Training orientation

Introduction

All Facilitators and participants in this workshop have been designated to serve in the Women Population and Development project in their respective counties and have the following tasks:

· assist women in setting up and running their micro-enterprises;

· assist women's groups in managing their savings and loan operations;

· assist women's groups in applying for loans funded from the project revolving fund;

· assess women's group applications for project loans;

· management of the project revolving fund.

The major objective of this training is to equip participants with the tools, knowledge, attitude and skills required to perform these tasks. Whereas some basic knowledge could be acquired through lectures, the workshop methodology primarily encourages experience sharing. The purpose of this use of methodology is not just for knowledge and skills acquisition but to provide participants the opportunity to acquire positive attitudes and values which they will need for their work with rural women.

The training orientation consists of three parts namely (a) introduction of participants; (b) expectation setting; (c) presentation of the training design and schedule.

Output Objectives

By the end of the training orientation, participants will have:

1. Learned each other's name and acquired some understanding of each person's background and specific skills applicable to workshop content areas.

2. Agreed on learning/training objectives, methodologies, content areas and schedule.

Materials

Newsprint, adhesive tape, thick felt tip pens.

Activity 1: Introduction of participants and facilitators

Time: 30 minutes

Steps:

1. Facilitator starts this session by explaining that Facilitators and participants in this workshop serve the WPD project and have shared tasks in assisting rural women, particularly through women's groups, with regard to the development of their micro-enterprises and their savings and loan operation. Participants may have varied educational background and working experience. Knowing each other's background will facilitate experience sharing and fruitful cooperation in this workshop, just as this sharing would when field workers conduct workshops among rural women. We therefore go through this exercise, not only for ourselves in this workshop, but that we would be doing the same when we assist women's groups.

2. Facilitator then asks each participant and co-facilitator to introduce themselves: name, where from, position in project and specifics on educational background and working experience with relevance to the workshop.

3. After the introductions, Facilitator thanks the participants for their cooperation.

Activity 2: Expectation setting

Time: 30 minutes

Steps:

1. Facilitator writes the following two questions on the blackboard and asks participants to answer:

1.1. What do you want/need to learn in this workshop?

1.2. What other expectations do you have, e.g. regarding the Facilitator, the methodology, cooperation between Facilitator and group, logistics, etc.

2. Divide the participants into sub-groups of about 5 persons and give 10 minutes to discuss the questions and to write the answers on newsprint.

3. Each sub-group is asked to present its output.

4. Facilitator reviews participant learning objectives (output to Question I ) and informs participants whether their concerns will be covered in this training (some participant objectives may not necessarily be addressed in this workshop).

The general objectives of the training are for participants to have acquired the knowledge, skills and attitude on:

a. The role of micro-enterprise development as a means to improve the status of women;

b. The role of project officers in assisting women micro-entrepreneurs;

c. Micro-enterprise planning and assessment;

d. Micro-enterprise management;

e. Fund utilization and management (group and project level).

5. Step No. 4 is repeated for the other expectations (output to Question 2).

Activity 3: Training design and schedule

Time: 30 minutes

Steps:

1. The Facilitator the Training Design on newsprint. Use Visual Aid Tel.

Visual Aid T-1 Training Design

2. Facilitator briefly explains the consent of each module, the output and the methodology. Since this is a skills training and all participants have at least some experience in the project and with micro-enterprise development there will be few lectures and many opportunities for experience sharing and practicing through exercises and case study analysis.

3. Facilitator asks participants for questions and comments.

4. Facilitator distributes the Workbook to each participant She explains to the participants that this contains the exercises and cases as well as the tools and forms which will be needed in this workshop. Participants will be guided by the Facilitator in the use of this Workbook as the workshop progresses.

