nuary 1,Technical 2016-March 3 1,Vocational 2017) Education and SubmissionTraining Date: April Strengthening 30, 2017 for At-Risk Contract No.: AID-OAA-I-15-00011 Order No. AID-524-TO-15-00001 Contract/Agreement Period: SeptemberYouth 25, 20 15 to September 24, 2019 COR: Alicia Slate (TVET SAY) SubmiProyectotted by: AprendoRose Mary Garcia, Chiy eEmprendof FY17 ofQ Partyuarter Creative 2 Report Associates International, (JanuaryInc. 1, Colonial 2016 Los-March Robles 3 1, 2017) #33 Submission Date: April 28, 2017 Managua, Nicaragua Contract No.: AID-OAA-I-15-00011 OTel:rder (505) No. AID8538-524 5003-T O-15-00001 Contract/Agreement Period: SeptemberEm 25,ail: 20RoseM15 toa [email protected] 24, 2019o m CO R: Alicia Slate Submi tted by: Rose Mary Garcia, Ph.D, Chief of Party Creative Associates International, Inc. Las Colinas, de la Gasolinera Puma 2c. al Este, edificio Cristal, Modulo D. Managua, Nicaragua Tel: (505) 8538 5003 Email: [email protected] Technical Vocational Education and Training Strengthening for At-Risk Youth (TVET SAY) In Spanish Proyecto Aprendo y Emprendo FY 2017 Second Quarter Report January 1, 2017 – March 31, 2017 2 Cover photo: Hearing-impaired students signing in celebration at a training hosted by TVET SAY (known as Aprendo y Emprendo in Spanish) for TVET and university instructors on how to work with hearing-impaired youth. The participant on the left is entering university for the first time at age 27. As a hearing-impaired student, she faces obstacles to completing her education but is determined to get a technical education and a career. Photo by Ms. Robleto. 3 Table of Contents ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................................................ 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... 7 REPORTING PROGRAM INDICATORS FY17 .................................................................................................... 8 COMPONENT 1: TVET NETWORK DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................... 10 ACTIVITY 1.1. ESTABLISH NICARAGUAN NETWORK OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION ............................................................................. 10 ACTIVITY 1.2. ESTABLISH A REGIONAL AND/OR SECTOR NETWORKS IN THE CARIBBEAN COAST ........................................................ 13 ACTIVITY 1.3. RAISING POLICY TOPICS TO KEY STAKEHOLDERS .................................................................................................... 13 COMPONENT 2: CAPACITY BUILDING OF 8 PRIVATE CORE TVET CENTERS ..................................... 14 ACTIVITY 2.1. ASSESS AND BUILD CAPACITY OF 8 TARGET TVET CENTERS .................................................................................... 14 ACTIVITY 2.2. FACILITATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR .......................................................................................... 15 ACTIVITY 2.3. DEVELOP INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO EXPAND TVET OFFERINGS AND REACH YOUTH AT RISK ....................................... 16 ACTIVITY 2.4. IMPROVE QUALITY OF AT-RISK YOUTH TRAINING AND SERVICES AT TARGETED CENTERS .................................................. 17 ACTIVITY 2.6. IMPROVE CAREER SERVICES AT TARGETED CENTERS ............................................................................................. 18 ACTIVITY 2.7. BUILD CAPACITY OF TVET CENTERS TO MENTOR, DEVELOP SOFT SKILLS AND TRACK YOUTH ....................................... 19 ACTIVITY 2.8. DIVERSIFY INCOME STREAMS AND IMPROVE FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY .................................................................. 20 COMPONENT 3: PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF TVET CENTERS .................................................................... 20 ACTIVITY 3.1. DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT MEDIA CAMPAIGNS IN CARIBBEAN COAST TO IMPROVE PERCEPTIONS OF TVET ....................... 20 ACTIVITY 3.2. WORK WITH EMPLOYERS TO CHANGE RECRUITMENT METHODS THAT FAVOR UNIVERSITY GRADUATES ......................... 22 ACTIVITY 3.3. ENGAGE YOUTH, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES IN DISCOVERING THE VALUE OF TVET CENTERS IN YOUTH CAREER DECISION-MAKING ........................................................................................................................................................... 23 ACTIVITY 3.4. DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE PLATFORM FOR YOUTH ENGAGEMENT ............................................................................... 23 COMPONENT 4: SCHOLARSHIP AND EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT FOR AT-RISK YOUTH FROM THE CARIBBEAN COAST............................................................................................................................................ 