There is simply too little information in the public domain to be able to draw meaningful conclusions about the outputs and impacts of this new approach to skill development among the poor. However, the following concerns are frequently mentioned.
· Beneficiary participation can be costly and difficult. In particular, there is a pervasive tendency to under-estimate the key role of external facilitators who need to have exceptional skills and attitudes.
· The romanticization of the community and groups and the potential for collective action to meet immediate income needs and longer term political goals. Most communities are riven with divisions and traditional structures reflect the interests of local elites. Misconceived notions of 'community' are widespread. "The solidary community is as much a myth of the policymakers' imagination as was the solidary household... The concept of community participation has been used largely as a euphemism for unpaid labour of women within the community" (ibid:269). In a similar vein, Harrison argues that "donor interest in women's groups rests on simplified images of these groups and insufficient knowledge of women's own motives for forming them. A common feature is that a few women use the group as part of personal strategies to obtain access to power, prestige and economic resources. Whatever the stated poverty aims of groups, there are intangible barriers to the poorest, based on status and skills" (Harrison, 1996:124).
· Most NGOs are very small and only work in a few localities. Consequently, the current capacity of NGOs to offer training services on a wider scale is limited. More generally, the growing interest in community-based training and rehabilitation is a direct response to the failure of both the state and NGOs to reduce poverty in most developing countries.
· Coordination among NGOs is usually weak as is the development of genuine and effective networks.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PAPERS 43 Learning to change: Skills development among the economically vulnerable and socially excluded in developing countries Paul Bennell Employment and Training Department International Labour Office Geneva First published 1999
To learn more about this author, visit International Labour Organization's Website.
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