The variants of how to conduct exercises,
proposed in these guidelines, are meant to demonstrate the various ways to
guide the group to accomplish certain tasks, as well as the questions that
can help achieve the objective of the exercise. It is important to view training
as the opportunity to inform participants about rather complex problems and
concepts, and to make the process of learning more interesting and useful.
To this end, it is necessary to help the participants comprehend new and sometimes
unusual (for some, even unacceptable) viewpoints on a specific problem and
possible approaches to dealing with it. The facilitators need to explain
the mission of the exercise in short and concise terms, distribute questions
to the small groups on cards (or on sheets of ordinary paper), and disseminate
much of the exercise information in handouts, which the participants can use
afterwards.
Training programs aimed at addressing
violence against women should focus the attention of the participants on desired
changes in society and governmental agencies; on the concrete steps that need
to be taken to eliminate violence and provide individual support for each
victim. However, there is a danger that demonstrating many examples of violence
against women may cause feelings of despair and powerlessness amongst members
of the group. Bearing this in mind, each exercise in the training course
should be concluded with some positive solution to the problem, even if it’s
just a small step in improving the situation. The resource exercises are
useful for this reason, since they are aimed at relaxing and increasing positive
attitudes in the group. It is recommended that they are implemented following
the exercises that deal with the complex issues of violence against women.
For the training exercises to accomplish
the learning objectives, they must be tailored to the local situation and
country-specific characteristics. While conducting exercises, it is advisable
to use discussions and brainstorming sessions to address concrete problems
of the region, as well as specific concerns raised by the participants. Questions
proposed for discussion in the exercises throughout this training program
should be considered as reminders as to the best approach to dealing with
the group. Facilitators should use their own judgment to decide which ones
best relate to the facilitator’s view of what needs to be addressed, the group
composition and the time allocated for the given exercise. Facilitators may
use their own versions of the questions for discussions suggested in these
guidelines or come up with their own questions.
The main goal of a training program
on violence against women is not only to increase awareness of the problem,
but also to develop specific resolutions. Facilitators need to deliver the
material by emphasizing its usefulness for the target audience, so that the
participants realize that newly gained skills and practices are designed to
ease their work (e.g. law enforcement officers working with the victims of
domestic violence).
To actually benefit from the training,
participants must be convinced that the information is important to them.
Therefore, it is imperative to keep the program responsive to the needs of
the group, and to maximally increase the amount of individual participation
during the training session.
Facilitators should bear
in mind that the suggestions presented here are guidelines based on various
training experiences, which must be adapted to different settings and different
groups of people.
What is a Training | Needs
Assessment | Goals and Objectives
Organizing a Training Workshop
| [Preparing the Training Program] | Conducting
Exercises | Training Methods
| Tips for Facilitators | [Model
Sessions] | Final Remarks
Guidelines for Developing a Training
Program