The document provides information about the Training for Change (TOT) and Foundational Cycle Training of Trainers (FCTOT) program. - The program trains community leaders and experts from diverse backgrounds to become effective trainers through experiential learning. Over 75 participants have benefited from TOT and FCTOT. - Alumni have used skills like collaborative approaches and inclusion to benefit Myanmar society. Challenges include balancing training time with participants' busy lives. - The next step is developing a local training force to deliver the course in local languages and increase sustainability.

1. THE AMERICAN CENTER
TOT & FCTOT ALUMNI
RANGOON, BURMA
SPECIAL POINTS
OF INTEREST:
TOT & FCTOT NEWSLETTER
V O L U ME 1 , I S S UE 2 O CT O BE R 3 1 , 2 0 1 1
...This is really special
Training for change
•
for the people who are
really interested in the
welfare and develop-
ment of our community. FCTOT encourages community leaders to embrace collaborative approaches
Because this course can to bring change for Myanmar society
change us to become a
new person like an
Sai Aung Thein (TOT 2)
agent who can lead the
DESPITE being a dentist and
future civil society...
working as a health worker in
• ...It was so pleased non-governmental organiza-
gathering with my tions, Nang Nu Nu Yee, a
friends, trainers and reproductive health coordina-
alumni ... tor, never thought she would
become a confident trainer
• ...I’m automatically mastering in training designs
stepping back and back after attending a seven-week
and back ... course.
“I’ve learnt lots of lessons
• ….In eventually, I could from the course including
face this challenge... how to create the training 2011 after being introduced by Her teacher’s suggestion
design which is really impor- her teacher who thought she turned out to be true, and she
tant for trainers,” says Ms might get lots of knowledge. found the course changed her
Yee, the coordinator of Karen ways of conducting trainings.
INSIDE THIS Women Action Group, adding Even though she had some
ISSUE: that she also learnt some key “FCTOT is totally experience attending other
TOT & 3
components such as experien- different from other trainings before, she says,
tial learning cycle, adult what she expected as a trainee
FCTOT
learning characters, giving trainings I used to do. was that they could get all
and receiving sandwich feed- It is not spoon things from trainers. But what
BUBBLE 3
back, and trainer’s behaviors. feeding, but it she had learned from FCTOT
AND WAVE Ms Yee, a Pao ethnic from demands all effort of was that she could use the
Taunggyi, attended the experience from participants
Missing 3 the participants.” Nang
FCTOT, Foundational Cycle and let them find the way to
Alumni Nu Nu Yee, FCTOT 4
Training of Trainers, in July solve problems by them-
Step Up, 4 selves.
Design: Jimmy Rezar Boi
“FCTOT is totally different
Step Back
from other trainings I used to
Reading 4 do. It is not spoon feeding,
but it demands all effort of the
Plan like Hell; 4 participants,” she says.
Go with the
FCTOT is a training pro-
gram established in 2010 with
flow
the aim of training local ex-
Dear Alumni 4 perts of diverse backgrounds
to be effective community
leaders and building networks
TOT/FCTOT Alumni and participants gathering at graduation of highly trained community
ceremony of FCTOT batch 4. leaders.
Limited Circulation

2. PAGE 2
Continue from Training for Change…..
“I hope that one benefit that comes edge, says Dim Sian Nem, FCTOT’s
from the FCTOT program is that there associate training specialist.
are more community leaders using “I think this program will bring
experiential, participatory, collabora- more collaborative practices and pro-
tive, and inclusive approaches to the mote inclusions among diverse indi-
work that they do,” says Mr David viduals and communities,” Ms Nem
Root, the founder of FCTOT. says.
FCTOT was changed from TOT, This is also true for Ms Yee who
Training of Trainers, pilot programs also says that FCTOT is very effective
that were being conducted outside of and steered her to become a powerful
the programming of the American community worker for her society.
Center’s work in 2008. According to She felt she was equipped with the
Mr Root, they saw the success and essential skills and techniques which
value of TOT so that they worked to enable her to facilitate the commu-
incorporate it fully into the program- nity very well in order to empower
ming of the American Center’s work. the capacity of Myanmar society.
During 2008 and 2009, Mr Root, “This is really special for the people
with his two colleagues who started Participants are participating in group who are really interested in the welfare
TOT, took a long look at the course work of experiential learning cycle and development of our community.
and after some deep reflections, they Because this course can change us to
decided that the three month approach training is to create change, then they become a new person like an agent
that they had used for TOT was a bit ideally want individuals who have who can lead the future civil society,”
too heavy and that the course would demonstrated change efforts in their she says.
be more effective if it was broken up communities already and who are po- While there are many benefits
into three different “cycles”, a Foun- sitioned to continue brining change to FCTOT providing to its participants
dational, Intermediate, and Advanced. their work and communities. and Myanmar society, there are also
But unfortunately, after running the According to Mr Root, participants some challenges in delivering it, Mr
program in 2010, it was decided that of the program would conduct an ef- Root says.
only the first Foundational Cycle fective, objective-oriented, participa- “The largest challenge faced in de-
would receive funding and be deliv- tory and experiential-based training livering this training is balancing the
ered, he says. After the fouth batch of session. They would also create a time required to effectively bring
FCTOT, the program has benefited learning environment and community change to an individual, or group, with
around 75 participants combining that embraces and promotes diversity, the busy lives of our targeted benefici-
with TOT and ultimately resulted in collaborative learning, self-discovery, aries,” he says.
many good trainers who are working and reflective thought, he adds. Mr Root adds that his challenge with
in different fields and benefiting Mr Root says that he has already Myanmar participants lies in his in-
their communities. seen multiple collaborations between ability to speak a local language in
Mr Root, who has been teaching and individual alumni who have been which to deliver the trainings.
training in Myanmar for four years, working on projects that have em- With batches of trainers fully trained
says they are looking for current or braced the principles of inclusion and and well-equipped, Mr Root is already
emergent community leaders in the field collaboration. formulating the next step. FCTOT is
of community development and civil Although the concept of collabora- developing a completely local training
society. tion and inclusion is familiar among force that will be able to deliver the
“We ideally target individuals Myanmar people, the rate of using course in a local language in order to
who are engaged in bringing change them is still very low and a lot of create more sustainability and reach
to their communities, who are con- trainings are more top-down that the for their program.
nected, and who are committed to trainer is always the source of infor- “Over the next year that will be one
continuing their work in Myanmar,” mation without acknowledging or of our main objectives,” he says.
he says, adding that if the purpose of including the participants knowl-
TOT & FCTOT Limited Circulation

3. VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 PAGE 3
“BUBBLE AND WAVE”
TOT and FCTOT
Air and water marry and mix
Teaching opens the window to the world.
Outcome a bubble there it exists;
Organizing teachers accumulates a force to Grow big and big, it colors
make a better world.
Green, red blue…the spectrum flowers
Training of trainers, the program we love Then blows the breeze it disappears.
all!
Open sea vast in the water
Foundational Cycle Training of Trainers, High booms up the crest the boasted
Enhance skills of teachers, no exceptions Sounds of whisper and roar its varied calls
to those of community leaders. Almighty the waves rise and fall.
Core elements for community development, From the cradle to the grave
Discussed and shared by achievers. A life of a human subsists,
Like a bubble
Theories, techniques, and methods Like a wave
Acquired and practiced together by learn- There appears and comes vanished.
ers. MY DEATH IS ETERNAL (igaoNcif;oñf jrJ)
Outstanding trainers contribute knowledge MY LIFE IS MORTAL (igtoufoñf rjrJ)
and experience
How ‘beautiful’ or ‘powerful’ it ever would be
To their juniors and future leaders.
In a moment a blink … a flash …
Training of trainers, the program to be A swell of water rises and breaks
joined by all! As life lasts, is unpredicted.
Thu Zar Thwin The essence of being a humane lies
(TOT 1st batch) How survives beneficial to one’s environ_
The genuine beauty and power of
REPUTATION never dies.
Green (TOT October 2008)
MISSING
I…….. .
ALUMN
There was so heavy raining day in 28th songs altogether when Ma Wai and
September. But, I was going to Total Ma Nwe come back from Thailand.
Learning Academy to meet my friends Unfortunately, I could not meet
and trainers. I was so nervous that it Jimmy, John, Aungzubu and Ma Kyi.
was not sure to meet my friends at To- I totally believe that we can meet
tal. In reality, I met two of my lovely coming days to share experiences.
sisters –one is Ma Stella and another That is why, I am counting the days
one is Magret. It was so pleased gather- and times that we are going to
ing with my friends, trainers and alumni gather in the future.
at that day. At the graduation day, fortu-
nately I met with Min Htike and Ma Mo SMART,FCTOT(3)
and Magret again. We had spoken a lot Tintzawhein@gmail.com
about our memorable events that were
happened at FCTOT (3).Min Htike and I
were wishing to meet again and to sing
TOT & FCTOT
Limited Circulation

4. PAGE 4 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2
Step Up, Step Back
A fter FCTOT, I came to know about Step up
and Step Back. That really makes me to reflect
my manner. Every activity and discussion in CDCE
(Community Development & Civic Empowerment),
I tried using step up and step back equally. But here
I mostly use step back because when I see everyone
is stepping up heheeeeeeeee;D I’m automatically
stepping back and back and back and almost out
of the discussion and room and even feel lonely;
( ahhhhhhhhhhhh;P
But who knows, I got such kinds of listen-
ing skill and observation skill by stepping back that
I need to improve in my life from CDCE Chiang
Mai..........;)))))
Community Development & Civic Empowerment Program
Chiang Mai, Thailand By Miss Nwe Nilar (FCTOT 3)
Plan like Hell; Dear Alumni….
We really appreciate those who
contribute articles, read newslet-
ter, and give feedback to be bet-
ter newsletter. To keep and For the senior and Junior alike
It was the time that I had already finished
FCTOT Batch 3. I was very enthusiastic in
application of my lesson learned at FCTOT. It
touch alumni, join FCTOT
Alumni facebook page and con-
It will never avoid you to delight
Have a problem in your life
was almost the right time for me to provide tribute articles, poem, experi-
ences, activities related with our
Get a help of how to fight
health education on hand washing in my mobile Venture in the nature
clinics and donation services at Than-Lyin, Yan- newsletter’s trend. For next TOT
gon. I was very delight and I prepared my training & FCTOT Newsletter Volume 2, To find the treasure of pleasure
design according to the participants Issue 1, please send articles be- Want to light your nights?
(approximately 30 numbers of sixth standard fore December 20, 2011. Then you should like it
students) in monastic school. Although I excited Newsletter Team
(positively) for this Health education but I was John DJ
confidence at that time.
When I arrived the classroom, I excited
again (negatively) to my participants who were
F
about 9 years old and more than 60 participants
waited for my session. I coped my stress with my C
previous experiences. I started according to my
training design and I observed I couldn’t control T
them due to their young age. Do you know how
I solve this problem?
At that time I recalled the phrase ‘Plan O
like Hell; Go with the flow’.
I was unsuccessful in evaluation criteria T
on 5 portions ( For Certificate…..). I felt a bit
depression but I relieved my stress. In eventually,
I could face this challenge. Batch 4
By Min Htike
TOT & FCTOT
Limited Circulation