Orphans and Vulnerable Children - CRIN

STEP 1 Why? The aims and objectives of the training

Training aims are broad general statements of the overall intention for a training activity.

Ask yourself: Why am I planning this session, course or workshop? Your aims say what you

as the facilitator are going to do! It is useful to write your aims and objectives down.

In this way, you will always be able to remind yourself of them as you plan your training.

Objectives are specific and short term. Training objectives are generally:

 Short term: precise statements of actions undertaken in the training process

 Measurable: able to be assessed, for example, skills and knowledge transfer in explaining the

facts about HIV/AIDS

 Achievable:can be accomplished, are do-able

 Realistic: are possible or can be done given time or resource constraints

 Time bound: have specific duration boundaries, for example an activity to explain children’s

rights could take two hours to get through with a group.

The aims and objectives need to be realistic in terms of what training can achieve, and what is needed

to support the aims. One way of deriving objectives is through a learning needs assessment.

It is wise to begin to think about how the training will be evaluated even at this stage, because the

achievements of your training should always be measured against your original aims and objectives.

STEP 2 Who? Those involved in the training process

The learning group or participants

Consider this step together with Step 1 – Why? The aims and objectives of the training, and Step 5 –

What for? The learning needs assessment. The selection of participants is crucial to a successful training

course or programme. Who should attend, who they represent, and what will encourage them to

keep attending is an important part in the whole training strategy.

Training is easier if the group is as homogenous (that is, if a group contains

people of a similar kind) as possible. In some cases, a group may be made

up of very different kinds of people who will require training together in order

to build collective responsibility and unity. In this case, the training should

be designed to take into account the very different needs, responses and

receptivity of people with different abilities and experiences. As in any other

project, disaggregated data (information indicating the differences between

people in the group, for example, the range of ages) should be obtained to indicate the

different needs of men and women and how these may be affected by age, class and ethnicity.

As much as possible should be found out about the group beforehand so that the training matches

the needs of its members. The composition of the group will affect group dynamics, and you will

need to consider whether you want to specify an equal balance of men and women, or CCC members

who are of equal status, in order to avoid a minority feeling isolated and intimidated.

STEP 1

Training aims

for a group must

match the needs

of its members

STEP 2

(^60) Unit 2, Facilitator’s Guidelines Guide to Mobilising and Strengthening Community-Led Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children