"Empowering Haiti's Youth and Vulnerable Groups: Promoting Economic Opportunity and Social Inclusion" 

Haiti is embarking on an exciting new project, supported by DEVPOLES, that has the potential to bring about significant benefits to the country's labor market. Thanks to the Inter-American Development Bank and the Fonds d'Assistance Économique et Sociale, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor will be empowered to strengthen labor intermediation services, providing temporary economic protection and promoting professional inclusion of vulnerable groups, including women and youth. 

Foto credits: Caribb.

Statement of the challenge

Haiti faces a range of social, economic, and security challenges that have contributed to a difficult environment for its citizens. The country has a long history of political instability, with frequent changes in government and periods of unrest. Recent years have seen significant social and economic challenges, including high levels of poverty, limited access to healthcare and education, and environmental degradation. The labor market in Haiti is also a significant challenge, with limited employment opportunities and a large informal sector. The security situation in Haiti has also been a concern, with high levels of crime and violence, particularly in urban areas.

The project's three-pronged approach will create more opportunities for job seekers and employers alike.

1. Firstly, a new service model will make it easier for job seekers to find employment opportunities across a range of industries, helping to bridge the gap between job seekers and employers.
2. Secondly, employers will have access to a more streamlined service model to post job openings and identify potential candidates quickly and efficiently. This will help to create a more inclusive labor market and contribute to economic growth.
3. Lastly, the project will develop a strategic management plan for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, including human resources, performance, and training of staff. This plan will ensure that the Ministry has the necessary resources and skills to deliver high-quality services to job seekers and employers.

Overall, the project is a positive step forward for Haiti, offering opportunities for temporary economic protection and promoting professional inclusion of vulnerable groups. DEVPOLES is committed to supporting sustainable and transformational change, and this project is a testament to their dedication to Haiti's future. The project's has the potential to bring about significant benefits to Haiti's labor market, creating more opportunities for job seekers and employers alike.

DEVPOLES to stengthen decent work structrues and build system stakeholder capacities in Guatemala 

Our organization is thrilled to launch an ambitious new project that will support vulnerable communities in Guatemala. 

Foto credits: Envato elements.

Statement of the challenge

Financed by the European Union and managed by the Ministry of Economy, this project is a key component of the Decent Work Programme, which is dedicated to promoting decent employment opportunities for all Guatemalans.

Our project has two main objectives:

1. To establish public-private partnerships that will provide training and support for vulnerable groups such as young people, people with disabilities, women, and indigenous communities. We will begin by conducting a comprehensive diagnosis of the supply and demand for vocational training in the country, and then use this information to create tailored training programs that address the specific needs of these groups. This will bridge the gap between supply and demand and ensure that the training provided is relevant and impactful.
   
   
2. To strengthen the business development services of the Ministry of Economy to better support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. This will include the development of a cutting-edge mobile app to streamline the registration process for companies interested in receiving support, a powerful management tool with advanced geographic mapping capabilities, and state-of-the-art data-driven dashboards that will allow for better tracking and evaluation of program results. This will enable us to provide more efficient and effective support to MSMEs, and ultimately drive national economic growth and social cohesion.. 

Our project also includes the organization of Regional Thematic Fairs for products of MSMEs, which will include sectors such as gastronomy, tourism, seafood, manufacturing,  woodwork, and handicrafts. These fairs will provide an opportunity for MSMEs to showcase their products and services, and also prepare them to position their production on a national level. Additionally, we will be organizing the First National MSME Encounter, which will be a four-day event with specialized themes for each day. The event will provide a platform for MSMEs to make connections, link to larger producers and service providers to improve their businesses, receive targeted training, listen to informative talks, access services from institutions, and participate in business roundtables. The organization of this event will include a strategy for dissemination and promotion, as well as an evaluation of the event by the participants.

We understand that this project is ambitious and will take a lot of hard work and dedication to achieve our goals, but we are confident that by working together with public and private partners, under the guidance of the Ministry of Economy and the European Union, we can make a real impact in the lives of vulnerable communities. We are committed to sustainable and transformational change, and we are excited to begin this journey together with EY Costa Rica, Arbetsförmedlingen, and Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung - HRNS.

We will keep our stakeholders informed of the progress of this project on our website and social media, and we look forward to contributing towards a brighter future for all Guatemalans.

DEVPOLES strengthens probation services in Guyana

The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry for Legal Affairs and the Inter-American Development Bank, entrusted DEVPOLES to lead capacity building efforts for the country’s probation system. 

Foto credits: DEVPOLES backstopping team

Statement of the challenge

In Guyana, judges and magistrates have the option of both probation and community service orders as alternatives to imprisonment. However, these measures are scarcely used because magistrates lack the proper incentives to make use of these options, as confidence in the effectiveness of probation services to provide efficient supervision of offenders is low. This has in turn produced an overuse of pre-trial detention and an over reliance on custodial sentences 

Progress so far

DevPoles has completed the organizational assessment, mapped "as is" processes, administered a psychometric tests of all probation officers, determined areas for improvement in KSAs, developed results-oriented job descriptions as well as a performance apprisal programme.

SO far, our team has aleady trained two batches of officers in:

- Probation legal considerations

- Situational awareness  

- Defence tactics and lawful use of force 

- First aid for probations officers 

By delivering these services, the project led by DEVPOLES will contribute towards reducing recidivism and inmate population by improving the social integration of people in conflict with the law.