Development Commission.

The Best Practice Symposium is an annual event staged by development partners to maximise the impact of interventions by promoting collaboration. END