1. Summary of the action     
Herstelling Assembly of God Church has constructed a multipurpose facility that will house a training and recreational center for residents of the community on a plot of land acquired by the church for community outreach/transformation projects. It is the plan of this agency to create an atmosphere that will allow for the re-engagement of hopeless youths in Herstelling and its environs by equipping them with skills and knowledge that will enhance their earning and developmental capabilities; thus redirecting them to the hope that there is life.
The areas targeted are Information Technology and Office Procedures, Radio and TV repairs, Sewing, Welding, Craft and Floral Arrangement, Cookery, and the Performing Arts with emphasis on Drama and Music. In addition, each participant is selected on a needs basis and is exposed to literacy, numeracy, character development, and other social issue sessions, thus enabling them to be better equipped and more marketable to deal with the rapidly changing world. A skills bank is also be created and managed from the multipurpose center constructed; through which members of the community can access skills pooled for a minimal fee while creating employment for those registered with the program.  We have achieved these outcomes by the construction of the multipurpose center and the acquisition of the necessary equipment and materials needed to conduct the various training programs. The project focused on the setting up of an IT lab of fifteen computers, a sewing/ craft corner of ten sewing machines and a Kitchenette with the basic appliances and utensils, indoor games facilities, and an area for the performing Art, where music and drama skills will be taught. These strategies have been providing alternatives to hopelessness, idleness, unemployment, illiteracy, alcoholism, smoking, gambling, causal or commercial sex work, abuse, and crime. 

 

2. Relevance:
Herstelling is flanked by three squatting areas and is made up of residents mainly from the middle and lower economic status that is heavily dependent on the Sugar and Fishing industries for their income. With the economic challenges resulting from the falling sugar prices on the world market and the many barriers within the fishing industries; families have over the years been faced with high rates of unemployment, severe financial pressure, illiteracy, idleness/hopelessness among youths, and extremely high levels of  school dropouts. These problems have led to many youths becoming hooked on alcohol, smoking, gambling, casual or commercial  sex work, abuse, and even crime as a way out. Taking on board the aforementioned and talks of the possible closure of the Demerara estates, it is imperative that the community seek out new ways of reengaging the youths to reduce their vulnerability and find alternative sources of income while diversifying in an effort to cushion the adverse effects envisaged. Hence Herstelling AOG has launched a Community outreach and transformation project to tackle the hopelessness that exists among youths, however these programmes, were severely hindered, as a result of the lack of a proper youth friend/safe  space and equipment, materials and technical facilitators.  This project offers an opportunity in the fulfillment of those mandates and the establishment of new programs.  The target group for this project will be Youths (males and females) of the community between the ages of 14- 35 years old taken in batches of 100.            

 

The problems identified to be resolved are as follows;

Hopelessness.

High  levels of school drop outs.
Low  family income.
Low  literacy level, self esteem  and lack of knowledge of social problems
Unemployment
Lack of space/building, materials, equipment and technical facilitators for the execution of the Youth re-engagement programme /activities
Lack  guidance and  alternative activities for  youths 

Needs to be met
Building/safe space for youth re-engagement activities
Equipment, materials, sports gear and technical facilitators for the execution of the various programmes.
Employment opportunities and income generation  activities
Greater awareness of social issues and increase literacy
Harnessing the energy of youths and channeling them in a positive direction.

How will the project achieve sustainability?
Upon completion of the trainings, the best of the participants would be utilized to
conduct ongoing trainings for others in the communities at a minimal fee. The group would also seek to promote it services widely and offer vocational and contract programmes in the various areas for schools, university students and organisations. The computer lab will also be used as an internet café for the general public for a minimal fee during the non- class hours while the open training facilities can be rented for small conferences other functions.  Maintenance of the building and equipment will be done through funds generated from the additional set of classes and rental fees, while the church will also factor into its annual budget a percentage for maintenance annually.  In addition funding will be sought from other donor agencies. 

Will this have multiplier effects?

This project is designed to achieve a multiplier effect, since trainings will be done in the first phase of the project will be replicated using those participants that would have excelled during the project life to provide ongoing trainings to other members of the community and neighbouring villages, thus ensuring that a wider cross section of persons acquire the program skills and knowledge. It is the plan to advertise the skills pooled into the bank and to have these programmes grow and expand while developing the centre into a multi faceted training centre that will be used for generations to come.   It is the plan of this agency that youths that are reengaged  by this project  and the wider community of Herstelling would be empowered to market themselves, create
employment and generate much needed funds to cushion the economic burden on families while reducing hopelessness//idleness among the youths making them less vulnerable for causal  o r commercial sex work, alcoholism, abuse, drugs and crime or other activities. It is the plan to have this programme replicated through several other churches and community groups in neighbouring villages.  

We are in process of acquiring a plot of land in Yarrakabra to build a multipurpose center to replicate this project

Operational capacity and expertise:
Herstelling AOG has executed with success several small and large projects of its own. 
With several members possessing varying degree of management and program skills, the agency has seen it owns Church building constructed. The agency has also executed several medical outreach programs to the interior, an adult literacy program a Church Based Bible School ( ISOM) that spans the country. While the agency has never received international funding before, the church has excellently managed it affairs for the past years as a result of highly skilled members that are working with local and international agencies. Additionally they are friends of the group with project management skills that has committed to assist with the oversight of the project.

There are members of the organisation that has skills in the programmes areas and will work as technical persons identified. In addition all the partners identified for the execution of this project are highly skilled and competent and have executed similar projects in the past.