Winners of the FoBBIZ prize 2017
During a ceremony on May 02, 2017 the first two winners of the FoBBIZ prize were announced. Both awarded projects are successful examples for innovative and sustainable approaches in the development cooperation for vocational skills development. Besides the recognition of their work, the winning projects will receive 5000 respectively 3000 Swiss francs for further investments. The five members of the jury stated unanimously that the competition for the prize was strong. The projects are awarded for distinctive qualities. One project is mainly focussed on the specific needs of professional education in a regional tourism sector a certain region, whereas the other project follows a broader approach to enable adolescents to live a self-reliant life. With its decision to award to projects with distinct approaches, the jury underlines the fact that a careful situation analysis automatically leads to different designs of VSD projects.
About the Project
Southern Laos has a great potential for tourism industry. Surveys conducted by Swisscontact (since 2013) have revealed that service quality in smaller and medium-sized hotels, restaurants and guesthouses does not meet the expectations. This hinders the further development, especially of SME in the tourism sector.
Swisscontact Laos addressed this issue and helped to create in close collaboration with relevant private and public actors a training market in Southern Laos for the workforce of the lowest level of the skills pyramid, which is normally not addressed by standard vocational education programmes.
Since March 2014 a total of 300 households have profited from the training program. 60% of all registered SMEs have sent at least one of their staff members to trainings and 90% of SMEs have mentioned that they perceive a clear improvement of staff performance after the training.
In addition, the paying membership base of the tourism sector association has increased dramatically and the association is now able to employ a fully paid staff member for secretariat services who can coordinate demand and supply of trainings.
Statements of the jury
The project has a clear and reasonable geographic and thematic focus that takes the economic environment, the institutions and the specific needs of the target groups into account. All relevant actors participated since the early planing phase in the project. The jury honoured this bottom-up approach specifically.
Furthermore, the project follows an innovative approach regarding the organizational design of the courses since training sessions are not tied to a specific location.
The courses are open for both, the people entering the labour market and those already working in the tourism sectors (including owners of small and medium-sized hotels and guesthouses). Therefore, it is guaranteed that the programme reaches the people which can capitalise the most on the trainings.
Links
Photos courtesy of Swisscontact
About the Project
The vocational training centre, run by a Salesian order, is part of bigger a programme that compromises 17 institutions that are, inter alia, dedicated to vocational training, child care, youth social work and probationary services for adolescents.
Precisely, the programme is awarded for its «Centro de Desenvolvimento Social e Produtivo Dom Bosco» (CEDESP). The centre provides general and vocational education for socially deprived adolescents. Besides the teaching of general and professional knowledge, soft skills like individual responsibility and self-reliance are of high importance in the curricula.
The broad educational approach of the centre helps the young women and men to become skilled professionals with good labour market prospects, whether as self-employed entrepreneur or employee.
Statements of the jury
The curricula consist of complementary modules and is clearly focussed on the target group. Some aspects of the Swiss VET systems, like a close cooperation with companies, are adopted where if it makes sense. The inclusion of employers and families fosters the positive and sustainable development of the participants.
Besides this, the jury especially honours the long lasting engagement of Don Bosco in a complex and often hostile environment.
Links
Photos courtesy of Salesianer Don Boscos
