Women and tourism: strategy to create a vocational ......on-site vocational center for young women...
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Issue Nepali women typically have less exposure and education than men and are typically excluded from tourism - one of Nepal’s top industries. Empowering Women of Nepal (EWN) trains and empower women in Nepal, especially those from the poorest regions, through adventure tourism. Since 1994, close to 2,000 women from all over Nepal have completed the training. .. EWN hybrid model: After 20 years of operation of the program, trainings are insufficient for the current demand. EWN plans to create a new model of ecotourism through ‘Adventure Sports Training Center’ an on-site vocational center for young women in Nepal. The center will expand those opportunities in number and variety of sports as well as an opportunity to develop a scalable model for the country of a sustainable approach for tourism. Women and tourism: strategy to create a vocational training center for adventure tourism in Nepal Methodology To determine the methodology for the growth strategy the initial questions were related to EWN experience. It was needed to identify (1) what had been done, (2) what had worked, (3) what was needed and (4) what elements need to be considered for the replicability of the model. The project used: (A) SWOT analysis (B) Systems thinking approach Work process: 1. Compilation and reorganization of EWN information and update data. 2. Research on best practices in other countries. 3. Interviews within staff of EWN (total 7). 4. 8 week Workshop with 15 women trekking guides to get feedback and empowerment perception. 5. SWOT analysis 6. Systems mapping Example of systems map for EWN programs: leverage points (yellow), elements to consider in growth strategy (red), opportunities (blue) Scope Develop a strategy for the creation of the ‘Adventure Tourism Training Center’ that was determined by EWN’s experience, identified opportunities of the region and the social and environmental impact. The strategy included three elements: (1) Assessment of successful practices through their 20 years of experience and areas of opportunity to scale the project. (2) Compilation of criteria used in international settings for sustainable tourism (3) Creation of a guideline to create a replicable model in Nepal. Recommendations Organize EWN programs’ information and research to identify a areas of opportunity Systematize and document EWN model and lessons Standardize their model and take advantage of reputation across the country Develop ‘Certification program’ and focus on partnerships for expansion. Include feedback of women alumni and current employees. Women from poor regions of Nepal EWN training: • Technical skills • Leadership program • Emotional and psychological support • Continuous education Women become paid assistant guides 3-5 years of experience Women become professional trekking guides hired by partner business ‘ 3Sisters Adventure Trekking Company” • Economic support • Continuous education • Personal strength • Cultural role of women Results Based on the research in international sustainable tourism and EWN best practices, this proposal was structured into five components that ensure the success of any tourism venture: 1) Involve the community and strengthen local capacity; 2) Develop the strengths of the destination; 3) Manage its impact (social, economic, environmental and cultural); 4) Establish partnerships; 5) Increase awareness of sustainable practices. The final product based on those components included three major deliverables (1) guideline for any sustainable tourism venture; (2) feedback from women’s workshop; and (3) guideline for EWN based on the recommendations they need to follow to expand their model. Findings What is ‘empowerment’? ‘ When a woman realizes their full identity and power in all spheres in her life, in a multidimensional process, then she has become empowered - Importance of ‘full cycle’: training program with employment opportunities from the same organization. Hybrid model of social enterprise. - Marginalization of Women in Nepal Limitations - Timing - No access to other stakeholders - Grassroots organization works on a daily basis Carla Aguilar De la Fuente Master of Development Practice 2018 University of California, Berkeley [email protected] “ Main challenges for women are education opportunities, lack of opportunities, society and how they see women, time management” “Empowerment is education, being active, saying what you think and participating, knowledge, sharing, changing communities’ mind, and being a role model” Feedback session with Female Trekking Guides
Transcript of Women and tourism: strategy to create a vocational ......on-site vocational center for young women...
Issue
Nepali women typically have less exposure andeducation than men and are typically excluded from tourism - oneof Nepal’s top industries.
Empowering Women of Nepal (EWN) trains and empowerwomen in Nepal, especially those from the poorest regions,through adventure tourism. Since 1994, close to 2,000 womenfrom all over Nepal have completed the training...
EWNhybridmodel:
After 20 years of operation of the program, trainings areinsufficient for the current demand. EWN plans to create a newmodel of ecotourism through ‘Adventure Sports Training Center’ anon-site vocational center for young women in Nepal. The centerwill expand those opportunities in number and variety of sports aswell as an opportunity to develop a scalable model for the country
of a sustainable approach for tourism.
Women and tourism: strategy to create a vocational training center for adventure tourism in Nepal
Methodology
To determine the methodology for the growth strategy the initial questionswere related to EWN experience. It was needed to identify (1) what had beendone, (2) what had worked, (3) what was needed and (4) what elements needto be considered for the replicability of the model.
The project used:(A) SWOT analysis (B) Systems thinking approach
Workprocess:
1. Compilation and reorganization of EWN information and update data.
2. Research on best practices in other countries.
3. Interviews within staff of EWN (total 7).
4. 8 week Workshop with 15 women trekking guides to get feedback andempowerment perception.
5. SWOT analysis
6. Systems mappingExample of systems map for EWN programs:leverage points (yellow), elements to consider ingrowth strategy (red), opportunities (blue)
Scope
Develop a strategy for the creation of the ‘Adventure TourismTraining Center’ that was determined by EWN’s experience,identified opportunities of the region and the social andenvironmental impact.
The strategy included three elements:
(1) Assessment of successful practices through their 20 years ofexperience and areas of opportunity to scale the project.
(2) Compilation of criteria used in international settings forsustainable tourism
(3) Creation of a guideline to create a replicable model in Nepal.
Recommendations
Organize EWN programs’ information and research to identify aareas of opportunity
Systematize and document EWN model and lessons
Standardize their model and take advantage of reputationacross the country
Develop ‘Certification program’ and focus on partnerships forexpansion.
Include feedback of women alumni and current employees.
Women from poor regions of Nepal
EWN training:• Technical skills• Leadership
program• Emotional and
psychological support
• Continuous education
Women become paid assistant guides
3-5 years of experience
Women become professional trekking guides hired by partner business ‘ 3Sisters Adventure Trekking Company”
• Economic support• Continuous
education• Personal strength• Cultural role of
women
Results
Based on the research in international sustainable tourism and EWN bestpractices, this proposal was structured into five components that ensure thesuccess of any tourism venture:
1) Involve the community and strengthen local capacity;2) Develop the strengths of the destination;3) Manage its impact (social, economic, environmental and cultural);4) Establish partnerships;5) Increase awareness of sustainable practices.
The final product based on those components included three majordeliverables (1) guideline for any sustainable tourism venture; (2) feedback fromwomen’s workshop; and (3) guideline for EWN based on the recommendationsthey need to follow to expand their model.
FindingsWhat is ‘empowerment’?
‘ When a woman realizes their full identity and power in allspheres in her life, in a multidimensional process, then she hasbecome empowered
- Importance of ‘full cycle’: training program with employmentopportunities from the same organization. Hybrid model ofsocial enterprise.
- Marginalization of Women in Nepal
Limitations- Timing
- No access to other stakeholders
- Grassroots organization works on a daily basis
Carla Aguilar De la FuenteMaster of Development Practice 2018University of California, [email protected]
“Main challenges for women are education
opportunities, lack of opportunities, society
and how they see women, time
management”
“Empowerment is education, being active, saying what you
think and participating, knowledge, sharing, changing
communities’mind, and being a role model”
Feedback session with Female Trekking Guides
