32 About the workshop
TO THE TRAINER
PART II: THE TRAINING
About the workshop
Aims. To introduce the participants to each other. To ensure that each participant feels an important member of the group and recognises that her peers can contribute insights and knowledge. To hear from each participant what she hopes to receive from the training.
Make sure that each participant introduces herself and describes her experience and her work. Ask each participant to:
• Say her name, where she comes from, and where she works.
• Outline her professional activities and experience.
• Describe her expectations of the training.
EXERCISE
Exercise 1. Introductions.
To make the introductions, you might choose to use a‘ talking stick’( a stick that each participant holds while she presents herself, and then passes on to the next participant).
If you want to learn the participants’ names quickly, try playing games.( Try“ My Ship is Filled With …” or“ My name is Christina and I like swimming …” and asking everyone to repeat the name and what she likes ….) Or the first participant tells her name, the second repeats that name and her own, the third the first two in order and her own, etc. Write down the participants’ expectations on a flip chart; this will help you to plan and will be useful when you evaluate the training.
EXERCISE
Exercise 2. Describe your situation.
This exercise gives both you and the participants crucial information about the context in which the participants work: their social environment, cultural factors, approaches and methodologies, political, military and economic threats, etc. The questions listed on the opposite page may help with this mapping.
Ask the participants to discuss first in small groups of 4-6. Then ask the groups to share their findings in plenary. Note the participants’ main points and challenges on a flip chart.