VCCI Supporting Skills for Successful Investment and Entrepreneurship for our Seasonal Workers
The Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) has provided coaching and skills development to a selected group of labour mobility Team Leaders, so that they are better able to support members of their teams that they are travelling with to develop their goals, both investment and business related, while away in New Zealand and Australia on seasonal work programs.
Team Leaders are the unsung heroes of labour mobility, they aren’t often recognised for the additional work they do, and the additional responsibilities they carry by providing pastoral care and support to fellow ni Vanuatu team members who have often never travelled out of Vanuatu before’ says Esther Wenau, Program Lead on the Worker Ready Investment program. ‘They are selected as Team Leaders for showing they have the advanced skills required to lead others and mentor their Ni Vanuatu bothers and sisters while overseas’.
For the past 4 years VCCI has been coaching business men and women using a business planning model called the Business CANVAS – this ‘plan on one page’, referred to as a CANVAS supports an individual, family or business to think thru their business model, including important factors like goal setting, who is the customer and financial management. Given its success as an approach from the grassroots level up, VCCI has used the CANVAS as a basis for providing these selected Team Leaders with training of trainer skills, so they can work thru basic business planning with their team members.
Ultimately the aim is to help workers, and their families plan for and achieve their investments in business after taking part in seasonal work.
Team Leaders expressed great enthusiasm for this first-of-its-kind support training, recognising its value in strengthening their leadership skills and improving worker support. VCCI is committed to continuing this initiative, facilitating CANVAS workshops, and providing ongoing coaching to help Team Leaders guide their teams in financial planning and investment success.
‘To be able to help our people in such a way is a gift. So many have great ideas and can save the money to invest into a sustainable income for their family, a business they can all contribute to, which can make money to pay the school fees and bills, even when the mother or father is overseas working. Financial independence is so important for us all’ fed back Danny Wenau.
This initiative is part of the Worker Ready Investment Ready program, funded by ILO and IOM. VCCI is also working in collaboration with the Department of Labour, Department of Agriculture, and the Pacific Resilience Hub to create business opportunities for returning seasonal workers in the provinces, with a focus on the productive sector.
