18
alternative livelihoods to mining. In doing so, there are specific assets that should be
enhanced to help provide them with meaningful livelihood opportunities. As discussed earlier, five forms of human capital (income, employment, education, work
experience and infrastructure for community capacity-building) need to be further
enhanced so that locals can achieve their development aspirations.
Existing income rates are not enough to meet community members’ basic needs
or those of their families. Governments and companies (with input from communities) need to partner to formulate income generation strategies. Up-skilling communities so that they are helped to obtain higher salary rates is highly recommended, but
as shown in the research, this needs to be combined with increased opportunities to
earn incomes. This will not only create value for the community but also for the company itself in terms of goodwill and support for its community service obligations.
Employment is an asset that needs to be revisited as it can cause tensions at the
community level. Current processes intended to up-skill informal miners and the
broader community need further development in order to help locals enhance their
capacity to get gainful employment and therefore develop more resilient livelihoods. The research showed that these need to be both within and outside the mining sector. The participation of tertiary institutions and other educational
organisations is vital to increase both education and job opportunities and therefore
help reduce poverty.
Education is an essential asset to enhance other human capital such as income
and employment. Despite the implementation of educational policies at the regional
level, education does not always reach the broader, more localised, community. The
research showed that locals who benefit the most from educational initiatives are
those with the financial capital to be able to afford it. The scarcity of economic
resources to enable access to tertiary education is threatening community opportunities to access the educational system. In addition, current vocational community
capacity-building initiatives are mainly mining-orientated, particularly in the
Antioquia case, which is becoming a limitation for locals whose livelihood options
and development aspirations are not always directly linked to the mining industry.
Thus, it is recommended that education, particularly at the tertiary level, be secured
for locals in non-mining subjects. These need to be subjects that will enhance their
ability to take up opportunities that are offered outside the mining sector.
The dearth of both gainful employment options and appropriate education is
hindering locals from gaining relevant work experience. This is leading to diminished opportunities for income generation and preventing them from employing
other human capital assets that they may have access to. Research shows that issues
relating to work experience arose from the Colombian community capacity- building
approach and the educational system itself. A more effective educational system
implemented to overcome the obstacles of limited prior learning or prior experience
faced by community members is needed. Giving credits for work experience is
essential. Tertiary education institutions need to embrace such education approaches
to help vulnerable communities from resource regions achieve their development
aspirations and reduce poverty through community capacity-building in the form of
education. Therefore, a review of existing community capacity-building approaches
I. B. Franco and J. Minnery
alternative livelihoods to mining. In doing so, there are specific assets that should be
enhanced to help provide them with meaningful livelihood opportunities. As discussed earlier, five forms of human capital (income, employment, education, work
experience and infrastructure for community capacity-building) need to be further
enhanced so that locals can achieve their development aspirations.
Existing income rates are not enough to meet community members’ basic needs
or those of their families. Governments and companies (with input from communities) need to partner to formulate income generation strategies. Up-skilling communities so that they are helped to obtain higher salary rates is highly recommended, but
as shown in the research, this needs to be combined with increased opportunities to
earn incomes. This will not only create value for the community but also for the company itself in terms of goodwill and support for its community service obligations.
Employment is an asset that needs to be revisited as it can cause tensions at the
community level. Current processes intended to up-skill informal miners and the
broader community need further development in order to help locals enhance their
capacity to get gainful employment and therefore develop more resilient livelihoods. The research showed that these need to be both within and outside the mining sector. The participation of tertiary institutions and other educational
organisations is vital to increase both education and job opportunities and therefore
help reduce poverty.
Education is an essential asset to enhance other human capital such as income
and employment. Despite the implementation of educational policies at the regional
level, education does not always reach the broader, more localised, community. The
research showed that locals who benefit the most from educational initiatives are
those with the financial capital to be able to afford it. The scarcity of economic
resources to enable access to tertiary education is threatening community opportunities to access the educational system. In addition, current vocational community
capacity-building initiatives are mainly mining-orientated, particularly in the
Antioquia case, which is becoming a limitation for locals whose livelihood options
and development aspirations are not always directly linked to the mining industry.
Thus, it is recommended that education, particularly at the tertiary level, be secured
for locals in non-mining subjects. These need to be subjects that will enhance their
ability to take up opportunities that are offered outside the mining sector.
The dearth of both gainful employment options and appropriate education is
hindering locals from gaining relevant work experience. This is leading to diminished opportunities for income generation and preventing them from employing
other human capital assets that they may have access to. Research shows that issues
relating to work experience arose from the Colombian community capacity- building
approach and the educational system itself. A more effective educational system
implemented to overcome the obstacles of limited prior learning or prior experience
faced by community members is needed. Giving credits for work experience is
essential. Tertiary education institutions need to embrace such education approaches
to help vulnerable communities from resource regions achieve their development
aspirations and reduce poverty through community capacity-building in the form of
education. Therefore, a review of existing community capacity-building approaches
I. B. Franco and J. Minnery