GOOD PRACTICE: The certification of master craftspeople trainers (MAF). SAVE THE CHILDREN, Cote d'Ivoire.

Good Practice: The certification of master craftspeople trainers (MAF) to obtain their active involvement and a process of quality apprenticeship of young craftspeople in a secure work environment.

Brief summary

Chambers of professions and MAFs are key players in apprenticeship to a craft industry and sustainable professional integration of vulnerable young people. The certification activity of the MAFs, which attest to the good collaboration and performance of these throughout the project, aims to promote not only an effective transfer of technical knowledge for young people but also to ensure the respect of the rights of young people and workplace safety.

In the process of support for sustainable professional integration through the exercise of crafts, young people are placed with the MAF in workshops where they learn through a modality of "training by apprenticeship". That is to say, to a considerable extent, the practical component goes far beyond the theoretical component, thus meeting the demands of young people seeking to have a durable but relatively fast insertion into the job market. MAFs are selected on the basis of defined objective criteria (physical capacity to receive them, to be a member of a trade chamber, etc.). These MAFs are responsible for the theoretical and practical learning of young people in the craft sector in the project area.

Apprenticeships are signed on the one hand between the youth and the MAF, and on the other hand, agreements are signed between the project and the MAFs. These documents are intended to clearly describe the duties and rights of each stakeholder throughout the learning period; in addition, they formalise quality apprenticeship of young people in the craft trades.

MAF certification consists of granting certificates – upon ad-hoc evaluations - to those who have complied with a certain number of instructions set out in the various documents (contracts and agreements). More concretely, it is a matter of evaluating MAFs, especially through the administration of stakeholders, of a questionnaire drawn up based on objective criteria related to: the quality of the technical supervision of young apprentices placed in the workshops; respect for the policy of defence of the rights of children and young people; the good collaboration of the MAF with the project partners (chamber of trade, social services and project implementation structures).

The certifications provided thus show that the said MAFs have met these criteria and will be useful for future initiatives of other state or non-state partners who can quickly become aware of the good collaboration demonstrated by these artisans. Obtaining these certificates can also be used to help artisans who are not yet members of craft chambers begin a membership process. In these cases, the certification serves to support the professionalization of the active craftspeople.

Key Areas of Good Practice

• Organisation of Informal Economy workers in officially registered associations, cooperatives or other groups (1.9)

• Provide support to operators / workers in the Informal Economy to access services (social welfare services, business registration, access to formal savings and credit systems, training, etc.) (3.1)

• Support for improving occupational safety and health among workers in the Informal Economy (2.3)