UNITAR Fellowship for Afghanistan: Workshops I and II and Study-Trip to Dubai

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Type:

Workshop

Date:

17 Jul - 24 Jul 2010

Duration of event:

8 days

Location:

Hiroshima, Japan

Programme area:

Peacemaking and Conflict Prevention, Post-conflict Resolution

Fee:

N.A.

Website:

http://www.unitar.org/hiroshima/unitar-activities/postconflict-reconstruction

Event focal point email:

hiroshima@unitar.org

Other events details:

Private events - by invitation only are reserved for a pre-determined group of participants.

Background

The UNITAR Hiroshima Fellowship for Afghanistan is a long-term initiative aimed at building leadership and management skills and providing technical and institutional support to a core group of senior Afghan government officials, academics, and practitioners. The programme hopes to contribute substantively to existing efforts in Afghanistan, and is structured around four main elements – Fellows, Mentors and Coaches, Team projects and a combination of different training methods (i.e. distance learning tools plus on-site instructor-led workshops. The Cycle is launched in May with an Orientation Workshop in Kabul. The Dubai Study-trip and Workshops I and II are offered as the next milestone of learning in the Fellowship Cycle.

Learning Objectives

The Dubai Study trip provides an opportunity to expose Afghan Fellows and Coaches to Dubai - its society, culture, science and technology. The objectives of the workshops are:

· to enhance participants' understanding of leadership and organizational development as tools for maximizing performance within organizations;

· to review Fellows' assignments and assess their progress;

· to assist participants in developing their team projects.

· to enhance participants' understanding of project planning;

· to introduce participants to skills in proposal writing;

· to create a better understanding between Fellows, Coaches and Mentors;

· to enhance skills in coaching and team development.

Content and Structure

Workshop I of the Cycle, entitled Leadership and Organizational Development for Performance and Results, aims at helping Fellows understand the concept of how sound leadership and planned organizational development can maximize performance and produce desired results. It also aims to support Fellows to develop team projects addressing the common needs of their organizations, while enhancing their understanding of the obstacles and opportunities in the organization development and change process. Workshop II, entitled Project Planning and Proposal Writing, aims to equip participants with basic knowledge of project planning and raising sponsorship and financial support for projects within organizations and from external stakeholders. This skills-training offered in the workshop facilitate the Fellows’ work on their team projects as well. In addition to the two workshops, joint working sessions on Coaching with Fellows, Coaches and Mentors will be organized in order to strengthen understanding between group members and create a better learning environment for all. The further session on team challenges will help groups to improve their communication levels and expertise in teambuilding.

Methodology

The eight-day study trip includes two intensive hands-on workshops and meetings with academics and experts from various fields, as well as study visits to cultural sites, public welfare facilities and institutions in Dubai. The workshops and sessions on team development are intensive and interactive events and require Fellows to work in groups on exercises assigned by resource persons. The Study-trip assignments are designed to link into the themes under discussion in the workshops. Multiple training methodologies such as case-studies, after-action review, peer review during sessions and in follow-up, debriefings and group work, and role playing are used. Fellows are also given an opportunity to receive feedback on the assignments submitted to date, and will be debriefed on assignments and requirements to qualify for the final workshop to be held in Hiroshima in November.

Targeted Audience

The workshops are specifically designed to meet the needs of the Fellows and Coaches (mid to senior-level officials from the public, non-profit and academic sectors) of the current Cycle in the UNITAR Fellowship for Afghanistan.