24 ACTIVITY 4.1. SCHOLARSHIPS FOR AT-RISK YOUTH ................................................................................................................. 24 ACTIVITY 4.2. PROVIDE MOBILE TRAINING IN CARIBBEAN COAST ................................................................................................ 25 ACTIVITY 4.3. ADMINISTER SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT ................................................................................................................ 27 MONITORING AND EVALUATION ................................................................................................................... 27 ACTIVITY 5.1. REPORTING: BASELINE, MID-TERM AND FINAL EVALUATION .................................................................................. 28 ACTIVITY 5.2. DEVELOPMENT, ADAPTION AND MAINTENANCE OF WEB-BASED M&E SYSTEM ........................................................ 30 ACTIVITY 5.3. M&E TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TVETS' TRAINING AND ROUTINE ...................................................................... 32 ACTIVITY 5.4. ANNUAL ASSESSMENT OF MARKET INITIATIVES SKILLS GAPS, LABOR MARKET CONDITIONS AND SECTOR-EMPLOYMENT POTENTIAL ....................................................................................................................................................................... 33 4 Acronyms AERHNIC Asociación de Ejecutivos de Recursos Humanos de Nicaragua AMCHAM Nicaraguan American Chamber ANSNIC Nicaraguan Deaf Association (ANSNIC)/ Asociacion Nacional de Sordos de Nicaragua APRODESE Asociación para el Desarrollo Económico y Social de El Espino ASOMIF Asociación Nicaragüense de Instituciones de Microfinazas BICU Bluefields Indian and Caribbean University CADIN Cámara de Industrias de Nicaragua CANATUR Cámara Nacional de Turismo de Nicaragua/ Nicaraguan Chamber of Tourism CBLD Capacity Building CCSN Comerce Chamber of Nicaragua/Camara de Comercio de Nicaragua CEDHECA Centro de Derechos Humanos, Ciudadanos y Autonómicos CEFODI Centro de Formacion y Desarrollo Integral CJDB Centro Juvenil Don Bosco COMPAS-T Comprehensive Positive Assessment Tool COP Chief of Party COR Contracting Officer’s Representative COSEP Superior Business Council CSR Corporate social responsibility DACUM Developing a Curriculum EDUQUEMOS Foro Educativo Nicaragüense EG Economic Growth ES Education and Social Service FADCANIC Foundation for the Autonomy and Development of the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua FEDH-IPN Foro de Educación y Desarrollo Humano FUNIDES Fundación Nicaragüense para el Desarrollo Económico y Social GNDR Gender GON Government of Nicaragua HOPEN Nicaraguan Hotel Association/ Asociacion de Hoteles de Nicaragua IDEUCA Instituto de Educación de la Universidad Centroamericana IMS Information Management System INDE Nicaraguan Development Institute IPLS Instituto Politécnico La Salle LGBT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexuals and Transgender M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MCJ Mesa de Concertación Juvenil/Caribbean Coast Youth Roundtable MOU Memorandum of Understanding 5 NIMAC Nicaragua Machinery Company PIRS Performance Information Reference Sheet OCAT Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool RACCN Autonomous Region of Northern Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua RACCS Autonomous Region of Southern Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua RENET Red Nacional de Educación Técnica TVET SAY Technical Vocational Education and Training Strengthening for At- Risk Youth project/ Proyecto Aprendo y Emprendo UNIRSE Nicaraguan Union for Corporate Social Responsibility UPANIC Union Nacional de Productores Agropecuarios de Nicaragua URACCAN University of the Autonomous Regions of the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast 6 Creative Associates International (“Creative”) is pleased to present this report highlighting progress during the Fiscal Year 2017 second quarter (FY2017/Q2) for USAID/Nicaragua’s Technical Vocational Education and Training Strengthening for At- Risk Youth project (TVET SAY or in Spanish, “Aprendo y Emprendo”). Executive Summary The TVET SAY project is a four-year effort (2015 – 2019) focused on strengthening institutions that offer technical and vocational education to benefit at-risk youth from the Caribbean Coast in Nicaragua. The goal of the TVET SAY project is to improve security in the Caribbean Coast by providing youth with educational opportunities linked to jobs and livelihoods through strengthened educational centers that can educate youth in areas where there is market demand. During FY17 Q2 the team saw significant progress in foundational activities related to all four components. The TVET SAY project has four components with the following objectives: • Improve collaboration and information sharing among centers by establishing or strengthening a network of training