Stage 4 of our hairdressing project in Cambodia

Fourth Stage of Hairdressing Teacher Training for 6 Partner Centres
APHEDA Training Centre, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

 1 July to 30 August 2013

 

1 to 23 July 2013: APHEDA travelled to all 6 Provincial Training Centres. Our
continued focus is to monitor progress of existing practice and outcomes of
teachers, the income generation and work experience scheme, assess further

training arrangements and to advise on establishing co-operatives.

A brief report is as follows:

O’Reang Ov: Plans to develop O’Reang Ov into a more functional facility as outlined in the 2012 report have now been actioned. The training room on 1st
floor is now fully equipped and functioning, and the dormitory is ccommodation
for trainees from surrounding villages. Teacher Leakhena continues to demonstrate exceptional skills and is an asset to our training organisation.
APHEDA is pleased with the outcomes of upgraded facilities and concentrated
support from the Centre Director.

Preah Vihear: The Training Centre now has a new teacher as indicated in the
2012 report, outlined in part of the transitional phase of our teacher training
program. She will be supported by an itinerant senior teacher. The centre has an excellent co-operative plan in place, designed to develop small business in the village, of each new student intake.

Oddar Meanchey: Plans to develop this centre were considered priority in the
2012 report and have now been actioned. The Training Centre is functioning with a new teacher, to be supported by an itinerant senior teacher and has
commenced training with a new student intake. The centre is fully equipped but
waiting on minor building works. APHEDA staff will follow up over the coming
months.

Battambong Province: Alongside Preah Vihear; Mong Russey and Thmar Kul are considered our model/flagship Training Centres, both are fully functioning and are now focused on developing the co-operative 'small business' model in their village for each new student intake. Teachers Reaksmey and Sokheng continue to demonstrate exceptional skills and are an asset to our training organisation.

Kampot: The Training Centre is functioning well with a new teacher who will be
supported by an itinerant senior teacher. The Centre has commenced training
with a new student intake. Plans are in place to develop the co-operative 'small
business' model which have not been implemented to date.

From the 30 July to 14 August 2013: In the Baitong Workshop Room, APHEDA ran a 3 week supervised practice teaching program in Hair Cutting, Hair Perming and Bridal Hair Styling.

Week 1 – Gail Vest presented to teacher trainers a Hair Cutting program designed to reinforce previously learned skills and introduce new techniques.

Week 2 – As requested by Centre Directors and identified as a new skill to be
introduced to teacher trainers in 2013 in the 2012 report, guest lecturers from
Australia Teresa LoPilato and Catherine Smith introduced Hair Perming. All teacher trainers participated in the 5 day Hair Perming Technique program. A weekly timetable, lesson plan, course notes and assessment tool were developed. This can now be delivered to trade trainees as a component of the Hairdressing and Beauty Vocational Training Program.

 Week 3 – Gail presented a new collection of 'low cost to client' Hair (bridal)
Styling techniques. This collection does not need hair padding, which we find both difficult and expensive to source.

From the 14 August to 30 August 2013: Further to our teacher training
agenda, APHEDA ran two x two day workshops for:

1. Teacher Trainers (see agenda post): This was designed to outline APHEDA objectives, and develop a duty statement for teachers, intended to reinforce roles and responsibilities within the training centres. Items covered were: course/program implementation, monitoring and evaluation of trainees progress, planning and reporting requirements and requests for further training needs. As a direct outcome of this workshop, a detailed duty statement for teachers has been prepared by the APHEDA Cambodia staff and is held in the Phnom Penh office. Further, discussions were based around teacher accreditation which is currently before the APHEDA Country Co-Coordinator and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs for approval.

 2. MoWA Centre Directors (see agenda post): This two day workshop among other items focused on building co-operatives /small business in the villages for trainees across all skill disciplines. APHEDA presented the Preah Vihear Cooperative model as a successful plan, for all Centres to follow. Battambong Province: Mong Russey and Thmar Kul have commenced, while other Centres have agreed to develop this model over the 2013-14 period.
In summary, it has been a rewarding Stage 4 of the APHEDA project. The
elementary teachers, teacher trainers and trade trainees are responding well to
both the teacher and trade skills training. All 6 Training Centres are performing
well, as indicated in the report.

Proposed plans in 2014 for the training agenda will include Men and Boys Hair
Cutting, Nail art, English for Hairdressers and Chemical Hair Straightening.
 
Finally, thanks to Barbara Fitzgerald for her leadership of the APHEDA Cambodia team, their participation and determination to succeed make this project a pleasure to be part of. 

We have filmed a thankyou video for all APHEDA members to enjoy.
 
Gail Vest
APHEDA Technical Adviser, Cambodia 2013