China Program Review 2002
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Environmental Action Program: The Learning Process in 2002
Identifying Participants
Participants concentrating in their learning
during the EAP L1 training in Fengqing,
Yunnan
A fundamental principle of the course is cooperation. Course participants prepare a plan of cooperative action to be implemented in their home communities. In previous years, participants were often unable to cooperate because the collaborating institution preferred to invite just one or two women from each village in order to cover a wide geographic area. This year, after consultation with our collaborators, we were able to invite several participants from each village. This increased the opportunity for cooperation with others in the community following the training, raised the participants' enthusiasm and significantly increased the impact of the program.
Follow-up Process
A trainer demonstrated facilitating skills to
two local facilitators at an outdoor setting
in Dingbian
During the last two years, follow-up visits to participants focused on evaluating the effectiveness of the course. With no course revisions planned for the next 2-3 years, the focus of follow-up visits in 2002 shifted to documenting the impact of the program on participants, their families, and their communities. This new focus will continue in 2003.
Developing Rural Human Resources
Participants working in a group to complete
the activity during the EAP L1 training in
Fengqing, Yunnan
The sustainability and expansion of the Environmental Action Program depends largely on increasing human resources, especially in the rural areas. In 2002, we enhanced our ability to train new facilitators and to assist them to develop their own potential through guided training and reflection.
Twenty-four participants from previous programs were selected from three counties in Northern Shaanxi Province to attend the first facilitator training in May 2002. Subsequently, two intensive sessions were held during which the newly trained facilitators practiced training small groups of participants. These sessions allowed the Foundation to explore different approaches to coaching new facilitators. In Dingbian, 6 newly trained local facilitators practiced their skills through trainings in which teams of two facilitated groups of 20 participants. In Suide County, 5 new facilitators learned to facilitate the course in a small group setting, with each facilitator facilitating 4 participants.
Throughout the year the Foundation also coached 7 facilitators from among volunteers and staff. Three of them are now able to co-facilitate the training program with confidence while others will need further practice.
The Expansion Process
A technician is explaining the concept of
4 in 1 system to the participants in the
EAP L1 in Dingbian, Shaanxi
In previous years, an intensive format of course delivery was established, in which 50-60 women were invited to a central location to go through the course in 5 days. While this training format proved effective, the cost of transportation, food and lodging made it impractical to consider reaching ever-larger numbers of participants. In 2002, we experimented with a study circle format of course delivery. Those being trained to serve as facilitators were asked to present sections of the course to a small group of participants. After experiencing this format, some of the women serving as local facilitators in Northern Shaanxi were inspired to offer the course to their friends and neighbors. We envisage that this format will enable facilitators to offer the complete course to their friends, neighbors and relatives.
The program has also expanded geographically. Training sessions were held in Gansu and Yunnan Provinces and follow-up evaluation indicated that the program had a positive impact on participants in both areas.