Vocational guidance for children in Mexico

In the context of National Children’s Day in Mexico, on April 30, Mundo de Talentos was invited to the studio of CORTV in Oaxaca City. During the 9 minutes-interview, general manager Laura Baas and educational coordinator in Oaxaca, Esmeralda Jarquín, explained to the Oaxacan audience what Mundo de Talentos is all about and why our work is so important. It was clear that many people got inspired by the item as right after the broadcasting people started commenting on the project through the Mundo de Talentos Facebook page.

Apart from this, during the past months, our students in Chiapas and Oaxaca have been focussing on the subjects of gender, tourism, health and technology, among others. At the end of March, as part of the tourism module, the students in Oaxaca went on an excursion to the facilities of our esteemed ally Hotel Con Corazón. They learned what different areas and professions exist in a hotel, and practiced what is it like to receive a guest. Entering the hotel, they did the first activity “role play”. One participant was the guest and the other the receptionist, simulating the arrival of guests and the role of a receptionist. Through a tour of the hotel and some very fun board games, the team taught the students what the different labour activities in a hotel are like. Thanks to our educational partner and sponsor in Oaxaca, Hotel con Corazón, for opening their doors to us and creating a very inspiring experience for our participants.

During April our first-year students in Chiapas participated in the module of gender equity. A few years ago, our coordinators saw the necessity of designing a module specifically directed at this issue since the creation of respect between men and women, girls and boys, starts when we are young. The gender equity module aims to contribute to the creation of a peaceful society where people respect each other as persons, in everyday activities and also specifically in the labour context.

How many stereotypes and gender roles do we replicate? That was one of the big questions the children asked themselves during the first session of the gender module. Alejandrina Pérez and Darío Cerdio from Médicos del Mundo visited the students and introduced the issue of gender equity and stereotypes. The boys and girls listed an endless number of roles that they believed were destined for a specific gender, but as the session got along, they realized that they are all free to choose and act as they like. As long as it is in a responsible and respectful way! The professional female soccer player Yolanda Paniagua was an exceptional example of how a woman can become successful in a male dominated sector. At her 57 years of age, she was nervous about speaking in front of a group of children about her career. But this soon changed as she felt the genuine admiration of the students for the challenges she faced and the interesting life path she followed. A real inspiration for the boys and girls of Mundo de Talentos!

At the end of May our first-year students in San Cristóbal de Las Casas started with the module Integral Health. During a visit to the dental clinic of the dentist Alba Mélida López de la Cruz, they learned about the importance of oral hygiene and everything that can be prevented by using cleaning instruments like a brush, dental floss, mouthwash and tongue cleaner. Alba emphasized that many people avoid going to the dentist because out of shame or nerves. But taking care of your teeth is very important! By regularly visiting a dental clinic, diseases or infections will be foreseen. "We do not inherit cavities; we inherit bad habits"- doctor Alba Mélida emphasized.

A few weeks ago, our students in Oaxaca visited the Faculty of Biological Systems and Technological Innovations (FASBIT). It was an incredible experience and a great start of the Technology Module. During this excursion students and professors of the faculty introduced our students to topics like light and optics, magnetism, artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual reality, sounds of silence, programming with LEGOS and educational games. They were able to observe, complete challenges, program, experiment, interact and play while learning about new technologies and their applications in fields such as medicine, engineering, and education.

And at the end of May, IMC Weekendschool celebrated its 25th anniversary at the beautiful International Theatre Amsterdam. Mundo de Talentos was there to celebrate this special day with the founder of the weekendschool, Heleen Terwijn, the mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, colleagues, alumni and partners. Mundo de Talentos is proud, as the first sister school on the Latin American continent, to be part of the global network of IMC Weekendschool and to be able to carry on this inspiring educational concept for children and youngsters in the south of Mexico. Congratulations to IMC Weekend School!

Links:

• Website
• Interview CORTV