Caribbean Historic Centers Capacity Building Project designed to provide skills and self-employment training to unemployed
- Community development
- Employment
- Economic development
- Education
- Vulnerable populations
- Youth development
- Social enterprise
Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.
Vitali
Satanovski
Niagara International Children's Society
, ON
, CFU
More than 5 years
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Operating for more than 5 years
During 2008-2011, NICS performed assessments of National Heritage Sites in Cuba (in both the Physical and Managerial contexts),in which the problem was analysed, cause identified, relevant data collected, ideas generated and solutions selected in consultation with our Cuban Partners:
1. Problems Analysed: Cuba has rich Built Heritage, most of which are in desperate need of repair with practically no resources for restoration, rehabilitation and conservation. There is also a high number of unemployed youth, especially women;
2. Cause Identified: There is no structured skilled trades training, especially in Finishing Trades, such as plastering, painting, specialty finishing, wood and glass finishing in restoration context; These were identified not only as areas where there is a skills shortage, but as a skills gap;
3. Data Collected: In three years data was collected in skilled trades training deficiencies that included a lack of technical training, certification, and practical experience in construction trades, especially in specialty and decorative finishing;
4. Ideas Generated: Ideas were generated to use existing NICS curriculum and well defined and tested programming in Skilled Trades. This includes a range of programs from 1-day workshops in Specialty Finishing to 40-week full time programs, such as Painter & Decorator Pre-apprenticeship programs, including those targeting women and children from the age of 14;
5. Solutions Selected: The solution selected by NICS along with its Cuban Partners was to implement Finishing Skills Trades training programs.
We will measure our siccess by implementing our Canadian Human Development Model with 75% retention rate on Cuban soil per year:
1. Introductory workshops from 1 to 6 days; (1,000 participants)
2. Skills training programs from 4 weeks to 12 weeks; (100 participants)
3. gender-sensitive programs for women; (20 participants)
4. Self-employment programs; (20 participants)
5. Train-the-Trainer programs; (10 participants)
6. Supervisory programs; (10 participants)
7. Health & Safety training and certification;(150 participants)
8. 2 Construction/Restoration schools;
Moreover, we would like to develop network of self-employed workers with supportive structures, which will include financing facilities, material and equipment wholesele facilities etc.
Access new funders and partners.
101-1,000
1,001-10,000
At present we are negotiating with the Canadian International Development Agency to fund in part our project. We also negotiating with paint product manufacturers/suppliers to support our project through in-kind donations of tools and materials. We would like to increase our funders' base in order to provide training in all Cuban provinces and all Caribbean Nations. We are in the opinion, that at present Caribbean Nations competing over tourists' dollars, however Caribbean nations may participate in joint ventures, where tourist traveling from island to island and where urban tourism has an important role. This way economic development for the Caribbean communities will be sustainable, tourism strong and construction/restoration/renovations jobs permanent.
The Caribbean Historic Centres Capacity Building Project has been aligned with the Cuban community from its inception. Historian Offices across Cuba have been struggling to start Technical and Vocational schools in the Heritage skilled trades for a long time. A good example may be the Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos Workshop School in Havana. Using this school as an example, we may see the magnitude of Cuba’s need for skilled trades training, trainers, materials and equipment. The school in Havana had such a difficult time finding skilled trainers that they had to recruit 80-year old individuals to train youth. At the beginning of the project we will bring materials, tools, books, instructors etc. from Canada. At present we discussing possibilities with cuban government representatives to fund the training project through our social purpose enterprise, for excample, sell canadian construction materials (paint etc.) to Cuban government and finance training and restoration projects in the future. We also planning to increase funding from governments and from foundations.
NICS Project is based on clearly expressed local needs, which were discussed with Cuban Partners on numerous occasions and in different settings since 2002. As for today, NICS is in regular contact with the senior management of Historic sites (city historian offices) in both Matanzas and Cienfuegos.
We also have full support from Canadian Emabssy in Havana, developing partnership with the Canadian International Development Agency.
we also partnering with Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment and Training and Casa Loma in order to select and train Aboriginal Interns in Canada.
We also in good working relationships with Ukrainian training institutions in order to select and bring to Cuba well trained Ukrainian Interns.
We also in good working relationship with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades both in Canada and in US in order to provide us with skilled instructors if needed. All our partners are with NICS long time, some of them are our long-time funders, clients and supporters.
Letters of support and participation from our partners are available upon request.
Cuba is the destination of choice for our friends and family memebers - they support our project wholeheartedly.
Project also supported by numerous individuals, such as our employees, customers, suppliers etc.
Project is also supported by number of NGOs, such as Miziwe biik Aboriginal Employemnt and Training, Kiwanis Club of Casa Loma and other.
Project supported by Regional and National government representatives on Cuba and hopefully will be supported by Canadian International Development Agency and by funding of the government of Ontario, through Ontario Ministry of Culture program.
We also receiving in-kind donations from paint manufacturers and hope to receive support from them for our Cuban project.
At present time we are planning our project to be $2,500,000.00 for three years. In order to strengthen the project we will look for in-kind donations of tools and materials, volunteers (both local and canadian), and applying to additional funders.
At present time we did not develop any means of micro-finance for self-employed individuals. We have some ideas about food security of our future students, but we did not plan in detail involvement yet, such as, for example, portable bakery and/or clean water equipment. All this small (not expencive) sings will be crutial for the overall success of our project and will strengthen it big time.
For the last couple of years our Cuban project cost us in about $50,000.00 per year or less for the assessment and planning. At the same time we tested our programs in Canada and in Ukraine.
In order to significantly strengthen our project, we will need support of US funders, both private and governmental, including USAID - this way we may bring well trained professionals from US to help us with our programming and significantly support self-employment on Cuba in general. Hope it will be possible in the next three years.
Please select up to three in order of relevancy to your project.
PRIMARY
Lack of skills/training
Lack of efficiency
Restricted access to new markets
At present there are about 500,000 unemployed on Cuba and permited self-employment. However there is no skills available and no skills training in construction/restoration skilled trades and self-employement. Mesures, proclimed by Cuban government, are uneffective since there are no infrastructure in place, such as financial and material/equipment markets.
from another hand, restoration work may be performed only highly skilled professionals and/or trainees under supervision. Our project bringing significant number of work places in Heritage sectors of Cuban economy, multiplied by significantly increased numbers of jobs in tourism sector. As you may see, at present restoration/preservation markets are restricted because of skills gap. Will also improve access to finances and materials.
If yes, please check up to three potential pathways in order of relevancy to you.
PRIMARY
Grown geographic reach: Multi-country
Enhanced existing impact through addition of complementary services
Repurposed your model for other sectors/development needs
for the immediate future we are planning to bring materials, tools and programming in skilled trades to Cuba, which is significant growth comparable to our present assessment activities. Since our assessment of heritage properties is in physical an managerial context, our intended growth is well researched, planned and defined. In order to sustain the growth, we will need to implement significant number of complimentary services (bread baking, water cleaning etc.) and training programs (significantly increase Train-the-Trainer and Supervisory programs), which will be repurpose of our Canadian Human Development Model in completely different setting. Self-employment programs may be considered repurposing in Cuban setting comparably to Canadian setting.
Government, NGOs/Nonprofits, For profit companies, Academia/universities.
Through these collaborations NICS has constant stream of skills, expertise, funding, materials and equipment.
Through collaboration with Ontario Industrial and Finishing Skills Center and with Construction Safety Association of Ontario we have access to training materials etc., including materials on Spanish language.