| Youth Challenge Guyana (YCG),http://www.airmaxfantasy.us.com/1600-New-Balance/, known for creating opportunities for youths and communities to effect positive social change, strengthened by global partnerships, is currently running an entrepreneurship programme for local women in the business world.This volunteer service was established to offer young people from Guyana, and across the world, an opportunity to make significant contributions to community development projects, while gaining valuable leadership and problem solving skills.With this in mind, the YCG in collaboration with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) will be working together until December 2015 to provide training for the female entrepreneurs. This programme had commenced in April last with 44 successful business owners.The project aims to develop women in entrepreneurship skills, record keeping, marketing and other management skills that would assist them in bettering their businesses.After undergoing the various training, the women will be provided with mentorship.The guides are assigned to help the budding entrepreneurs develop their businesses in various areas where they were once weak.“We have mentors who visit them at least once a month to support the women in improving their systems in their businesses,” said Dmitri Nicholson, Executive Director of YCG.Thus far 70% of persons receiving the training would’ve had mentors assigned to them.“As a result of this, businesses that were not previously registered are now being registered, amongst other things, since the women are now taking their enterprises more seriously,” Nicholson said.He further stated, “Some have started keeping records of their cash flow and they have improved in their record-keeping skills, while others are working towards expanding and finding more opportunities for their small businesses.”Throughout the programme, a small number of persons have discontinued the initiative, citing the lack of passion, and are now seeking new opportunities in other fields.In addition to that, the organization anticipates that they are moving to a stage where they would be able to facilitate a monthly workshop for those women on different topics, including public speaking, then on to areas such as assertiveness skills, which focuses on connecting the women to various distribution companies.Self-employed women building businesses in Guyana are welcomed at YCG to enrol in the programme to develop their entrepreneurship skills.However YCG does have a livelihood programme that continues to support women after this, with monthly workshops to commence from the month of August and onward.Youth Challenge Guyana believes that youth require the skills to make safe decisions about their lifestyles to reduce conflict, improve self-esteem and allow youth to have a satisfying life. This is aimed at bringing about behavioural changes among youths by equipping them with specific skill to support a successful life and community.Apart from this entrepreneurship programme, YCG offers Communication skills, Decision making skills, Conflict Resolution skills, Self-management, Assertiveness, Relationship skills and Stress Management.With various project areas such as Peer Education, National Volunteer Teachers’ Programme, Parent Support and Mentorship, Local and International Field Projects and Volunteer Counselling and Testing. |
