Ministry of Community Development partners with TCL Group for Landscaping Course

The Ministry of Community Development commissioned the 2010 version of its Handicraft Development Skills Training Programme on May 17th at various communities throughout Trinidad and Tobago. Courses in balloon decoration, soft furnishings, floral making and arranging, landscaping, crochet, mehendi art, woodcarving and airbrush painting, just to name a few, are being offered to nationals, free of charge.

Classes are held during the evening and on weekends at community centres, civic centres, churches and schools for the period of approximately three months. Each class comprises a 3-hour session. It is envisaged that at the end of these programmes participants will be equipped with new skills to become employable.

Partnering with the Ministry in this initiative is the TCL Group, which has come on board to facilitate a segment of the Landscaping course which includes the construction of stepping stones and garden walkways. This aspect of the seminar aims to educate participants on how to go about making their own stepping stones and garden walkways. TCL’s expertise provides valuable insight on making moulds, colouring and mixing techniques, placing the concrete, curing methods and maintenance of the stones and walkways.

To date, the seminars on making walkways have been held at the North Manzanilla Government school, Rambert Village in La Romain, Boos Community in Rio Claro, Fonrose Village in Tableland, Plaisance Park, Tabaquite and Siparia. Upcoming sessions are scheduled for Warrenville, Cunupia, Princes Town, Siparia and Los Bajos, Moruga and Debe.

Community members have expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to learn these new skills and are grateful to have a face to face insight on proper concrete mixing and curing techniques. At the end of the programme, each person will receive a certificate of participation and will be expected to display his/her work during a graduation exercise which will take place on the final class day.

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CREDITS:
- Story by Natalie Walters
- Photo by Vincent Ma