Training Methodology for ADVOCACY Helpers
Country
France
Description
This project is an organic necessity of the Citizens’ Convivial Spaces. These spaces are in essence places where the capacity for self-management and self-organization are primary goals. To convey this approach to new users and helpers, the need arose to create a training framework to help understand and handle the daily work in these structures. Furthermore, it appeared that advocacy and developing self-assertion were not common practices in France. In mainstream structures like semi-open mental health institutions, this capacity for autonomy is not encouraged and alien to users. This training was thus needed to avoid reproducing the “usual” methods, where animation and care are the exclusive prerogatives of professionals.
In the initial stage of the project, trainers defined a general framework, including main goals (i.e. welcoming newcomers and helping them to express themselves freely) and a list of concepts and methods to be explained.Writing some basic documents as an initial canvas for training proved extremely useful. It allowed summarising the main concepts while complying with the Citizens’ Convivial Spaces approach: the training originated from a collective thinking of the users themselves, through collective talks. The knowledge or concepts they wanted to elaborate on were then collected and summarized by the trainers.
Once the training framework was finalized, the training itself started. Written documents, although important, are a mere starting point. The users themselves will adapt what has been written, add some concepts and define the directions of the training. Each participant will contribute with his own experience and feedbacks. Thus the training is permanently adapted to its target.
Once a training session is complete, the concepts are well interiorised. Each session is unique and adapted to users, depending on their expectations and the way they react to the training. One can say the methodology used complies with the principles or Action-Research.The main achievement was the active and continuous involvement of the users. Thanks to the regularity of the sessions and the open-mindedness of the exchanges, users became the main actors instead of simple consumers.
The assessment method:
Assessment is based on debriefings where users elaborate on the way they perceived the training, what were their acquisitions, the points raised, the items to be revised. Summaries are written to keep the users informed and to incite them to take part in it. The training is continuously adjusted after the conclusions of these assessments. It is important to stress the continuous aspect of the assessment. Trainers do not merely expect a final judgement; they expect the assessment to be part of each meeting, and are ready to adapt the framework accordingly.
Areas
Training
Effectiveness
Another achievement was the evolution of the training contents. The initial training framework was improved and adapted during sessions. The end result is a more consistent training, well adapted to mental health care users. Each new user will be better trained since the framework was finalized by peer mental health care users. It is an example of successful collective work.
But individual successes shall also be taken into account: it appeared some users were able to become trainers themselves. They managed to capitalise on their own experience to welcome new users, animate collective talks and speak in public, thus overcoming severe impairments due to their psychic state. These achievements are a practical case of peer emulation.
This training is also a milestone in the organisation's roadmap toward re-enabling mental care users to regain an active role as citizens and members of the global society. During all the training process, users have been considered as persons in their own rights, whose experience and individual lives are worthwhile contributions not only to the training, but to the society itself.
Sustainability
Innovation
Added Value
Advocating for users and helpers becomes an integral part of the NGO daily work. The methodology developed by this training is put into action and evolves continuously.
The benefits are visible in each Citizens' Convivial Space through the improvement they brought to various activities. Newcomers may be introduced to the structure by many users, instead of relying on professionals only. These users use their own words, but convey the essential concepts of the organization.
The benefits are also obvious during various internal or external collective talks. Some users are able to better assert themselves, to animate some talks and allow other users in turn to express their own ideas and opinions.
Transferability
The limited funding hindered meetings between geographically distant regional instances of the Citizens' Convivial Spaces: one general meeting per year while two or three would be necessary, not counting newly created structures.
Mainstreaming Potential
The principles used in this approach can be transferred in numerous care and help processes for various persons with social problems or suffering from a broad range of impairments or discriminations. However, some requirements are to be strictly met, such as:
- Interaction with the trainees.
- Trainees taking part in the main project phases - definition, implementation and assessment.
- Taking into account the specificity of each participant.
- Adapting continuously the project to the target population, its expectations and different learning capabilities.
Costs of the Project
Main funding originated form the Advocacy NGO, who partially funded 2IRA. The DRJS (regional delegation of the Ministry for youth and sports) and DGS (global state delegation for health) contributed to the funding. Cost of training sessions: 2000 Euros for five meetings.
Considering its effect on the Citizens' Convivial Space users, the project cost is very acceptable. As previously stated, this training is an integral part of the main ADVOCACY goal. Its benefits are twofold: it not only provides an opportunity to train self-assertion and regain control of one's own life, but also reveals new peer emulators who can increase impact and efficiency of the training. Once trained, users become vectors for the training. The initial costs will thus decrease, since these new peer emulators will implement the training at no cost. However, non-profit help, though an important part of the project success, remains to be valorised.
People involved in the Project (number of people and profession)
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Project
Such an approach requires time, open-mindedness and a capacity for summarising. But these are what make the experiment worth the while. The continuous interaction between trainers and users, both in the implementation and evaluation phases, is a complex process. It appeared adaptability and reactivity was the key to success.
Here the training method is not rigidly imposed by the trainers. The trainees are not forced to adapt completely to the training to benefit from it. On the contrary, it is the training itself, due to the method used, which adapts to the specific needs of each trainee.In broader terms, this is not an integration process (where the individual gives up his specificities to be cast into a common mould), but indeed an inclusion process (where the individual retains his specificities and uses them to find a place in the society). Here the individual does not adapt itself to the system (i.e. the training). On the contrary, the system adapts itself to each individual and benefits from these adaptations.
This approach tends to turn prejudicial and discriminative behaviours into an acknowledgement of the skills of all involved people.
Contact Person for the Project
ADVOCACY France
Martine Dutoit
5 Place des Fêtes
75019 Paris
+33 1 45322235
advocacyfrance@orange.fr
2IRA
Marie Claude Saint Pé
+33 1 48 07 15 37
2ira@free.fr