Training of Trainers for Mother-to-Mother Support ... - Linkages Project

Methodology
Conduct the entire TOT (and the community health workers training) in a circle to
reinforce the atmosphere of respect, attention, trust, sincerity, and empathy that
characterizes a mother-to-mother support group. For best training results, arrange
field visits to reinforce new knowledge, attitudes, and skills through practice in
conducting mother-to-mother support groups. If a participant’s facilitation skills need
strengthening, arrange additional supervised practice with the trainer or at the
participant’s worksite until competency is achieved.
Use the checklists during each of the field experiences to guide the participants’
experiences, focus their performance improvement practices, and provide a tool for
performance evaluation on the completion of training. Use the results of the pre- and
post-test tools to identify content areas that have been difficult for participants to grasp.
Meet with trainer colleagues to develop approaches to helping participants learn the
challenging content.
This TOT is most effective when participants have an opportunity to facilitate a training
of real community health workers using the content and skills they have just learned.
This practice can be arranged by offering a nearby nongovernmental organization a 2-
day training in breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and mother-to-mother support
group methodology, with transportation, meals, and a packet of handouts provided at no
cost.
Training Tips
Use “ice breaker” suggested below or invent other ones adapted to the local context.
Set the tone for training by conducting ice breaker exercises to help participants begin
to value their unique talents and contributions to service delivery. You may select the
activity below or create your own.
“Matching picture game”
Give each participant half of a picture depicting breastfeeding or complementary
feeding and ask him/her to find the participant with the corresponding matching
picture half. Have participants interview each other, asking names, expections
from the training, and favorite foods.
Record contributions and expectations and address whether expectations will be
met in the design of the training.
Conduct daily evaluation activities using the one suggested below or invent your own.
At the end of each day, ask the participants to answer three questions written on a
piece of paper: 1) What did you like, 2)What should be changed or improved, and 3)
What did you learn Ask participants to fold up their answers and place them in a hat.
When all answers are collected, redistribute them. Ask participants to read the response
they were handed. This allows participants to evaluate the day’s activities in confidence.
9