A group of students from San Miguel de Allende’s rougher neighborhoods completed a unique program entitled Desarrollo de Capacitación Psico-laborales para Juventudes (Youth Job Training and Psychological Skill Development), sponsored by the Ministry of Public Security and headed by the Department of Crime Prevention. Director of Public Security Gabriel Yáñez expressed his overall satisfaction with the training course. As program leader, Yáñez made himself available to the students, offering them the possibility to make their projects a reality if they so desired.
“The training was divided into two parts. The goal of the first module was to provide the students with the psychological and social tools to strengthen their interpersonal skills. And the second was focused on developing their entrepreneurial capabilities. Our mission is to tackle a critical aspect that can help in the prevention of juvenile delinquency: taking care of our youth through exploring opportunity. This is how we can look after our children: by providing them with the right tools, so that tomorrow, they can embark on creating their own personal and profitable livelihoods.”
The program was launched last August 22, bringing on board 18 teenagers from the San Rafael and San Antonio districts. Guided by the Ministry of Public Security and the company hired to train the students, PES Prospectiva, the budding entrepreneurs created six products and two social initiatives for the prevention of youth violence and crime.
Funding was provided by the federal government via the Subsidy for Municipal Security (SUBSEMUN) and the municipal government, 37 and 63 percent, respectively.
