FIELD REPORT | INVEST- WUSC

DATE : NOVEMBER 21ST-23RD 2023

SITE: ATTC, ACCRA

ACTIVITY: JOB READINESS WORKSHOPS

PARTICIPANTS: SCHOLARSHIP PARTICIPANTS, ILO’S, INVEST STAFF, CONSULTANTS

LENGTH OF OBSERVATION: 3 DAYS

Summary
Write a one paragraph summary or abstract of the day’s events.

The INVEST Team went forth to host a three day job readiness workshop in Accra ATTC. This series of training
was developed for the project's scholarship participants with the objective of preparing the participants for the job
market.The workshop was well attended with over 100 women present throughout the series. The training
typically started around approximately 9/10 am and ended approximately around 3:30/4pm allowing for ample
time to engage with the workshops focal topics. The training focused on the following topics:
- Job Readiness
- Communication & Social Media (Marketing)
- Grooming
- GESI
- Workplace Safety
- Team Building
The training utilized multiple media and mediums in order to create a dynamic workshop experience. The media
and mediums utilized are the following:
- Videos
- Worksheets
- Interactive Group work
- Interactive Play (Role Play,Broken Telephone etc.)
- Personality Assessment
Overall, the workshops were designed to prepare the recipients with accessible knowledge and resources that will
best equip them as prospective new hires in their respective TVET industries.
DATE : NOVEMBER 21ST-23RD 2023

Narrative
Write a detailed narrative of what you observed.

In supporting the Job Readiness Workshops I was able to build my understanding of the reach and impact of INVEST
in the field. My role as support enabled me to observe the participants reactions, the workshop setting, and workshop
facilitation skills in a clear non-intrusive way. As such, concerning these areas, I was able to note aspects of the
training that the participants were receptive to and aspects of the training that were different to my own experiences of
training processes as an experienced municipal trainer.

What was quite noticeable was the high level of communal familiarity expressed throughout the training.This dynamic
was not only present in the facilitation style but also amongst participants as it appeared that the participants were quite
familiar with one another. I assume that the familiarity amongst participants supported how the group work activities
flowed and the overall receptiveness of the training material. From my observations, participants enjoyed the materials
and activities presented as there were high levels of engagement throughout the workshop. From my perspective, the
oratory based activities were most successful as it not only challenged participants to engage in the subject matter of
the activity premise, but it also allowed them to hone their public speaking skills and build their confidence by doing
so. I also noted the heightened consciousness from facilitators in regard to accessibility. Facilitators demonstrated this
commitment to accessible communication by assuring participants that speaking in the native language was welcomed
if they were uncomfortable participating/presenting in English.

As mentioned, there were aspects of the training that were interestingly different from my experiences of community
based training. From my positionality, I recognize that these differences may be a result of cultural or systemic
incommensurabilities that I will become more accustomed to throughout the duration of my WUSC assignment. In
acknowledging these differences, my intention is not to simply flag these differences as challenges but rather to
acknowledge the differences as a means to facilitate knowledge sharing amongst the INVEST team and myself. The
most noticeable differences were the following:
● Breaks- The action of taking breaks was less emphasized during the workshops.
● Childcare-The children accompanying their mothers were quite active and exploratory in the workshop setting.
They played and ran about throughout the series of training in order to keep themselves occupied. There was not
a dedicated childcare space or arrangement, Mothers were responsible for stewarding their children and learning
simultaneously.
● Sexual Harassment Philosophy- During one of the workshops, a facilitator advised participants that “If they
dress inappropriately for work as women, they are committing sexual harrassment towards men in their
workplaces” (loosely quoted). This understanding of sexual harassment differs from my understanding of power
dynamics within acts of sexual harrasment. My position is that this rhetoric is misguided and potentially harmful
to women.
DATE : NOVEMBER 21ST-23RD 2023

Contacts Made:

N/A

Action Items:

- The Job Readiness Workshop series is currently ongoing with workshops taking place in Takoradi and Kumasi.
It may be of use to share my notes with the team developing M&E as they compile data to reflect on the
workshops and aggregate their findings.
- Upload Images taken at the workshops to the Google Drive