“Impact Economix conducted a summative evaluation of the Swellendam Tourism Economic Empowerment Partnership (STEEP) as implemented By The Swellendam Tourism Organisation (STO) for National Treasury: Government Technical Advisory Centre: Jobs Fund. Swellendam Tourism Economic Empowerment Partnership (STEEP) was approved by the Jobs Fund Investment Committee on 05 December 2014 at a total project value of R51,412,000.00 (fifty one million, four hundred and twelve thousand Rands). The overall STEEP objectives included creating new permanent jobs, as well as short-term positions in the tourism value chain (primarily for youth, women, and previously disadvantaged individuals) and promoting transformation (greater equity & black participation) in the tourism industry through implementing four components: workforce development (training & skills- called Learn2Work or L2W), creating new tourism attractions, upgrading existing municipal assets, and enterprise development.
This independent summative evaluation by Impact Economix was commissioned by the Swellendam Tourism Organisation and the Jobs Fund in order to ascertain how effective STEEP has been at creating new sustainable jobs, to promote accountability and transparency for the use of JF funds, and to identify lessons to improve future project performance within the tourism and hospitality sector and to inform policy development.
A mixed methods approach was used which included a wide range of data collection methods and sources (including twelve key informant interviews, four focus groups with beneficiaries, three surveys with beneficiaries- 199 surveys were completed with learners, a 52 surveys were completed by L2W host enterprises, 36 survey responses were completed by supported enterprises), random verification phone calls were made to 7 businesses and 66 interns, and project documents were reviewed) to answer the evaluation questions with good quality data and evidence and to support robust conclusions and recommendations.
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