Feb 28 / YES Alumni Training of Trainers Workshop

From February 3-8, 15 YES Program alumni from our nine partner countries joined 10 volunteers and staff from the YES Program consortium in Redondo Beach, CA for the very first Sponsored Programs Training of Trainers Workshop.

The workshop, conducted by AFS Training and Organizational Development Specialists, was organized to help alumni build skills that will allow them to lead the development of YES alumni networks in their home countries and to continue the development of new volunteer roles and volunteer-driven content at Sponsored Programs events.

A highlight of the workshop was the “trainback” session, in which participants were able to put theory into practice. After working with the trainers to design their own 30-minute training session, participants were divided into small groups and conducted their session as they would for their actual target audience, incorporating what they had learned during the week. Each participant then received feedback from all members of their group and returned to their home communities with some concrete action plans.

Egyptian alumna Injy Osama (04-05) was also able to attend the Feb. 1-3rd Central States Regional Hosting Conference in Dallas, where she spoke about her YES experience and the YES program in Egypt.

The selection process for these alumni participants in their home countries was led by a group of YES alumni leaders who attended the October 2007 World Peace Forum and 60th anniversary events. The ToT alumni participants have, in turn, been asked to take a lead role in the selection of YES alumni who will attend the annual Spring Sponsored Programs Workshop in Washington DC.