Promotion of Employment as a Cross Cutting Concern of Social Policies “Livelihood Creation for...
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Transcript of Promotion of Employment as a Cross Cutting Concern of Social Policies “Livelihood Creation for...
Promotion of Employment as a Cross Cutting Concern of Social
Policies
“Livelihood Creation for Women Made Redundant by the Closure of the Sugar
Industry in St. Kitts and Nevis
Presented by Ian M Liburd
Background
• 350 year old industry • Shaped economic
and social landscape• High production
costs, decline in contribution to GDP and loss of preferential markets over the years
• Closed in July 2005
Life after sugar?
• 1,200 workers made redundant including 330 women
• 81% of women employed in field operation
• Women unskilled and lacked certification
• One year later only 25% of women re-employed
Retraining and Retooling
• Persons interested in hospitality, construction, vehicle maintenance and agriculture
• Training must reflect workers interests
• Training should be based on market needs
• Necessary to create opportunities for self-employment and micro enterprise
The manufacturing of school uniforms and industrial
uniforms for the tourism sector
• Assistance from the Caribbean Development Bank
• Target 15 women from St. Pauls• Participants attended work/study attachment in
St. Vincent and the Grenadines• Group started own business and now provide uniforms for government’s school uniform assistance programme
Livelihood Creation
• 30 women from sugar belt
• Training in upholstery and tiling
• Not many skilled in upholstery
• Burgeoning construction industry
Life Skills
• Numeracy and Literacy
• Self Esteem• Effective
Communication• Parenting Skills• Relationship Skills• Good Business
Practices
• Entrepreneurship• Decision making, • Professionalism• Marketing • Ethical Standards• Budgeting and
Record Keeping• Customer Service
Positive Feedback
• “Things I did not understand I was able to understand and now I will be able to do my own business”
• “It was an eye opener for me”• “I was doing a lot of things wrong, now I
know a little better”• “I learned that business planning and
record keeping can tell me what is selling and who is buying”
Contributing Factors of Success
• Effective partnership
• Marketing
• Constant motivation
• Built in quality control and additional opportunities
• Monitoring and evaluation
Effective Partnerships
• OAS and CDB for funding
• National Skills Training Programme
• Small Enterprise Development Unit
• Contractors’ Association
• The Community
• The Media
Marketing• Coverage on media
• Exhibitions
• Celebration Party after tiling was finished
• Sale of items at regional football tournament
Quality Control
• Facilitators to offer quality control services
• Apprenticeships
• Additional training
Monitoring and Evaluation
• Engagement of Project Coordinator
• Department will follow progress of women
Conclusion
• Number of women exposed to new skills that are used to reduce their poverty and improve their standard of living
• Women are more empowered and now accept that there is life without sugar
• Formation of lasting relationships which they can rely on for future advancement.
• Creation of employment (inclusive of self-employment)
• Provision of income generating capacity