Written by Mekong Institute

The course consists of 10 Modules, which covered fundamental of the facilitation skill and program management. In brief the content of each module was reviewed as follow,

Module1: Setting the context

This module is essential for enabling free and open participation right from the start of the traning program. This session help the trainer prepare the groundwork, break the ice and give overview of the trining workshop and adult learning principle. This module has 5 sessions: getting to know each other, setting the context (contents and methdology), exploring expectation, developing norms, and benchmark faciliaton. The benchmarking sesson were record in video, so that the participants can review their own performance and assess their preworkship facilitation and curriculum development skills.

Module 2: Strengthening Teamwork

Participatry training courses are best implemented through a team of facilitators. This module allowed participants to analyze the various elements necessary to strengthening a team of facilitators. A learning game challenged the participants’ creativity and team dynamics in order to overcome the task given to them. Participants’ reflected on te importance of team work on the performance of facilitaton team. Stages of te team building process were asked and revewed by guide questions. Additional reflections were encouraged through pohoto analysis and group discussion.

Module 3: Participatory approach in training program management

The concept of participatory approach in the training course management is introduced in this module through leaning games and guide plenary discussion. Participatory leaning goes along with the iterative implementation of the training cycle. Participants are given and active role in the design, redesign and decision-making in all stage of the training cycle. Participatory is design to be a learner-centered rather than trainer-centered. At the end of the module participants were able to differentiate tradtional training methods with participatory training methods.

Module 4: Modular training cycle and Integrate Program Management

This module illustratees the modular training approach (Learn to do, Do to learn and Share to learn) and futuristic alternatve concept of integrated curriculum. THe types of learning include cognitve, affective and pschomotor learning. This module includes sesson on : adult learning principle and basic elements of modular training prgram, integrated curriculum and Module Development Giudelines.

Module 5: Introducton to Planning a Training course

Participants guide on planning a participatory training course programs and designing workshops. Participants learn new concepts, methods and tolls and go through real practical experience in applyng these principles and methods in MI training sessions.

Module 6: Role of Faclitator and Request Competences

This module focuses on facilitation fundamentals and the main roles of a faclitator: content neutral, process guide and integrato of results. It further elaborated on the required core competencies of modern trainer/facilitator: this module has three sessons: Practicing being content neutral and process guide, rolds o fFacilitator, and required skills, knowledge and attitutde for Masterful Facilitator. Case scenaros to show te technical, methodological, social and personal challenges for a facilitator wre given. Small group were task to show through role play how they wil overcome such challenges.

Module 7: Facilitation tools kits

This module demonstrates he use of different interactive facilitation methods and supporting tools in delivering MI learning packages. The participant go through learning experience in designing different kinds of intervention, using creative process, and utlizing appropriate tools. Participants learned and practiced usng VIPP faciliation tools and techniques.

Module 8: Practicing Facilitation Skills

This module gives practical tips on the art of facilitation and making oral presentations. Participants’ facilitation skills were challenged to analysis of case scenarios. Through role play, they present ideas on how they would handle such challenging situatons. Do’s and Don’ts of facilitator were recognized. Vdeo of the participants which taken on the first day of the training course were presented to enourage self-reflection. Each participant provided comments on how he or she whould improve his/her presentation and facilitation skills.

Module 9: Field WOrk Facilitation

This module focuses on practicing how to plan and conduct a fielf work and share their experience and knowledge gained from the field work. An actual field visit to village’s income generation activities, village allowed participants to interact with crop seasonal growers, participant were challenge to apply participatory methods and facilitaton skills learned in ” inside classroom settings” into real life village situation. A guided discussion to synthesize and reflect experiences gained from the field work served as basis for improving faclitaton skills.

Module10: Integraton Skills and Way forward

This module focuses on the integraton of different sets of facilitaton skills and knowledge in work situaton such as workgroups, sectoral meeting, dialougues, and mult-stakeholder consultations. Participants go through exercise on how to manage different training scenarios, promote full participation, handle difficult group dynamics, foster inclusive solutions and ensure partcipatory and faclitation skills learned from the training to their future work at the Mekong Institute. The final evaluation of the training was done using participatory virtualization evaluation technique.