Planning your course

Carry out a training needs assessment to find out what participants need from the course2

A training needs assessment enables the facilitator to fully understand the needs of potential learners and the context in which they work, in order to make informed decisions related to the design of the training course. A training needs assessment will also help inform decisions about the most appropriate content, methods, techniques and time frame of the planned training course.

It should enable the facilitator to gather the necessary information to build an adequate picture of the context of disability rights; develop a profile of potential learners; and identify capacity gaps or needs of learners in relation to promoting a rights-based approach to disability.

A pre-course questionnaire should ideally be sent to the participants one month before the course. This information can help design and fine tune the course plan/ agenda. The pre-course questionnaire serves multiple purposes. It:

The pre-course questionnaire should include questions such as:

Select the right sessions

A training course will always comprise an opening and closing session, but the rest of the agenda should reflect the participants' specific needs.

Which modules to focus on will depend on the participants' level of understanding of disability rights and the extent to which they have already developed their strategies to ratify, implement and/or monitor the Convention. There will generally not be sufficient time to cover all eight modules so some will have to be left out. At the same time, particular aspects of some modules might be left out (if participants are already aware of the information), while in other situations, additional slides and materials might be necessary or activities adapted. The facilitator should read through all the materials first to decide what to use and what to amend or tailor, depending on the participants' needs.

Draw up a course agenda

Once the facilitator has selected the modules relevant to the participants' needs, he or she should develop the agenda. The notes for the facilitators in the Guide can help. They provide indicative times for the computer slide presentations and for the group activities, which the facilitator should adapt in the light of the participants' capacities as gleaned from their responses to the questionnaire. If the facilitator is working with interpreters, around 30 per cent of extra time will be necessary and should be reflected in the agenda.

Select the training team

The selection of trainers and resource persons should be based on the following criteria:

In choosing the training team, consideration should be given to gender balance and to the participation of persons with different types of disability. In addition, when training a particular target audience, it is very helpful to include in the training team one of its members who is in a position to establish a good rapport with the learners. Finally, the training team should be complemented by experts in human rights and/or disability rights.

Gather additional information

The facilitator should ensure he or she has:

Specific language preparation

If the course is taking place with interpretation, the facilitator should be sure to consult people who know the local terminology related to disability and how to translate some key terms from English into local languages, as there is always a direct translation.

Context-specific preparation

This Guide should be adapted to different socio-political contexts, including the most pressing developmental and human rights challenges. Where possible, local resource persons who are well prepared and briefed should be integrated in the course planning process and the agenda.

Accessibility

Think about accessibility issues prior to the course. Is the venue accessible? Is the lunch area accessible? Are there accessible toilets? Are course materials accessible? And so on. When thinking about accessibility, remember to think of different disabilities so that, for example, the course is accessible not only to persons with physical disabilities, but also those with visual or hearing impairments.

Evaluation3

Evaluation provides the training team with information about the impact of the training in relation to the goals that the team set out to achieve. Evaluation should be incorporated throughout the training course, including during planning, design, delivery and follow-up. Evaluation can help facilitators answer some important questions about the results of their training activities, for example: Why are we offering this training? Does the content of the training respond to the needs of the learners? What did the learners learn? What actions will the learners take as a result? Will the learners apply what they have learned in their work? How will their work contribute to change in the broader community/society?