An initiative to help jobless Bermudians develop their skills and get work has been praised as a success.

The Community Driven Development (CDD) programme aims to help those without a job or who are underemployed to become self-sufficient, Minister of Community, Culture and Sports Wayne Scott told the House of Assembly this morning.

The first group of participants are now set to open a daycare centre in Hamilton by the end of the year.

Mr Scott said: “The programme has a four-pronged approach which involves the provision of workshops, formal education, site visits and work shadowing/volunteering.

“Part of this retooling process also involves teaching participants the elements of business planning, with the ultimate goal that they would be instrumental in starting a business.”

CDD was a Throne Speech initiative launched early last year by the Department of Human Affairs and the Bermuda Women’s Council.

The first group of participants started the programme in the spring of last year and graduated from the education and retooling section last month.

A second group joined in January this year and are in the middle of the workshop phase.

Mr Scott said: “The key component or main thrust of the CDD programme is job creation and I wish to emphasise that point — the participants in the programme must create their own businesses and their own opportunities to ensure capacity.

“Group one’s proposal is for the establishment of a daycare facility and they have developed a solid business plan to open a facility that will cater for children from the ages of three months to four years old.

“I am very pleased to announce that the programme has secured a location for the daycare facility within the City of Hamilton and the intention is for Scribbles, which is the name of the daycare, to be open for business by December.”

Mr Scott said the venue would serve as a multi-purpose facility that could have “other revenue-generating uses”, such as after-school care for children or hired out for birthday parties at weekends.

“What will set this daycare apart from all the rest is the innovative curriculum planned for Scribbles,” Mr Scott said. “It will encourage a lifelong love of learning through play where age-appropriate creative, interactive and unique lesson plans will be brought to life in a fun, imaginative way.”

The building that will house the daycare centre requires “some renovations” and unemployed tradespeople such as carpenters, electricians and plumbers will be hired through the Department of Workforce Development.

“This is truly a community-driven development project,” Mr Scott said.

The minister hailed the dedication and hard work of the participants, some of whom entered the programme without a GED but will now seek child daycare qualifications or an associates degree from Bermuda College.

Of the 13 who graduated from the CDD programme last month, two are employed full-time, two part-time and two are continuing with their work shadows.

Eight of the second group of participants are set to start work at Scribbles as teachers’ assistants and cleaners.

“Even those persons who will be cleaning the facility have either had training for that job or will shortly be taking courses to enable them to fulfill that role,” Mr Scott said.

“I want to make it very clear that this daycare will not be Government-owned or funded,” he added. “It will be a self-sustaining operation utilising monies raised from fundraising and donations from the private sector. Any extra monies will be put back into the CDD programme.”

Mr Scott thanked the initiative’s partners, including the Ace Women’s Forum Bermuda and CableVision.

Other businesses, including “pop-up” projects such as a Christmas gift-wrapping service, are planned for this year.

Mr Scott said: “These are all aimed at creating employment opportunities for underemployed and unemployed men and women.

“The objective is for the participants of the Community Driven Development programme who have completed the programme, and are not employed by that time, to feed into and be employed in these businesses and projects.

“In these economic times we must be creative and think outside the box to address the many facets of the problem.”