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Friday January 27, 2006 - marked the completion of the second training
programme of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund YEDF), as the three (3) day
Personal Development Programme (PDP) winded down with five (5) out of six (6)
young persons participating, bringing this session, the second phase, and more
so the entire training programme to a close. The Personal Development Programme
(PDP) is designed to assist entrepreneurs to acquire the knowledge and skills
which will aid in their personal growth and development. Topics in this
programme include Exploring and locating Self, Visioning and Goal Setting,
Values, Beliefs, Life Experiences and Expectations among others.
The Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF) is a special facility established
by the Government of Saint Lucia in collaboration with the Commonwealth Youth
Programme (CYP), in 2004 for prospective young entrepreneurs between the ages of
eighteen to thirty (18 – 30) years old, wishing to establish their own micro
enterprise business to provide employment for themselves and possibly their
family members.
The entire training programme of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF)
comprises of a three (3) week long Small Business Management Training Programme
and a Personal Development Programme usually conducted over a three to five (3 –
5) day period. The Small Business Management Training Programme commenced on
November 14, 2005 ending on December 7, 2005.
The Small Business Management Training is geared at sharpening the
entrepreneurial skills of participants, who themselves are prospective
entrepreneurs. This aspect of the training was held at the Headquarters of the
National Skills Development Centre (NSDC), Bisee, Castries. Currently the NSDC
is collaborating with the BELfund in advancing the programme of the Youth
Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF).
Although a total of eight (8) out of nine (9) selected participants commenced
the Small Business Management programme, only six (6) endured till the end, with
two (2) persons dropping out. Following the completion of the Small Business
Management Training, participants were required to undertake the necessary field
assignments such as the Market Survey and Feasibility Study in preparation for
the submission of their Business Plans, due at the ending of January 2006.
Facilitating the Personal Development Programme was Mrs. Marva Bancroft from
Guyana, a Consultant Trainer attached to the Commonwealth Youth Programme
Caribbean Centre (CYPCC), while the Small Business Management Training was
facilitated by trainers from the NSDC and BELfund, with assistance from guest
facilitators Mr. Peter Lorde of the Small Enterprise Development Unit (SEDU) who
facilitated the topic “Business Plan” and Mrs. Elaine French of the Registrar of
Companies who facilitated the topic “Legal Requirements for the Establishment of
a Business”.
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