How to use the manual
This training manual enables you , the trainer , to conduct a three-day workshop . The manual can be used when you are working with , supervising or training a group of helpers . It is also meant for use in settings where you train trainers ( Training of Trainers , ToT ).
Whenever we refer to the trainer in our text , we refer to the person who is conducting the workshop / training , regardless of whether the participants are active helpers themselves or trainers who will train others afterwards .
The manual sets out preparation and background information for the trainer ( the person conducting the training ) on the left hand page , and information to be shared with the group on the right hand page . The manual can also be used as a resource by practitioners who are in direct contact with survivors , independently of any training setting . Each step is described , with instructions . We hope that helpers and participants ( and practitioners ) can learn skills that may assist them to establish a sound and confident basis for their work with survivors . Through practising the exercises , listening to the story , and exploring approaches to trauma and reactions to the traumas experienced , helpers and participants will develop skills that may be useful in their work with survivors .
Who can conduct the training ?
Those who conduct the training need to know the manual well and study the sections in Part I as well as the information provided in Part III . Part III provides additional reference material that may be useful during the training , or for more in-depth reading .
The Trainer should also know the group or at least the context in which the training takes place , and should understand or be in command of the local language , culture and traditions .
If possible , professional health personnel should be available for consultation during or after the training , to respond to difficult questions or situations that may arise .
It is important to bear in mind that the training may create distress or anxiety among participants who experience on a daily basis the grim nature of the problem it discusses . Some participants may themselves have been exposed to violent acts and may be triggered during the course . If this happens , the Trainer and the group may need to allow time for reflection and support and find ways to deal with special needs .
The structure of the manual
The manual has three parts .
• Part I , titled Points of departure , introduces some of the main ideas , themes and content of the training . It suggests what trainers and helpers ( participants ) need to know in order to begin the training and is organised in 15 sections .
• Part II is The training , timetabled over three days . It includes exercises and guidance for both the Trainer and participants , and focuses on learning points in relation to trauma , and in particular on how to stabilise survivors of trauma .
• Part III provides elements of theory , which are supported by a list of further reading in Appendix 3 .