Annex 1. Visual aids: T-1 Training design

Visual Aid Training Design

MODULE 1

MODULE 2

MODULE 3

MODULE 4

MODULE 5

Concept Building and Role Identification

Micro-Enterprise Planning and Assessment

Micro-Enterprise Management

Fund Utilization and Management

Action Planning and Evaluation

Topics

Topic 1 Concept of Micro-Enterprise

Topic 1 Financial Indicators

Topic 1: Management areas, skills, And tools

Topic 1: Fund Utilization and Management in Women's Group

Topic: Action Planning

· Defining Business

· Defining Micro-Enterprise

· Role ME in WPD Project

· Introduction to Business Planning

· Net Cash Income

· Net Profit

· Risk Analysis

· Cash Flow

· Introduction to ME Management

· Introduction to Financial Records

· Preparation and Reading of Financial Records

· Importance of Savings Mobilization and Utilization

· Group Financial Records

· Monitoring of Group Savings and Loans Operations

· Role Delineation

· Training Plan

Topic 2 Causes of Success or Failure of a ME

Topic 2 Business Plan Preparation and Assessment

Topic 2 Systematic Financial Analysis and Diagnosis

Topic 2 Project Revolving Fund Management

Topic 2 Evaluation

· Business Cycle and Aspects

· Factors affecting the Success of a Business

· Key Elements of a Business Plan

· Introduction of Tools for Business Planning

· Practicum Business Planning

· Financial Analysis and Diagnosis

· Options for the Entrepreneur

· Policies and Procedures of Revolving Fund

· Planning Disbursements of Loans to Women's Groups

· Preparation and Procedures of Loan Applications

· Evaluation

Topic 3 Role Identifications in ME Development

· Common Weaknesses and Constraints of ME

· Role of Project Officers in assisting ME

Methology

Workshop, Cases, Lecturette

Cases, Exercises, Workshop

Exercises, Cases, Workshop, Lecturette

Cases, Lecturettes, Workshop

Workshop

Outputs

Clear concept of ME, its role in project, areas of needed assistance by project officers.

Able to prepare, explain and assess

Business Plans

Able to effectively monitor ME and advise micro-entrepreneur

Understanding role of funds and elements in fund management

Defined follow through action training evaluated

Time Frame

1 day

1 day

1 day

1 day

½ day

MODULE 1	MODULE 2	MODULE 3	MODULE 4	MODULE 5
Concept Building and Role Identification	Micro-Enterprise Planning and Assessment	Micro-Enterprise Management	Fund Utilization and Management	Action Planning and Evaluation
Topics
Topic 1 Concept of Micro-Enterprise	Topic 1 Financial Indicators	Topic 1: Management areas, skills, And tools	Topic 1: Fund Utilization and Management in Women's Group	Topic: Action Planning
· Defining Business · Defining Micro-Enterprise · Role ME in WPD Project	· Introduction to Business Planning · Net Cash Income · Net Profit · Risk Analysis · Cash Flow	· Introduction to ME Management · Introduction to Financial Records · Preparation and Reading of Financial Records	· Importance of Savings Mobilization and Utilization · Group Financial Records · Monitoring of Group Savings and Loans Operations	· Role Delineation · Training Plan
Topic 2 Causes of Success or Failure of a ME	Topic 2 Business Plan Preparation and Assessment	Topic 2 Systematic Financial Analysis and Diagnosis	Topic 2 Project Revolving Fund Management	Topic 2 Evaluation
· Business Cycle and Aspects · Factors affecting the Success of a Business	· Key Elements of a Business Plan · Introduction of Tools for Business Planning · Practicum Business Planning	· Financial Analysis and Diagnosis · Options for the Entrepreneur	· Policies and Procedures of Revolving Fund · Planning Disbursements of Loans to Women's Groups · Preparation and Procedures of Loan Applications	· Evaluation
Topic 3 Role Identifications in ME Development
· Common Weaknesses and Constraints of ME · Role of Project Officers in assisting ME
Methology
Workshop, Cases, Lecturette	Cases, Exercises, Workshop	Exercises, Cases, Workshop, Lecturette	Cases, Lecturettes, Workshop	Workshop
Outputs
Clear concept of ME, its role in project, areas of needed assistance by project officers.	Able to prepare, explain and assess Business Plans	Able to effectively monitor ME and advise micro-entrepreneur	Understanding role of funds and elements in fund management	Defined follow through action training evaluated
Time Frame
1 day	1 day	1 day	1 day	½ day