Train the Trainers Meet in Vancouver!

Photos : All the trainers were trained by Judy Rourke with the help of Star Horn (below) for the Movement portion in the beautiful setting of British Columbia with flowers in full bloom.

During the month of April 2003, 10 Aboriginal trainers from across Canada met for three days in Vancouver to participate in the ‘Coming Full Circle’ Train the Trainers session organized by NIICHRO.

These 10 persons were selected from the many respondents to the Call for Submissions that was placed in a previous In Touch Magazine. How is the selection of trainers made? Selection criteria are mainly based on the applicant’s life and work experiences, skills, reasons for wanting to become a trainer, and education if it is applicable to the type of training being offered.

With the Community Health Representatives (CHRs) in mind, this model of training is used to assist CHRs in gaining knowledge and developing skills in new areas to help them in their work. The training is offered in an intensive time frame and two of its aims are:

1. To help trainers learn about and acquire skills that can be used in their professional roles.
2. To be confident with the skills and techniques offered in the program so that they can, in turn, offer similar training to others who are interested in that same topic.

In other words, it has a ripple effect in that one person is trained in a group setting. Then, he or she takes that knowledge, skills and materials and confidently trains other groups. In the case of the Coming Full Circle training, the second group in line for training is CHRs attending NIICHRO’s Annual General Meeting/National Training Session. There, the training they receive serves as a model to be imitated, adjusted to suit a trainer’s style of teaching and thus, the ripple extends outward. In most cases of NIICHRO Train the Trainers sessions, that organization has already spent a year or more doing advance research, writing, and materials development under the guidance of a national steering committee whose members possess expertise in the topic being researched.

This year, with the fantastic educator from British Columbia, Judy Rourke, at the helm as national trainer, the 10 Aboriginal ‘Coming Full Circle’ trainers under her tutelage were: Alfred Moses (NWT), Cheri Corbiere (ON), Lylee Williams (QC), Arlene Vrtar-Huot (AB), Sylvia Nagy (SK), Jackie Hans (BC), Marlene Lightning (AB), Ruby Glabus (AB), Gérard Raharolahy (QC) and Susan Prince (MB).

These 10 participants of the Vancouver training session expressed praise and appreciation for the privilege of being involved, as seen by their answers to the following questions:

What did you like about this training?

“People sharing from their own experience.”
“It was done in a way I understand it.”
“The clear, organized manner of Judy. She had
overheads and handouts prepared.”
“Time was given for people to share and there
was acceptance of people’s ideas.”
“I enjoyed learning communication skills with
the elderly.”
“I liked the laughter and the environment of
mutual support.”

What is one thing that you got from the training that you will use right away in your work?

“I appreciate Elders more and think of ways to incorporate Elders into the community more.”
“The Medicine Wheel concept.”
“The exercising, self-esteem exercises, mind and body. I would also like to view the video with our local CHR and nurses.”
“The opening prayer.”
“The need to be prepared—in other words, have background knowledge.”
“The nutritional screening tool.”
“More interaction in the home with the
elderly. House assessment for injury prevention.”
“Being able to report back to my supervisor.”

It is evident from the feedback that the trainers not only acquired knowledge and skills to use in their own communities, but they also had a great time learning! Optimistically, the ripple effect
will keep on extending outwards to provide
much-deserved care to our community elders.