ARTS AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING SCHOOL

THE CONTEXT OF YOUR INITIATIVE

In Columbia, as in the rest of the American continent, both formal and informal education is severely lacking. A good-quality education does not reach the poorest populations or the most marginalised sectors, making people more vulnerable to turning to drug addiction, crime and prostitution as a means to survive. This is why we have started this initiative, providing these people with the opportunity to spend their free time doing something good and healthy, giving them a chance to improve their lives and find work.

THE ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT AS PART OF YOUR INITIATIVE

The arts and vocational training school offers free courses in: visual arts, music, literature, theatre and dance.
There is a team of nine teachers, each of whom are professionals in their field: one sociologist, two theatre directors, two dance teachers, two visual arts teachers, one literature teacher and one music teacher.
Three of the team are companions at Emmaus Pereira, while the rest are volunteers and former pupils of the school.
This initiative provides training for between 150 and 200 students each year. Capacity at the school itself is limited to 60 students; the rest of the students are trained “at source” – teachers travel to neighbourhoods and community halls where they give classes.

WHO IS INVOLVED FROM OUR GROUP?

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WHICH PARTNERS ARE YOU WORKING WITH ON THIS INITIATIVE?

FUTURE PROSPECTS

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WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANY INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR INITIATIVE?

WHAT ARE YOUR PROSPECTS?

A lack of any means of transport to get students to the school itself. This initiative, created in 2005, now has its own identity – 11 years of hard work have created an important and ever-expanding place for the school within the city.