ACAY’s commitment to thinking big for its youth instills hope for a better future and facilitates their successful integration into the workforce. This commitment is further concretized in ACAY’s Skills Hub initiative: a training center that reinforces entrepreneurial and managerial skills among young people and their families to equip them for professional and financial autonomy. This article is part of ACAY’s December 2023 newsletter.
As a result of reflection during the pandemic, ACAY has launched the Skills Hub initiative: a training center that reinforces entrepreneurial and managerial skills among young people and their families to equip them for professional and financial autonomy.
The Skills Hub is further divided into the following components: its entrepreneurship training (E-Hub), IT skills capacity-building (IT Hub), and creativity development (Creativity Hub). The Skills Hub building is situated at the entrance of the School of Life, a residential program in Manila designed to support and empower young individuals facing challenging circumstances.
ACAY is dedicated to preparing the youth for a dynamic and ever-evolving society. ACAY’s comprehensive training courses are meticulously crafted to empower young individuals, offering them the expertise to establish their own small-scale businesses. Participants undergo immersive learning experiences, gaining proficiency in key aspects of the business world, including marketing, communication, business development, planning, finance, sales, and the essential qualities for success in entrepreneurship and management.
Through the hands-on training provided to participants, they are equipped with the ability to conceive and execute income-generating projects, coupled with the skills to plan, evaluate, budget, and uncover individual talents. All of these contribute to them regaining or rebuilding their self-confidence – something that ACAY emphasizes in all of its flagship programs, capacity-building activities, and other training events. This transformative process provides participants with newfound motivations to exceed personal boundaries.
ACAY’s commitment to thinking big for its youth instills hope for a better future and facilitates their successful integration into the workforce. Within the Skills Hub, the team provides a dynamic space encompassing theoretical modules and practical hands-on experiences for piloting and developing income-generating projects. Following this, participants engage with successful entrepreneurs, gaining insights into success stories, keys to achievements, and valuable lessons about experiences or behaviors to avoid. Supported by a diverse network of partners, ACAY ensures comprehensive assistance for the youth on their journey to success.
But how does this impact the lives of the youth themselves? Let’s hear directly from the beneficiaries of the Skills Hub program.
Shirley’s Story
“I live in the provinces where I’ve developed a business selling organic fruit and vegetables that come mainly from my garden and neighboring farmers. I live in the province of Nueva-Vizcaya, 8 hours by bus from Manila. I organize my online sales to a network of customers developed by ACAY. Twice a month, I come to Manila to distribute my products and those of the farmers in my village. Thanks to the Skills Hub’s training courses, I’ve innovated and cooked my products, such as banana chips, which are a big hit with my customers, and I plan to create new products such as pumpkin chips. I also want to invest and build a small bamboo kitchen to prepare more products. It’s also becoming a family business as I pass on my knowledge and passion to my children.“
“I was able to increase my sales thanks to their support. Although there were challenges, such as receiving negative feedback from customers, I overcame them and succeeded in building customer loyalty. Today, we have gained a growing number of customers who support our projects. The Skills Hub team suggested I enroll in the Philippines’ government training course to transform my business into a start-up.“
Lovely’s Story
“I’ve developed a business making and selling popcorn to my friends. It’s been a great success and has enabled me to put money aside to prepare for my independence. I’ve learned to plan and to know the laws of marketing, sales, etc. I’ve improved my skills in the area of marketing and sales. I’ve improved my communication skills with my supervisor. I also learned how to become responsible for managing the stocks of our products, by being the leader of the group of girls within the Hub. My role has pushed me to be more committed and consistent.“
All of these are made possible with the generous support of all our donors, especially the Bouygues, Blancmesnil, Gratitude, Masalina, and AMADE foundations.
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