WESSA Tourism Green Coast Summary Report 2018-2020

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNT SO FAR?

TGC BREAKS DOWN BARRIERS

TGC provides a stepping stone for youth. The 2-year learnership creates a career-pathing environment filtering out the entrepreneurs that go on to start small enterprises and providing opportunity for learners to discover their passion, which leads them to further studies or finding employment in their preferred fields. TGC training creates super guides! The combination of the accredited and non-accredited course work combined with practical implementation and mentoring in a real workplace creates a breed of guides that have the theoretical knowledge, experience of working with customers and skills in ecological monitoring and environmental education facilitation. The non-accredited components compliment the Tourism Guiding qualification, deepening the learning experience. Multiskilled guides can fulfil many roles in both the environmental and tourism sector which supports resilient livelihood creation. TGC opens doors by developing both hard and soft skills. Practical Tourism Guiding skills can be applied throughout the hospitality and tourism sector and TGC graduates become registered site guides through the Provincial authority. Soft skills such as communication, teamwork, professionalism and English proficiency boost confidence and enhance employability. TGC creates a professional network. Tourism graduates find it hard to enter the industry despite having a qualification. The unfortunate culture of having to have connections in order to get a foot in the door is a serious and unfair barrier. TGC connects the youth to each other, to their host employers, government departments and institutions and NGO’s. TGC alumni can leverage this network to connect with opportunities. TGC supports sustainable development and coastal conservation. The Wild Coast’s unique natural and cultural environment is under threat and needs to be protected. A systematic approach to sustainable development is essential. Institutions, People, Places, Environment and Livelihoods are all essential components which need to interact positively in order to bring about systemic change. The Green Coast Award creates a platform for connecting these dots.

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