National Vocational Training Centre for persons with disabilities – Open Doors Centre
The National Vocational Training Centre for Persons with Disabilities also known as the ‘Open Doors Centre’ was established in 2001, under the genesis of a project instituted and funded by Associazion Italiana Amici de Raoul Falleau (AIFO), an Italian non-governmental organization.
The Open Doors Centre caters for young adults ages 16-45 with disabilities. At the moment, Open Door Centre happens to be the only institution in Guyana that provides vocational skills training for persons living with disabilities.
The Centre currently provides skills training in four (4) areas, which is being done for a period of two years. The courses are:
- Carpentry
- Information Technology
- Garment and Craft
- Beauty Care
The Carpentry training offers technical drawing, furniture making, wood turning and maintenance of hand and portable tools and machines.
The Information Technology course provides training in spreadsheet, developing logos, basis networking, and computer maintenance and system applications.
The Garment and Craft course offers training in body measurements, tie-dying, fabric painting and printing, drapes and cushion making and adapting patterns to create various styles while the Beauty Care course caters to salon ethics, proper use of facial products, massaging, nail enhancement, manicure and pedicure and hair care.
These courses are supplemented with core courses such as Remedial Education, Life Skills and Guidance and Counselling. A curriculum was specially designed for these training courses to provide to the needs of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Subsequent to the completion of the skills training, each trainee is subjected to a work attachment where they go into the working environment to gain experience in their various fields of studies.
The Centre also assist the trainees in finding jobs or furthering their studies through enrolment in other institutions such as Carnegie School of Home Economics, and Guyana Industrial Training Centre (GITC).
For further information feel free to contact the Centre on 219-2737 0r 219-2753