This study looked into the contexts of empowerment among the selected graduates of the free culinary arts training program of the Consuelo Chito Madrigal Foundation (CCMF) and St. Paul University Manila (SPU Manila) from 2012 to 2015. It specifically sought to answer the following questions: (1) What is the demographic profile of the respondents?; (2) In what ways did the training program provide or not provide an opportunity to the trainees to make a choice in improving their lives?; (3) In what situations were the trainees able to use their opportunity to choose options that can improve their lives?; (4) What were the results of their having exercised their capacity to make choices?; (5) What are the domains of empowerment in the trainees?; and (6) What are the recommendations of the participants about the conduct of the training of CCMF and SPU Manila? Using the qualitative approach via focus group discussions and guided by the Integrated Human Development (IHD) framework and the constructs of Alsop and Heinsohn (2005), the study revealed that the graduate who participated in the study showed many areas of empowerment. They were able to identify options in the learning, work, and relationship contexts. The outcomes showed that five of the six dimensions of IHD and the three domains of development were impacted by the program, indicating that the program has truly achieved its goal of empowering its participants.
ISSN 2094-7496 (Online)
ISSN 2094-1838 (Print)
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