Stepping Stones Training: Focus on People wth Disabiltiies and HIV

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends and Colleagues,,

 

ActionAid India is planning the National Stepping Stones  TOT in Bangalore from

14-24   September 2008. The focus this time is on People wth Disabiltiies and

HIV. It is a great opportunity to be trained in Stepping Stones. We encourage

 staff from organisations working for PWDs to participate.

Stepping Stones Training of PWD Trainers Course Bangalore, India

Monday 15th September to Wednesday 24th September 2008

Organized by Thematic Team – HIV and AIDS. Action Aid International-India

Stepping Stones is a participatory training package about HIV, communication and

sexual health. Although many (People with Disability) PWD trainers are using

the package without any assistance, we know that training can significantly

improve the way in which it is used. Participatory methods are still new to many

people and Stepping Stones’ attention to sensitive issues of gender and sexual

health can be challenging for many PWD community workers. Training can help

them acquire skills of participatory training and to understand the core issues

at the heart of problems of HIV and AIDS ,especially among PWDs. So we are keen

to encourage more Training of Facilitators courses (ToFs).

However, we face a shortage of local PWD Trainers who can run these courses.

We are therefore pleased to be able to run this Training of Trainers course

(ToT) for 30 people from across India.

Objectives of the course:

To increase the pool of skilled PWD Trainers in the country, so that more

Training of Facilitators courses can take place in India. These in turn will

build the capacity of PWD community workers and spread the use of Stepping

Stones in the country.

To improve participants' ability to train PWD Facilitators in effective

participatory methodologies such as Stepping Stones to address the issue of HIV

and AIDS among PWDs.

To improve participants' communication skills and understanding of issues

concerning sexual and reproductive health, gender and rights, with special focus

on PWDs context.

Outcomes of the course:

Participants in the TOT will be expected to train and promote the use of

participatory approaches to sexual health work in their project areas,

especially with PWDs.

Dates: The training days will be from Monday 15th September to Wednesday

24th September, 2006. Participants should travel before and after these days,

ie arrive by Sunday 14th September and leave on 25th September.

Location. The course will be residential. It will be held in Bangalore. All

participants will be informed of the exact venue and other arrangements nearer

to the time.

Curriculum: All training will be conducted in a participatory manner, in tune

with the Stepping Stones approach. The provisional curriculum is as follows:

Familiarisation with Stepping Stones

Participants experience Stepping Stones for themselves. It is important for

Trainers to address their own issues around safer sex, communication, gender,

traditions and discrimination if they are to be effective in training others.

Much of this work will be done in peer groups (men and women working

separately), in the same way that Stepping Stones is used at community level.

Training others to use Stepping Stones

• Planning for developing or building on a strategy for promoting the use of SS

in your PWDs project areas.

• Topics to include in your TOF curriculum

• About how to run a TOF

Participants: There will be a maximum of 30 participants. Each sponsoring

organisation will have to sponsor a male and female staff or community member.

The following minimum selection criteria apply:

Individuals: all participants must:

• speak English fluently (this is the common language which will be used at the

TOT)

• be experienced in participatory training

• be comfortable with the idea of talking about sexual health issues

• be willing to be challenged and to learn personally from the training

• have a commitment to training others following the TOT

Cost: The costs of training, accommodation and food will be Rs. 6000.

Each participant will also be given a copy of the Stepping Stones manual. This

is a twelve-day in house training program and the participants need to stay over

night at the place of the program.

If you would like to be considered for attendance at this training, please fill

Section A of this form and get your manager to complete Section B. Please

return both Sections with your current job description and CV to your National

AIDS Network/NGO Coordinator.

Remember, the closing date for receiving applications is Friday 15th August 2008

Please note, your sending in an application does not guarantee you will be given

a place. Decisions regarding the allocation of places will be made by the

Trainers and HIV & AIDS Thematic Unit. All applications are to be forwarded to

medhashriram@... and Christy.abraham@...

Application to Attend Stepping Stones Training of Trainers Course

SECTION A: to be filled by each applicant

Please answer all the questions.

Your name:

Sex: male/female Age:

Address of your organisation:

Phone: Fax:

E-mail:

What is your current job title?

What kind of work do you do?

please attach your current job description

What experience do you have of participatory training?

please attach your resume/CV (the record or your qualifications and work

experience)

What would you hope to get out of this training?

How might you use what you learn?

If you want to make any other comments, please do so here.

Signed: ____________________

Date:_______________________

Please return this form plus with SECTION B to ActionAid by Friday 15th August

2006.

_______________________

Application to Attend Stepping Stones Training of Trainers Course

SECTION B: to be filled by the applicant’s manager:

Name of organisation:

Your job title:

Your relationship to the applicant:

Contact details if different from those given by the applicant:

What kind of work does your organisation do?

What attracts your organisation to Stepping Stones?

What will your organisation gain if your applicant is successful and attends the

training course?

How would your organisation make use of its participants' training?

What commitment, if any, can you make regarding your organisation's use of

Stepping Stones in 2009?

If you want to make any other comments, please do so here.

Signed: _________________________________

Date: ______________________

Please return this form plus with SECTION A to ActionAid by Friday 15th August

2008.

Please get back to me for any furthur details.

Thank you and warm regards,

Christy

Christy Abraham

e-mail: <Christy.Abraham@...>