Career Readiness training targets the LGBTIQ+ Community for the job market

On the photo: Job readiness session in Touwsranten

The Special Programs Desk from George Municipality hosted two Career Readiness training sessions aimed to educate members of the public with skills that will better equip them for the job market. The training took place on 22 and 23 August 2023 in Touwsranten (Ward 4) and Lawaaikamp (Ward 7), respectively.

According to Sophia Fanelo the Manager for Community Development in the George Municipality, various skills were shared amongst the attendees such as how to draw up a CV, how to conduct yourself during an interview, how to dress etc. “Although the training was open to the general members of the public, the target group was the vulnerable population within the communities including the LGBTIQ+ Community. This community was specifically targeted since it is often marginalised and discriminated against when it comes to employment opportunities,” Fanelo said.

“Sensitisation also took place to educate and inform the partners which includes local and governmental organisations on the rights and existence of transgender persons. This is also a strategy to bring about change and to champion Legal Gender Recognition within corporate workplaces,” she added.

A follow-up workshop will take place and this session will focus on drawing up a map of historic advocacies and to reflect critically on the present/current systems that are preventing access to Gender Recognition and gender-affirming Healthcare. This initiative will also be rolled out in the other Wards falling under the auspices of George Municipality.

The George Municipality wished to acknowledge the following stakeholders who all played a vital role in the success of the programme which reached about 125 persons during the two days. They are the Department of Labour and Employment, Social Health and Empowerment, ABSA bank, National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), George Municipality’s HIV/Aids Subsection and Youth Development.