Pre-Training Survey boosting training effectiveness
The Blue Economy (BE) concept has become a central aspect of global and regional environmental policies. This is mainly reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Goal 14, which is to “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development” (UN, 2017). Nonetheless, such concept is still new to Mozambique, and it became relevant to explore the different participants background on this topic.
Pre-training surveys helps to gather data that can inform how to run the training, how it’s delivered and what content it covers. To ensure training participants’ ownership of the program, a preparatory working group meeting was also convened, enabling potential participants to share their expectations and learning objectives with each other and to discuss key adaptations to be done. The results from the survey helped to make changes or improvements that maximized the results for the participants.
Objectives should be shared clearly from the very beginning of the process;
It is necessary to use the information from the participants to prepare a tailored training;
Facilitators should be flexible to attribute specific time to certain topics;
Exercises should be tailored to audience level and make them more culturally appropriate.
While APOPO trains scent detection rats, we also train scent detection rat trainers and supervisors. Animal training knowledge, understanding of welfare and care, as well as leadership skills are required to usher rats through their training stages successfully. By investing in human capital, we can support our animals' progress more efficiently.
APOPO's core values include quality, innovation, social transformation, diversity, and solidarity. In line with that, the current project team is compiled of four women and three men, six of whom are Tanzanian. By embracing and fostering diversity, project development benefits from a wide range of experiences.
Motivated staff, capacity building, international exchange of new and emerging animal training and learning processes, critical thinking, willingness to learn, and teamwork.
Screening staff before hiring them as animal trainers should not only include their theoretical skills and qualifications but also explore whether they are comfortable handling a rat. Continued training and capacity building throughout improves trainer capabilities and allows upskilling internally. This in turn creates incentive, high motivation, and fosters integrity. Close attention should be paid to treating staff fairly and allowing equal access to opportunities and equity.
Through high representation of women on our team, APOPO also leads as an example. It increases visibility of women in science in communities and with partners we work with.
Enhancement local laboratory diagnostic: Research – sophisticated Technology – wastewater-based monitoring (epidemiology)
Training
Community-Based Fire Preparedness and Response Strategy
Fire extinguisher and smoke detectors are distributed to the local community to promote sufficient and effective disaster risk reduction tools.
GTWHI
Training conducted by the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia on fire safety .
GTWHI
Local community participated in the training conducted by the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia at GTWHI office.
GTWHI
Practical session on the proper way to use a fire extinguisher in fire fighting.
GTWHI
With more than 5,300 buildings in the George Town Heritage City, it is important to proactively prepare the site in reducing the risk of fire incidents. GTWHI is working proactively to provide at least one smoke detector and a fire extinguisher for every building within the World Heritage Site. A fire safety training session was also held under this programme, in collaboration with the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia. Participating communities were trained on practical measures to prevent and mitigate a fire emergency (installing a smoke detector, using a fire extinguisher and others).
Since July 2020, fire extinguisher maintenance has been conducted for the first phase Community-Based Fire Responders. The GTWHI team went on house visits to all 50 participants to check their fire extinguishers condition, renew the Fire and Rescue Department’s certificate which is displayed on the fire extinguisher, and understand the issues and challenges faced by them during the difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The partnership and close collaboration between the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia and GTWHI has allowed the community-friendly design and implementation of this training activity.
The aim of the Community-Based Fire Preparedness and Response Strategy is to create awareness for the public on the pragmatic steps in enhancing the safety of cultural heritage from fire. GTWHI has collaborated with the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia to organise these capacity trainings for the local communities on effective intervention during fire emergencies, avoidance to fire incidents, and correct approach in using fire extinguishers, among others. Besides learning about information related to fire emergencies, local communities also had the chance to build trust and understanding with the local Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia and GTWHI.
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Informative Posters
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Informative Posters
GTWHI
Handling out of George Town World Heritage Disaster Risk Management for Cultural Heritage Posters to the local communities.
GTWHI
Posters are displayed on the heritage building
GTWHI
Informative posters is one of the disaster risk reduction toolkit developed by GTWHI to raise awareness on disaster mitigation measures and emergency response preparedness. The posters introduce fire and floods as key hazards, with information on risks, vulnerabilities, prevention and reduction strategies. These posters have been produced in four local languages – English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil – to address the multicultural communities in Malaysia.
To further expand the awareness campaign within and beyond the World Heritage Site, GTWHI printed posters in four languages, which received a great reception from the public. The design and content were based on the feedback received from the community during the community training workshop. Raising awareness through posters is a more practical approach for local communities as these materials are visually clear and easier to understand.
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Informative Posters increase disaster risk awareness and preparedness among the people, in particular the residents, building owners and daily users of the town. The dissemination of an easy-to-use and visually accessible infographic toolkit is a practical approach to address issues on site. It is also essential and necessary to involve the local community in content development (in particular during the developing stage) as it provides a user-friendly and place-based strength to these posters.
Community-based Disaster Risk Reduction Capacity Training at GTWHI.
GTWHI
Representatives from Toh Aka Lane discussing the hazards, vulnerability to their living environment.
GTWHI
Representatives from Boon San Tong Khoo Kongsi presented the risk analysis of their building to other workshop participants.
GTWHI
Community-based workshops and awareness campaigns on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management have been organized by GTWHI for local communities. Representatives from local communities (caretakers of heritage buildings or residents alike) attended the trainings to identify risks, discuss preventive measures, and develop emergency actions. These sessions enhanced local communities understanding of disaster preparedness, enabling them to identify hazards, assess vulnerabilities and possible factors, as well as reducing the potential impacts of disasters on the site.
The workshops were structured as follows:
Introduction of key concepts with examples, site mapping and imagination games.
Participants shared disaster scenarios and proposed mitigation measures for people and heritage, drafting emergency response strategies.
Participants detailed the risk analysis and identified possible actors and their roles before, during and after a disaster
Participants presented their case studies with Standard Operation Plan for the before, during and after a disaster.
Participants presented their cases at the Experience Sharing Workshop on DRR Strategy for Heritage Cities in Southeast Asia, the Pacific and Africa.
GTWHI organised several 2-hour workshops over 7 months, with gradual and progressive capacity building to introduce the DRR concepts to the local communities.
Capacity building and awareness raising are key for the execution of sustainable community-based capacity training. In particular, continuous and meaningful involvement of local communities in disaster risk prevention, planning, and management are critical to the project outcomes.
Thus, all capacity building activities are conducted using a language the local community most comfortable with, and sessions are conducted at the time that they are available (avoiding busy work periods and or timeframes during the day).
GTWHI moved away from jargon-oriented academic-compact workshop training styles and executed multiple-day workshops that use relatable and receptive terms and examples. GTWHI provided technical assistance to participants before, during and after their presentations, and offered participants chances and platforms in sharing their strategies with UNESCO as well as international and national agencies (for example the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia).
