Development of competencies for the socio-productive inclusion of vulnerable young persons: The case of paces foundation in Cuenca (Ecuador)

The socio-economic inclusion of the populace in cases of extreme poverty is an issue which currently begs for permanent, innovative and comprehensive policies in the field of Human Development (HD). These actions are especially relevant when these cross sections include children, adolescents and youth (CAY) who face multiple vulnerabilities such as rural-urban migration, unemployment, life on the streets, child exploitation, poor levels of education and training, among others. In this context, the Salesian Paces Foundation (SPF) has worked for nearly 30 years with these groups (CAY) in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador, from a socio-educational model of comprehensive care, with prevention programs and the restitution and enforcement of their rights. This chapter shows the study of one of these programs that seeks to develop integrated skills for strengthening an entrepreneurial and solidary mentality as one of the main strategies for youth entrepreneurship and employment. The results show that young people who have participated in these projects have developed personal skills which allowed them their socio-productive inclusion in the solidary economy.