1253 Professional Training for Marginalised Youth in the Southern Philippines
austraLasia 1253
Professional Training for Marginalised Youth in the
Southern Philippines Notes from a formal report to funding body
CEBU: 20th September 2005 -- It is good to receive a
little news from Cebu, and this time an outstanding example of what can
happen when as many as twelve Salesian activities on behalf of
marginalised young people all pull together to carry out a project well
capable of attracting the necessary funds: we are speaking of a
dozen vocational training centres run by the Salesians in the Cebu
(FIS) province and supported with funds from the EU-based Katholische
Zentralstelle fũr Entwicklungshilfe.
The project is managed centrally by a Project
Implementation Unit based at the Don Bosco Technology Centre in Cebu
City. Currently this PIU is managing improvement of quality
training standards and overseeing implementation of training and
production activities of eight Technology Centres across the Visayas
Islands and Mindanao.
There are clear indicators of success to date in
labour-market orientation and in micro-enterprise development.
The vocational training centres have 3020 trainees registered and the
drop out rate has decreased from 20% to 16% in the past year. 7.8% of
the total number of graduates are represented by the former inmates of
the Don Bosco Rehabilitation Centre. To improve traceability and
employability of former inmates, previously regarded as 'out of sight'
following their release, DBRC is discussing the establishment of a
jointly accredited training certificate with the Bureau of Jail
Management and Penology, and the Department of Social Welfare and
Development.
It has been estimated that graduates from the
Cebu-based Training Centres have contributed on average to an increase
of family income in the order of 115%. In the case of the rural
Training Centres, the figure is as high as 230%! There has been
an increase in application for training positions by females, which has
brought about a shift in Salesian thinking in the area, given that
previous activities have all been directed towards boys.
The Salesians have made it clear to their funding
partners that they will be continuing their efforts well beyond the
funding period and this has brought recognition from the EU funding
partners that the project is praiseworthy for its sustainability.
austraLasia hopes to obtain some more information
directly from some of the communities involved in the porject.
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