A TRAIN-THE-TRAINER COURSE

Abstract

Work package 6 of the SaferAfrica project aims to identify training needs and develop capacity building programs focused on road safety in African countries. Part 2 of WP6 concentrates on train the-trainer activities for universities. The main objective was the development of a train-the-trainer manual in the way that trainers and future trainers will be provided with the necessary tools and skills to prepare their own road safety courses. This manual was developed in 2018 and is now available as Deliverable D6.2. (Sanon, C. et al., 2018). The first part of the Manual presents basic information about the ‘nature’ of road safety and the Safe System approach, as well as how this knowledge can play a part in the education of different professionals. Special attention was given to road safety audits and inspections. The second part deals with the methodological and didactics of teaching this specific content, mainly focusing on the definition of learning outcomes and the specificity of the learning processes in adults. Giving training is however a matter of more personal competences and not only of technical skills. Providing a manual is important and can give future trainers a good support, but it is not enough. Competences are acquired through exercises, experiences and concrete and constructive feedback. For the above reason, in an early stage of the development of this manual in task 6.2, the workgroup decided to develop also a real Train-The-Trainer course, based on the Manual. In order to take the most of this trial, it was decided to develop a real course in Africa, to see if the foreseen approach was the most appropriate. After discussions during the project meeting in Abidjan (November 2018), the possibility was created in Cameroon in coordination with task 6.4 (twinning program on research capacity needs). In this annex of the Deliverable D6.2, an overview of this try-out version is detailed. In the first part of this document, the preparation of the course is discussed (aims, suggested program, target group and how we invited participants). A second part describes the course, detailing the content and the adaptations we made during the course. The third part is meant as an evaluation of this course. Both feedback of the participants and experience of the three trainers are presented. The most important information from this section is related with the lessons we could learn from this first try-out, which will lead us to a few suggestions and a canvas for further TTT-initiatives (last part).