Belize Indigenous Training Institute

"This is a unique and historic occasion in the history of Belize . It marks the first time that the Indigenous peoples in this country have joined forces and committed themselves to work on a project together as Indigenous Belizeans" . Dr. Joseph Palacio, University of the West Indies .

The Belize Indigenous Training Institute (BITI) is the result of an unusual linkage between the Indigenous peoples of Belize and the Inuit of Canada, represented by the Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) and Unaaq, an Inuit-owned firm. We were invited to provide planning and facilitation services to support the project, and over the course of two years developed and helped to implement comprehensive project plan and communication strategy for the Belize Indigenous Training Institute.

In 1994 Aboriginal Business Canada (ABC) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) sponsored a meeting of non-government organizations in Belize . The conference was attended by a wide range of Central American community organizations and NGOs, and by Canadian representatives of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference.

There was an immediate sense of connection between conference participants, and enormous interest on the part of Belizean Indigenous peoples in the institutions and experience of the Inuit. Their common status as post-colonial Indigenous peoples, their countries similar Commonwealth background and Parliamentary systems, and the challenges to language and culture facing Indigenous peoples in both countries...all provided a background of shared interest and experience.

At the conference, ICC identified a number of the key community stakeholder organizations and, over the course of the next nine months, met with them to develop a sense of their communities' needs, priorities, and capacity. Over thirty options for community projects, joint venture, training, economic development measures and projects were identified.

It was clearly beyond the capacity of either partner to proceed with all the potential projects. However, the ICC development principles provided a guideline for the selection of the core venture. It quickly became clear that the critical lack of trained Indigenous Belizeans to participate in the development of joint ventures and projects was the major issue for everyone concerned. Gradually discussion of options began to narrow, and by January 1995, the priority had become clear. The greatest need was for a training centre to meet the specific training needs of Indigenous peoples.

Training and the North

The experience of Inuit has proven that an essential part of regaining the control of the communities has been the development of effective training programs and systems. It is no accident that so much effort and energy has been devoted in the North to training. Inuit have recognized that without training, the institutions that dominate education, economic development and the political lives of their communities will be beyond their control. With training, however, Inuit can run and create those institutions.

Entire organizations like Atii Training and the Nunavut Implementation Training Committee were created with the sole purpose of ensuring that trained Inuit are able to take advantage of community and economic development opportunities. Inuit companies and NGOs have developed intensive, practical, model training programs designed to transfer specific skills and knowledge. These companies have developed training models and systems that have proven to be uniquely effective in meeting both corporate and community needs.

This attention to community-based, practical training has always been the keystone of our approach to development: our partners worked closely with the Nunavut Implementation Training Committee, Arctic College and ATII on a wide range of training and development projects. In 1995 Terry Rudden was invited by Unaaq and the Inuit Circumpolar Conference to join the team working to develop a training Institute for indigenous Belizeans, applying the lessons learned in the Arctic to the needs of the indigenous peoples of Belize.

Consultation

The process began in Belize City on February 1, 1995 , with an initial meeting with Maya and Garifuna leaders at University of the West Indies to discuss the issues and options associated with the creation of such an institute. At the conclusion of the meeting the organizations appointed spokespersons to represent them on an Advisory Committee: the Advisory Committee members then signed a memorandum of understanding requesting the ongoing support of the Inuit of Canada.

In the weeks that followed, a wide range of consultation meetings were held in village community centres and government offices throughout Belize .

These consultation meetings yielded valuable information on the training needs, issues and priorities of the Indigenous communities, and provided the Advisory Committee and ICC development team with the grass-roots, community-based direction required to proceed with the design of a training Institute.

The meetings also helped to build trust.. Belizean communities are used to donor countries and NGOs full of promises who appear briefly and are never heard from again. The community consultations demonstrated to the Belizeans that the ICC commitment was a long term one. They also helped to establish that the training Institute would rely on the communities for governance and direction.

The Belize Indigenous Training Institute

BITI is an incorporated, not-for-profit organization. It is based in Toledo district, but designs and deliver programs in Kekchi, Mopan and Garifuna communities. Among the services they provide:

• Community needs assessment;
  
  
• Design and production of culturally appropriate training materials and programs;
  
  
• Delivery of instruction;
  
  
• Administration of local and remote training programs and facilities.

Topic areas identified as priorities include:

• Craft production, including bush furniture and traditional basket-weaving;
  
  
• Management, Governance and Administration Skills;
  
  
• Communications;
  
  
• Community Economic Development;
  
  
• Resource Management.

Principles for the Institute

The following principles inform the development of training at the institute.

Development of Infrastructure and governance capacity

BITI believes that every training program must strengthen the ability of the community to plan, manage, and govern and problem solve. BITI's goal is develop the long term capacity within all Indigenous communities in Belize to identify and address their own training, economic and social planning needs.

Community direction

BITI draws its priorities from the community. The Board is made up of community representatives, and our location and training principles were determined through extensive community consultation. The Institute's annual training plans are based on priorities set, revisited and revised by the communities themselves.

Sustainability

In addition to the usual external sources of funding, BITI seeks opportunities for long-term, sustainable revenue generation. These include:

• Sale of BITI materials, consulting and training development and delivery services to non-Indigenous clients;
  
  
• Leasing of BITI facilities for training and other community events;
  
  
• Sale of training services to Indigenous participants and organizations from neighbouring countries;
  
  
• Provision of training assessment, design and delivery services to other funded programs or initiatives;
  
  
• Marketing of arts and crafts;
  
  
• Contracting with government departments and Belize post secondary institutions to take over design and delivery of training for Indigenous peoples;
  
  
• Providing management training to Indigenous institutions and organizations for a portion of their revenues;
  
  
• Creation of a database of Indigenous expertise and marketing of professional Indigenous services to users.

For more information on the Belize Indigenous Training Institute, click here.