Innovative Practice 2018 on Accessibility
Making training centres accessible
| Name of Innovative Practice: | Making training centres accessible |
|---|---|
| Organisation: | Young Africa |
| Country of Implementation | Mozambique |
PROBLEMS TARGETED
Technical and vocational education and training centres in Mozambique are not accessible to young people with disabilities, and the training does not meet their learning needs.
SOLUTION, INNOVATION, AND IMPACT
With the advice of Light for the World, Young Africa Mozambique has adapted their already existing training schedules in agriculture, dressmaking, welding, and culinary arts by reducing the barriers that have kept young people with disabilities from studying alongside their peers. To overcome physical inaccessibility, two new fully accessible hostels were constructed to accommodate 128 young people, and one existing hostel was renovated to meet the new requirements. The training centres now include a new accessible cafeteria, classrooms equipped with accessible furniture, lowered door locks and light switches for wheelchair users, and accessible lavatories. Moreover, accessibility audits were established by Light for the World to ensure that there is a monitoring process in place.
Youth from the entire province of Sofala and from remote and educationally underserved rural districts have benefitted from the accessible centre and accommodations. Since 2015, 190 young persons with disabilities have enrolled in vocational training and 167 of them have already graduated.OUTLOOK, TRANSFERABILITY AND FUNDING
The project is unique in Mozambique as it is the first accessible vocational training centre in the country. Young Africa has been accredited by the government as an official 
technical and vocational training institution, given that public training institutions do not yet offer accessible training infrastructures.
To further spread the business model, Young Africa Mozambique and Light for the World have participated in an exchange visit and conference in Rwanda on inclusive economic empowerment.
The accessibility features of the project and the approaches taken can be adapted to other contexts. Light for the World, plans to replicate the practice in government training centres in Mozambique, none of which are currently accessible. GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, Germany) in Namibia is among the organizations that have shown an interest as well.
The project has received funding from the European Union (€1.5 million), the Austrian Development Agency (€85,000), and by the implementing organization Light for the World itself (€10,000). The training centres generate a small amount of income and the cafeteria produces some revenues as well.
technical and vocational training institution, given that public training institutions do not yet offer accessible training infrastructures.To further spread the business model, Young Africa Mozambique and Light for the World have participated in an exchange visit and conference in Rwanda on inclusive economic empowerment.
The accessibility features of the project and the approaches taken can be adapted to other contexts. Light for the World, plans to replicate the practice in government training centres in Mozambique, none of which are currently accessible. GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, Germany) in Namibia is among the organizations that have shown an interest as well.
The project has received funding from the European Union (€1.5 million), the Austrian Development Agency (€85,000), and by the implementing organization Light for the World itself (€10,000). The training centres generate a small amount of income and the cafeteria produces some revenues as well.
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