MEETING OF THE
WORKING GROUP FOR INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION IN
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
Rome, November 2005
Training for Local Economic
Empowerment
(TREE)
Josiane Capt
Skills and Employability Department
ILO
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
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 key
principles 3. Developing an
integrated and
coordinated
network of
support services 4. Promoting Decent
Work, social
protection and equal
2. Providing opportunity
demand driven
training
1. Mobilising and
empowering partners
at national and local
levels
Example of TREE projects in
Bangladesh, Pakistan and
The Philippines (Mindanao)
Features
1st...
TREE mobilises poor and
marginalised communities
towards sustainable
economic activities
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
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
4th...
TREE not limited to training.
Provides post- training
support services, such as
credit and technical advisory
services, to facilitate the
application of skills
The different
steps Institutional
Planning & Community
Institutional assessment and
Linkages planning
Policy
Implications
Identification of
Sustainable economic opportunities
& training needs
Evaluation employment &
empowerment
Training design,
planning and
Mobilisation delivery
towards local
development
Refresher courses,
skills upgrading Post- training
support
Achievements
70-90 % of persons trained engaged in gainful activities
(mainly self-employment)
Women shown as capable of earning an income
In Bangladesh, rural women achieved 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
Challenges in rural
areas:
problems of outreach
new approaches not easily accepted
cultural constraints
challenges in involving all stakeholders,
and complications in working with
government agencies at different levels
lack of infrastructure
low educational background of target
groups
Other challenges :
non-availability of expertise
mainstream the concerns of the rural
poor into training policies and formal
training systems
address sustainability issues
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
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.
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
Thank you!