Community Health Volunteer's Training Manual - Population Council

Module 1 The CHPS Concept
Topic 3 Interpersonal skills and qualities
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In order to work with these groups, you the volunteer need some basic skills and qualities.
Think about people you really like. What do you like about them? These are discussed in
Exercise 1.3.4 and Box 1.3.3.
Exercise 1.3.4 Group work
Objective
1. To discuss skills that makes a
volunteer effective
Time: 10 minutes
Questions
1. What interpersonal skills and
qualities must a volunteer possess to
be effective?
2. Why must you have these skills as a
health volunteer?
Box 1.3.3: Good Interpersonal skills
1. Respect for others
2. Accept everyone as they are
3. Listening and hearing
4. Telling the truth or being transparent
5. Networking or keeping in touch with people
6. Being a team player
Instructions to the Facilitator
1. Lead participants to discuss good
interpersonal skills
2. Compare the answers with those
suggested in Box 1.3.3
Let us now discuss each of these interpersonal skills in some more detail.
Accepting people for what they are
One important skill you need to acquire is to accept everyone as they are. Respect them
for their looks and their personality or behaviour. If I know that even though I am very
disorganised and talkative, you respect me and listen to what I have to say, I feel secure and
accepted. If you do not judge me or force me to change to suit you, I will call you my friend,
and listen to and relate to you on an equal basis.
Sometimes we already have an opinion about a person or situation. So we come into the
relationship with our own ideas about what should be said or what should be the right
answer to every situation.
Relating well with your health stakeholders requires that you view each person –professional
or community members – as equals who have a service, talent, idea, or something to offer.