Pave Centre Usa Inc

PAVE Centre’s story began through mission trips organized by Kendall United Methodist Church in Pinecrest, Florida. During these visits to Portland, Jamaica, participants saw firsthand the limited educational and employment opportunities available to many young people. What began as a mission-driven effort to serve the community grew into a long-term commitment to help Jamaican youth develop the skills, confidence, and opportunities needed to become economically independent. In 2018, that commitment led to the establishment of the Portland Arts & Vocational Education Centre (PAVE Centre).

Today, PAVE Centre is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the social and economic empowerment of at-risk and underserved youth in Jamaica. PAVE prepares young adults for meaningful employment, entrepreneurship, and long-term stability through education, vocational training, mentorship, and real-world experience.

PAVE’s approach addresses the whole person—not only the vocation. Every program follows a four-phase model consisting of Math and Reading Enhancement, Self-Worth Development, Vocational Training, and Life Skills and Job Readiness. This model helps students strengthen their academic foundation, build confidence, learn practical skills, and prepare for the responsibilities and expectations of the workplace.

PAVE offers 16-week programs in City & Guilds English and Reading, Kitchen Cook, Lifeguard, Poultry and Tractor Entrepreneurship, and Restaurant Server. Students receive a combination of classroom instruction, hands-on training, mentorship, personal development, and workplace preparation. Through partnerships with educational institutions, businesses, and industry professionals, students also gain access to certifications, practical experience, employment opportunities, and pathways to further education.

PAVE operates two campuses in Portland, Jamaica. The Folly campus supports academic, vocational, and personal-development programs, while the Winnifred campus expands PAVE’s work in agriculture, poultry production, tractor operation, entrepreneurship, hospitality, and community food production.

Since 2018, PAVE Centre has served more than 450 graduates, with approximately 75% moving into employment, entrepreneurship, or continued education. Its work benefits not only students but also their families and communities by developing a skilled workforce, encouraging self-sufficiency, supporting local businesses, and creating sustainable economic opportunities.

PAVE’s Miami office is located at Kendall United Methodist Church in Pinecrest—the same community from which the original mission trips began. The Miami office leads PAVE’s fundraising, donor relations, and community-engagement efforts in the United States, working closely with the Jamaican diaspora, South Florida businesses, churches, volunteers, and individual supporters.

A major part of these efforts is PAVE’s annual Light the Way Gala, which will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the Coral Gables Golf & Country Club. The Gala brings together supporters from across South Florida and the Jamaican diaspora to celebrate PAVE’s students and raise essential funds for the organization’s operational expenses and continued growth.

Funds raised through Give Miami Day and the Light the Way Gala help cover instructor support, training materials, student transportation and meals, certifications, campus operations, agricultural resources, and practical learning opportunities. By supporting PAVE Centre, donors help young people build self-worth, achieve economic independence, and create lasting change for themselves, their families, and their communities.