Community Stabilization Program
Program Snapshot
- Award Amount: $644 million
- Start/End Dates: May 2006 - August 2009
- Implementer: International Relief & Development
Overview: Building Stable Communities
The Community Stabilization Program (CSP) provides jobs, training, small grants, and small infrastructure projects to help bring stability to communities affected by insurgent violence. In doing so, the program seeks to build a foundation for longer-term development. CSP focuses on at-risk, unemployed males between the ages of 17 and 35. The program is active in five locations across Iraq. CSP has four primary components, which are outlined below.
Repairing Community Infrastructure
CSP undertakes short- and medium-term activities to quickly clean or repair community buildings or areas. These projects include cleaning up trash and debris; clearing out irrigation canals; and repairing roads, schools, clinics, and water and electricity systems. In addition to responding to immediate community needs and providing highly visible results, these programs employ thousands of unskilled and semi-skilled workers. All are carried out using local contractors and labor identified by local governments and community groups. These visible, labor-intensive projects have created more than 512,000 person-months of employment.
Providing Practical Job Training
Vocational training and apprenticeships provide Iraqis with job skills and practical experience in such fields as carpentry, masonry, welding, computers, hair-dressing, and sewing. Vocational courses generally last three to twelve weeks. Depending on their field of study, some graduates receive toolkits for their chosen trade. CSP also assists in job placement. For construction trades, CSP helps to organize and partially fund six- to nine-month apprenticeships. With their new skills and toolkits, many set up their own businesses. CSP encourages those who become entrepreneurs to apply for the program's small business grants. More than 40,292 youth have graduated from vocational training and apprenticeships, and more than 1,537 are currently in training.
Helping Start and Expand Businesses
CSP awards in-kind grants ranging from $500 to $100,000 to new and existing businesses. Entrepreneurs and businesses also receive training to help them with strategic planning, budgeting, marketing, and other basic areas of management. This business development program has generated almost 32,000 jobs.
Grants are based on:
- Potential for new jobs;
- Potential for increased incomes;
- Positive impact on the community; and
- Each grantee's contribution to the project (minimum of 25 percent is required).
Engaging Youth to Promote Reconciliation
In cooperation with community organizations, CSP sponsors neighborhood sporting events, drama presentations, art exhibitions, public service campaigns, and youth seminars. These activities help promote reconciliation and are designed to engage young Iraqis with their culture and communities in a positive way and encourage them to stay off the streets. CSP also helps rehabilitate youth centers and local sports clubs.
Highlights of the Community Stabilization Program:
- Almost 45,000 long-term jobs created;
- Nearly $80 million in grants approved for almost 10,700 businesses;
- More than 40,200 Iraqis graduated from vocational training courses;
- More than 9,900 apprenticeships awarded; and
- About 316,000 young people reached through sports and arts program
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