(ANS – Madrid) – This January the second in the series of Tutoring  Programmes of the  Pinardi Social Federation promoted by the Salesians in Spain is completed. The programme is  a special form of work experience preparation for young people following the tutoring technique of the Pinardi Federation, in collaboration with the “Grupo BLC”.

It was launched last October by Salesian centres adapting their  strategies to the current labour-market situation in Spain. From the Pinardi Federation experience the need was recognised  to find new forms of work preparation, given the skills required, developments in  information technology, new recruitment policies, especially for those with a vocational training background or having given up formal education, or suffering from various forms of social vulnerability.

Training and tutoring is based on the acquisition of skills by direct experience. Various theoretical studies have confirmed that  this  approach “has a positive impact on tutors and apprentices alike, with much better results” and that the levels of recruitment and of work opportunities increase significantly after the tutoring process.

The process developed by the Pinardi Federation, in collaboration with the BLC Group (a Spanish human  resource management agency) begins by assessing and making the best use of the young person’s abilities. With the help of the tutor an individually tailored  plan in drawn up; the tutor being the key figure in the accompaniment and guidance of the young person in achieving the objectives set  and pursuing personal and professional autonomy.

In the programme the young people take part in group training sessions  in which they acquire the skills needed to manage their emotions, become self-confident and understand the process of becoming organised, and at the same time they continue personal tutoring sessions to monitor their progress and to constantly review the plan of action. The programme ends with direct contact with the world of work, with visits to work centres, talks with the manager in charge of human resources... All of which helps the young people to gain confidence and enables them to feel capable of facing the working world.

In this second course 12 people from BLC were involved – twice the number of the volunteers in the first in the series– as they undertook a social volunteering business project providing tutoring for the young people.

At present about 250 young people are taking part in the training programme for work with the Pinardi Federation and with the help of over 70 workers and 29 volunteers and the support of various public bodies, public and private businesses, with a success rate of over 70% in getting them to take their place at work and integrated in the wider society

Published 31/01/2011