Free Employment Skills For Those In Need
Education - January 2010
The Vocational Training Centre (VTC) opened its doors to over 200 children and young people of Cipanas and surrounding communities in August this year. Funded by MAST Industries, the VTC offers innovative classes that provide children and young people with an opportunity to improve work seeking related skills.
With expert assistance from Australian Volunteer Vanessa Hewson, the VTC hopes to continue tailoring its services to the immediate needs of local children and youths.
In response to the ongoing problem of youth unemployment in the community, even after successful completion of secondary education, the VTC offers trainings on essential skills, including English language, computing, job-seeking, hotel skills, and sewing.
"My work at the VTC over the last three months has focused on the 'English Club', which is designed to reinforce what is already being taught at school in a fun and pressure-free environment. It is normal for Indonesian school classes to have forty children in one class and teaching is usually teacher-directed, which is often a disadvantage to children who are more visual and kinesthetic-oriented learners (learners who learn better by practice).
My role at the VTC is to train teachers in student-centered teaching methodologies to equip them with the tools and knowledge to facilitate successful teaching to all types of learners.
I look forward to continuing training throughout the next eight months and supporting the VTC English teachers to establish an English Language Resource Centre where training and support can be offered to other local teachers."
Vanessa Hewson (AYAD Volunteer, YUM's Youth Development Officer)