Government TVET Sector Strengthening Program PO Box 528 , T: (678) 37933 F: (678) 37561

Mr Joel Path Secretary General

13 May 2011

TVET PROGRAM SANMA UPDATE – APRIL 2011

Secretary General,

Please find below a brief report on key activity undertaken by the TVET Sector Strengthening Program to improve the quality of, and access to, training delivery in SANMA Province in support of provincial development for the month of April.

1. Employment and Training Fund (ETF) Training

 From 4-8 April a “Retail Business Management” training was conducted by the Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) at the Mothers Union training center in Luganville. Participants had previously undertaken the “General Business Management” training coordinated by the TVET Centre last year and, at the end of this month, will go on to take part trainings in “Quality Management” and “Human Resource Management”. In this way, participants will be able complete the full nationally-recognised Business Management qualification. For many trainees, this will be the first formal educational qualification that they have ever received. 19 individuals, all of whom have existing small businesses, attended the training and came from diverse areas across the province – West Coast, North West Santo, Big Bay, Malo and Luganville.

1 2. Business Development Services (BDS)

 The official launch of the Sanma Tourism Coaching Program with local tourism operators took place on 26 April in Luganville. The TVET Program was appreciative of your presence at this event and the inspirational words that you shared with participants. This was followed by the first two workshops in the program, focusing on current tourism activity in Vanuatu and tourist expectations. Participants then took part in individual coaching activities over subsequent days. The 19 participants in the coaching program have existing or start-up tourism operations and are excited to be supported in the development of their small businesses to build the success of the sector in Samma. Participants come from across the province, including Luganville, Port Orly, Hog Harbour, Champagne Beach, Nauneban, Big Bay and Malo.

 The ongoing joint TVET Centre-Youth Challenge Redi Blong Bisnis program continued from 26-29 April with the first group seminar and individual coaching meetings with program participants to ascertain progress on business establishment. Already 10 of the 12 participants have commenced their businesses following the training that took place in March. Next month, the BDS Officer and Youth Challenge Business Counselor will conduct site visits to each small business and undertake the first formal monitoring and evaluation of the projects.

 From 4-6 April, the TVET Centre, in partnership with the Department of Cooperatives, conducted a 3-day awareness program to community representatives in North West Santo on how to establish a Savings and Loans Scheme to assist with financial management in their remote communities. Following these information sessions, 8 communities expressed interest in setting up a scheme of this nature and organised management committees to initiate the

2 process. A 5-day workshop on Bookkeeping and Management for Savings and Loans was then conducted by the Department of Cooperatives. A follow-up activity will be undertaken next month to register interested groups as a Cooperative Society under the Cooperatives Act, as well as to provide mentoring and coaching support. A constructive working relationship was also established between the TVET Program and the Police Strengthening Program in the conduct of this activity as the latter provided all sea transport to enable access to these remote communities.

4. Capacity Building

 This month saw the commencement of the professional development program that the TVET Program has put in place in partnership with the Australian Pacific Technical College (APTC). TVET Centre management staff across the two provinces, as well as other key management stakeholders within the TVET sector, are being supported by the TVET Program to participate in this training initiative. Throughout the course, they will acquire critical skills for effective management and leadership, culminating in the award of the recognised Australian “Diploma of Management” qualification. The training program is made up of a number of modules focused on workplace effectiveness involving a combination of face-to- face training and on-the-job application. Key provincial TVET sector stakeholders are taking part in the Program, namely the Provincial Planner and the Provincial Training Board Chair.

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The TVET Centre staff have been working very hard to achieve these results and we look forward to seeing continued positive outcomes for the benefit of the people of SANMA province.

Sincerely,

Peter Morris Acting Team Leader, TVET Sector Strengthening Program

Cc: Sakaraia Daniel, SANMA Provincial Planner Jimmy Solomon, SANMA PTB Chair Joe Iautim, Director, Ministry of Youth Development, Sports and Training David Lambukly, CEO, VNTC Moulin Tabouti, SANMA TVET Centre Manager Fremden Shadrack, BDS Manager Christelle Thieffry, Senior Program Officer, AusAID

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