Workstart Overseas
Cairns Campbell
The basic concept
Train a group of young people (18-25 year olds) in useful skills which they could use overseas in a Third World country. When they have completed their training, send them overseas along with their instructors to help local people with a worthwhile, pre-identified project. This would be done in conjunction with an agency already working in this field, such as VSO, Oxfam, etc.
'Many training and employment projects lack the stimulus of a clearly identifiable aim or product which the trainees can accept and adopt. As a result the work is often classified as 'funny work', with the resultant lack of trainee motivation'
Many training and employment projects lack the stimulus of a clearly identifiable aim or product which the trainees can accept and adopt. As a result the work is often classified as 'funny work', with the resultant lack of trainee motivation. 'Workstart Overseas' overcomes this problem and could prove a powerful vehicle for the training and development of young people.
The advantages
(1) It widens the horizons of a group of young people who otherwise would not aspire to such a character-broadening experience.
(2) It provides real meaning to the work and training undertaken.
(3) It develops teamwork and self-reliance among the trainees.
(4) Young people, with the practical skills, and with the confidence and experience gained from working overseas, would have a greater ability to find employment after the assignment.
(5) In addition to supplying skills, whole turnkey packages could be developed using redundant equipment, renovated by the trainees and re-assembled overseas. This is important, as semi-skilled trainees would not necessarily be welcome without the hardware.
(6) The whole process could help develop an outward-looking attitude among young people and the community they come from.
(7) It provides worthwhile work with no danger of 'competing' with local industry.
(8) It is an excellent opportunity to introduce other training: team building, the history and geography of the country to be visited, self-sufficiency catering and project management.
(9) It is an easily repeatable project with almost no limit to the useful work needing doing. A number of projects could be initiated one after the other at three-month intervals and the experience gained on the first few would help to develop the others.
An example based in Dundee
The need is established through a voluntary organisation for good quality but basic mechanical engineering workshops to be attached to schools in certain areas of Africa. Workstart, an organisation in Dundee that trains the unemployed, obtains donations of appropriate equipment from businesses etc in the Dundee area. Under instruction the equipment is renovated, catalogued and brought up to satisfactory condition by the trainees who also learn how to use it. The equipment, along with all ancillary equipment, is packed for shipment. The trainees along with their instructors spend three months in Africa helping the local school assemble the equipment, including basic building alterations. They would also help with skills transfer.
Cairns Campbell, Rowen Consultancy, 12 Stonefield Crescent, Thornly Park, Paisley PA2 7RU (tel 041 884 5901). Further details about Workstart from Stuart Lindsay on 0382 450345. This scheme won a Social Inventions Award and was successfully tried out in Dundee for the duration of its funding. A 16 page brochure about it is available from the Institute for Social Inventions for L1, postage and packing paid.
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