Participants feedback Trinidad and Tobago

[Michael Mc Garrell]

Colleagues, find feedback on ACP conducted in Trinidad and Tobago. I think that there is much we can learn from this feedback.

1. 1.       What do you expect from this event?

• More info on networking  +goal setting
• The exposure to a new approach of dealing with HIV/AIDS, its spread and impact and a greater understanding  of  the role of communities, all stakeholders.
• I expect to learn “new” skills, concepts, ways of implementing projects for the greater good of all, especially the PLWHA
• Active participation, sharing , learning, to return to my organization to continue the sharing. Effectively operate  my NGO to better serve the community/clients to inform my ministry in moving forward
• To sensitize community organizations in building their capacity
• Learning the ways of Guyana and how it can be applied to our country
• To be able to leave here with a solid plan in place to take back to my NGO
• To increase my knowledge  about AIDS and how I may be able to help those living with it in communities
• To better handle the disease form people also to educate my friends who do not take time to understand. With the knowledge I hope to receive here I will now have a comprehensive view on the disease
• I expect to learn more about HIV/AIDS and what I can do to stop the epidemic from happening
• Learn and understand more about HIV/AIDS in order to help people understand HIV/AISD in my community and country
• I want to learn to organize and have a successful support group, a group with love, togetherness, a group which will support each other and even people outside of the group
• To gain new knowledge, build networks, strengthen networks. To be able to build the capacity of the HIV community to prevent new infections and reduce secondary infections
• I expect to be informed clearly with the information on HIV and how to use the tools so that I can take back to my organization and community what I have learnt about SALT
• To acquire necessary know how and financial support to the unified fight against the spread of HIV
• More information and better communication between support groups and  shareholders and private sector and government ministers
• ‘to be able to develop an effective working tool to mobilize communities and execute various programs/initiatives on HIV issue hope to know how to tread in the sphere of HIV, see and learn how the new process, be a part of the team involved in the process after gaining the tools. Becoming a better provider and a more SALTy human dreaming being.

 

1. 2.       Which part(s) of the workshop was/were most useful/interesting?

• I enjoyed the activities used to encourage group effort, thinking and change of ways
• The whole workshop
• Vision
• Learning intervention tools/approaches eg. Dreaming, AAR, strengths
• SALT
• The interactions and the techniques which were taught eg. SALT, SMART, WOT, WOW, AAR
• The question and answers: are you human? SALT
• Self/community assessment, tool The river diagram
• From my opinion the workshop was very interesting
• AAR
• SALT and the questions and answers
• All parts of the workshop was useful and interesting because all go hand in hand one with another
• The practical SALT visit
• Everything about the workshop was useful in whatever way, whether it was good or bad, I have learnt from that
• Linkages of NGOs
• The mechanism taught about SALT
• The field trip

 

1. 3.       What else do you think you’ll need for providing balanced support/intervention to people in your community?

• Transparency, financial and human support
• Some form of technical support
• Technical and financial support; plan or strategy
• Transparent funding
• A place to meet with each other so that we could continue
• Commitment
• Total commitment from the community
• Support from my team
• A common place of meeting once a month
• Continuous information
• The genuine support of the key personnel/stakeholders, the government UNAIDS
• Support from my organization
• More interaction with government organizations and other NGOs
• After conference support
• List and perspectives of what CBO and other stakeholders are doing
• A database and referral directory of all who participate, interact and make policies in the area of HIV/AIDS

 

 

 

1. 4.       List some of the strengths that you came across that you did not realize before

• The ability to exist in a room with so many different personalities with different moods (patience!! And a focused need
• Level of tolerance in work with varied personalities. Pulling almost instinctively positives/strengths
• Tolerance
• My ability to communicate
• AAR
• When everybody came to an agreement
• My ability to communicate
• Commitment, dedication, sincerity
• I have been always and always will be aware of my strength
• NONE
• The valued impact of NGO’s
• Advocacy

 

1. 5.       Please share with us, at least one way, in which you will use the  information and or skills provided/obtained

• I will be using my new skills in my organization
• Through my involvement with FPA  I intend to use it in my interaction with my clients and test the process on a small scale
• Presentation to my principals at the ministry, contact groups in my district
• SALT
• It will be take to my organization and be thoroughly assessed
• By doing the same demonstration shown at the workshop to people that may need help
• I will use the self- assessment tool as a pre-requisite for Training of Trainers
• To better move m y community forward in the fight against HIV/AIDS
• In my women’s group meeting
• Doing the same demonstration
• I will use the dream building in order to know what the community wants and combine SALT to make it happen
• By practicing the same SALT process with my organization
• To share with my community and foundation
• To transfer knowledge to my up and coming  south NGO members
• Personally, institutionally  and on a community level
• Networking with others and sharing the information
• Use the tool(SALT)  in my work
• Advocacy

 

 

1. 6.       What improvements/changes would you suggest for another workshop of this kind?

• To me a lot of time was wasted
• None at this time, it’s a process
• Opportunities for participants especially CBO’s to share their experiences (Strenghts, challenges)
• Stronger focus and organization
• That everyone keep an open mind to each other’s views. A level of respect must be attained
• Breaking the barrier, more civilian interaction
• A little more time could have been spent on the workshop
• Hand out, hand out
• A bit longer
• Everything was just fine
• Invite more people
• Longer timeframe
• Handouts besides trusting the process
• More genuine and inclusive ( with all stakeholders reps) dialogue from the conception to the implementation by the UNAIDS and government

[Dr. E. Mohamed Rafique]

Hi Michael,

Somehow, I missed this post of yours, which is now four days old!

Specifically, I like the feedback where the Government participants state that they will introduce CLCP in their ministries.

Also I like all the comments which help us to  take a review of the workshop process. like the use of handouts, what alternatives for those without e-mail IDs and so on..Before the workshop, we had taken these issues as granted, and had not expected them.

Looking forwards to what participants of the workshop would like to add further...

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Thanks Michael. I liked the questions asked in the feedback and the answers too. The participants wanted more time for the event, interesting:-)