Economic

Vimenti’s economic pillar aims to increase the opportunities for children, youth and their family to acquire the desirable skills and either obtain a job or develop it through formal entrepreneurial means.

Economic

For families in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Puerto Rico communities looking to break the multigenerational poverty cycle, unemployment is an extensive burden.  The most common barriers for joining the workforce include disincentives to join the workforce due to the benefits cliff, lack of childcare, lack of social capital and most notably, lack of marketable skills or education. Vimenti’s economic pillar aims to increase the opportunities for children, youth and their family to acquire the desirable skills and either obtain a job or develop it through formal entrepreneurial means. 

  • The Entrepreneurship Program core initiatives aim to develop subject matter competencies on children and adults though formally structured courses, mentoring and access to other key resources.
  • The Employability and Careers Program focuses on Hospitality and Customer Service. It includes a curriculum for children and youth as well as a workforce development  program designed to develop in our participants the soft and technical skills needed for entry level positions in the hospitality industry.

Career Programs for Kids

Our career program targets children 6 to 18 years old. The program provides training, and internships opportunities. A sector-based approach is followed, focusing on the hospitality and tourism industry. Instructors for kids deliver an interdisciplinary set of courses to foster relevant competencies for higher education and career path pursues. Courses are completed in a semester, impacting up to 10 participants per cohort. The courses targeting kids have been designed for three distinct levels: Kids, Pre-teens and Teens. The curriculum is complemented by field trips and other educational strategies. Teens specifically will be further supported through the coordination of internships and job shadowing experiences.

Job Ready

This program provides youth 15 to 18 years old with the opportunity to start acquiring the required skills to explore a career on the hospitality industry. It is focused in soft and technical skills that are critical to successfully join the workforce. The program is focus on the hospitality and tourism industry, but participants can look for job opportunities in any customer service-related position. From work ethics to building a resume, this series of courses serve as an introductory platform to valuable employability concepts.

Careers Program for Adults

This selective program targets adults 18 – 36 years old. A partnership with employability program Generation was launched in October 2018 to provide a dedicated curriculum aiming to develop critical soft skills for job readiness and above average performance in employment. Further support is provided through job interviews coordination. Job placement and retention is the ultimate goals for impacted adults. The dedicated curriculum uses several strategies to bring up to date content, cases and practical exercises to the classroom. Additional resources for adults looking to further advance their careers and job advancement opportunities have been designed. In addition, Vimenti offers a series of stackable courses for adults lacking basic skills on English and Technology. These courses follow an agreed syllabus and may lead to certifications from third parties.

Project Makers

Entrepreneurship is an economic engine responsible for business and job creation in society. An entrepreneurial mindset and competencies have proven to be critical to successfully develop any venture or career path. Project Makers aim to develop in kids and youth both an entrepreneurial mindset and the key competencies they’ll need to either pursue a career or start a new venture. A custom designed curriculum structured in three levels is delivered to children 9 to 11, 12 to 14 and 15 to 18 years old. Each program impacts up to 12 participants per level and it can possibly impact each student for several years, ideally. Each level offers 30 hours of “hands on” activities, all based in a problem-based learning approach.

"My experience at Vimenti has been very gratifying. For me, it was an experience I truly needed in my life. Vimenti helped me recover my confidence and define goals for myself."

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