MEETING OF THE WORKING GROUP FOR INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION IN SKILLS DEVELOPMENT Rome, November 2005

1. MEETING OF THEWORKING GROUP FOR INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION IN SKILLS DEVELOPMENTRome, November 2005 Training for Local Economic Empowerment(TREE) Josiane Capt Skills and Employability Department ILO

2. What is TREE • TREE is a tool for: • promoting local economic development that emphasizes the central role of knowledge and skills in employment growth • promoting new economic and employment opportunities for the poor

3. The approach To provide individuals with the necessary skills and support to find a job or, more likely, to establish and sustain an income generating activity at the local level

4. 4 key principles 3. Developing an integrated and coordinated network of support services 4. Promoting Decent Work, social protection and equal opportunity 2. Providing demand driven training 1. Mobilising and empowering partners at national and local levels

5. Example of TREE projects in Bangladesh, Pakistan and The Philippines (Mindanao)

6. Features 1st... TREE mobilises poor and marginalised communities towards sustainable economic activities

7. 2nd... • TREE identifies potential wage employment and self-employment opportunities and their training and non-training requirements before organizing and providing training and other support

8. 3rd... TREE designs flexible contents and delivery systems • initial technical training • life skills, gender sensitisation • business skills • refresher courses, skills upgrading (product diversification, use of appropriate technology, expansion of markets) • Formal and non formal training delivery • Practical, short cycle courses • Accessible – adapted to low levels of literacy; accessible venue • Participatory methods, building on existing knowledge base • Quality training emphasised … Training contents and modalities tailored to local needs

9. 4th... TREE not limited to training. Provides post- training support services, such as credit and technical advisory services, to facilitate the application of skills

10. The different steps Institutional Planning & Institutional Linkages Community assessment and planning Policy Implications Identification of economicopportunities & training needs Sustainable employment & empowerment Evaluation Training design, planningand delivery Mobilisation towards local development Refresher courses, skills upgrading Post- training support

11. Achievements • 70-90 % of persons trained engaged in gainful activities (mainly self-employment) • Women shown as capable of earning an income • In Bangladesh, rural womenachieved break-through in non-traditional trades • New products and services available locally • Awareness on rights, privileges, opportunities increased • Increased self-esteem, respect of families • Local organisations created/strengthened • Local ownership, especially in Mindanao • In Pakistan, TREE will be scaled up after only two years of operation

12. Challenges in rural areas: • problems of outreach • new approaches not easily accepted • cultural constraints • challenges in involving all stakeholders, and complications in working with governmentagencies at different levels • lack ofinfrastructure • low educational background of target groups

13. Other challenges : • non-availability of expertise • mainstream the concerns of the rural poor into training policies and formal training systems • address sustainability issues

14. Lessons learned • need for strong, committed implementing partners as well as clear definition of government’s roles and responsibilities • need for capacity-building for institutions and key persons in the community to act as mentors • macro policies, appropriate structures and linkages should be in place while leaving room for local initiatives • matching training to economic demand is most important • technical skills are not sufficient. Social and communication skills, including self-organisation, bargaining, and, of course, entrepreneurial skills are also important • flexible training delivery in the proximity of rural households

15. Lessons learned (contd.) • training is an important element of the TREE integrated approach, but not the only one • need for easy access to micro-finance.

16. Policy implications • Need to redefine training policies within context of poverty reduction strategies • Mainstreaming of TREE within training and other institutions • Mobilisation of public funding • Policies to decentralise TREE management to local level • Importance of gender responsive policies • Need to promote target group and local participation in local decision making

17. Thank you!