Professional workshops
Foreword
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The professional workshops project is an important project for Fodep, it is at the same time a flagship project for Conepadh. It is therefore natural that the two organizations came together to jointly set up this professional workshop project intended primarily for students from the two Saint-Alphonse schools as well as to students from outside.
Inventory
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The School Saint-Alphonse has extensive experience in professional workshops both in the sunny city and in Fourgy. These workshops operated for many years before stopping following the socio-political events in the country and the stoppage of funding.
Both schools have a great need to train senior students in professions alongside their school studies. A large proportion of them do not have the opportunity to continue their school or university studies.
Both schools have premises that can accommodate these professional courses. Currently, we host courses for nurses, nurses' aides and first aid as well as English courses in fourgy.
Project description
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This project, in partnership between Conepadh and Fodep, is intended to set up professional workshops for older students (secondary) for both girls and boys. The vision of the two organizations is to improve the living conditions of the population and one of the objectives is to allow young people to quickly access the job market in order to support all those around them.
High quality workshops will therefore be set up with competent professionals in all the workshops offered. Rigor in teaching and supervision will be required, the two key words being Competence and Performance.
Workshops
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For the Fourgy school, we have land as well as many premises available for these workshops. Also, we are thinking of setting up the following workshops:
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Sewing
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Kitchen / pastry
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Computer science
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Floor tile
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Masonry
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Plumbing
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Ironwork / Reinforcement
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Refrigeration
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Electricity
For Cité Soleil school, there is less land available given the single-storey constructions, following the construction standards after the earthquake of January 12, 2010. For the moment, also seen with the security difficulties encountered at the Cité Soleil, we have planned two basic courses for both girls and boys.
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Floral art
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Sewing
It will be possible for secondary school students from Cité Soleil school to participate in professional courses at Fourgy school.
Public
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The audience for these workshops is primarily the students of the two Saint-Alphonse schools in Cité Soleil and Fourgy. The remaining places available in each workshop will be allocated to former students or other young people from outside.
The requested grade level is grade 9 for all technical workshops. For courses in floral art, sewing and cooking / pastry making is the grade 6 but a minimum age of 14 years.
The pupils will have to bring a school jersey, a smock and small tools. These may be available at the school store.
Administration
The administration of the vocational courses will be organized by the respective schools and supervised by technical advisers. The schools will have management and secretarial rooms for the proper functioning of the workshops.
A financial contribution will be requested from the pupils to participate in the costs of the teachers.
Local
The premises will be made available by the respective schools, concerning the administrative rooms, the theoretical classrooms and the deposits of equipment, tools and materials necessary for the realization of the courses.
Only the construction of sheds will be necessary for the practice of technical workshops such as tiling, masonry, plumbing, ironwork, electricity and refrigeration.
Course organization
The workshops will be organized in the afternoons, after school lessons and meals. The workshops will operate from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m.
With 15h to 20h volume per week, depending on the courses and levels, at the rate of 900h for 12 months, the training will be 6 months, 12 months to 18 months, depending on the courses considered.
Groups will have from 15 to 25 students depending on the course, the teachers and the needs.
Technical courses represent around 70% of total courses.
Eventually, if the external demands are important, some courses can be given in the morning.
Recognition
The diplomas may be recognized by the State through the intermediary of the INFP (National Institute for Vocational Training) or the Ministry of Social Affairs.
For this, the workshops must already function normally. A control visit with the appreciation of the premises, the environment of the lessons, the equipment used, the programs and the competence of the teachers.
Certificates may however be given for certain workshops and upon completion of course modules.
Production / Autonomy
For the sake of a certain autonomy of the courses, we plan to organize production in the workshops. From about six months of lessons, a production can be undertaken, with manufacturing, sales or contracts.
These productions can be for example:
Ironwork : Production of garden or home furniture, Doors and windows, metal constructions
Sewing : School uniforms, making sheets, curtains, skirts, blouses, shirts, pants, and more.
The other workshops can preferably seek employment contracts.
Staff
Administrative staff : 1 Director, 1 Assistant Director, 1 technical advisor, 1 secretary, 1 storekeeper, 1 caretaker / household
Teaching staff : 1 teacher and 1 Assistant for each workshop.
The teachers are teachers graduated from renowned professional schools, the assistants are professionals who will support or replace the main teacher in case of absence.
The costs
For a quality vocational education, it is necessary to have the means. The costs are getting pretty high.
These costs of setting up workshops include several headings:
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Construction of technical hangars On land available in the courtyard of Fourgy, we are considering the construction in two parts of adjoining hangars of approximately 275 m2 and 312 m2.
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Arrangement of warehouses and store : The premises are available and identified, they require arrangements such as doors and locks, shelves and partitions.
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Administrative equipment and furnishings A minimum of two offices are essential for the management of professional workshops. These offices are to be fitted out, the doors, locks, windows and painting should be reviewed. They must be equipped with desks, chairs, filing cabinets and shelves as well as office equipment.
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Salaries Administrative and teaching staff.
We foresee in this project a minimum of one and a half years of salaries, by emphasizing a progressive autonomy of the workshops with the productions, the work contracts and the tuition of the students.
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Equipment and tools : Lists of equipment, tools and materials necessary for the realization of the courses are drawn up for each workshop. Certain materials or tools will only be available abroad, such as in the Dominican Republic for example.
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Electrical installation Most technical workshops require a permanent electrical installation for the technical side of the courses. We provide an electrical installation on the network, with two back-up generators
Project funding
The total cost of this fairly large project requires co-financing. Thus several co-financing organizations must be solicited, but the organizations carrying the project (Conepadh) and executor (Fodep) must nevertheless have initial funding.
Also we are looking for donors or sponsors to have our first source of funding.
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Participation can be either in the form of sponsorship or by a donation for a specific project: professional workshops
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Thank you for your participation
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