Basic Techiques of Blacksmithing: A Manual for Trainers (Peace Corps, 1982, 102 p.): Day 1: Session: 2. Assessing group resources

Basic Techiques of Blacksmithing: A Manual for Trainers (Peace Corps, 1982, 102 p.)

Day 1

		Session: 1. Sharing perceptions of the training program: An ice breaker
		Session: 2. Assessing group resources
		Session: 3. Defining expectations of the training program
		Session: 4. Forge introduction

Session: 2. Assessing group resources

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Objectives:

* To identify the skills, knowledge, and experience of participants and trainers
* To discuss ways in which the group's skills and knowledge can be used in this program

Materials: Newsprint and felt-tip pens.

Procedures: Step 1. (5 minutes) Review the objectives and procedures For the session.

Step 2. (5 minutes)
Ask the participants to briefly discuss the value of a group resource assessment.

Trainer Notes

Draw on the participants' experiences in working with artisans in small-scale development projects.

Step 3 (10 minutes)
Have the group brainstorm a list of interview questions which could help assess the participants'
skills, knowledge and experience.

Trainer Notes

* To provide focus during the brainstorm, post the key points to be included in the interview: skills, knowledge.

* The resulting questions should be consolidated or pared down so that the list does not exceed 4-5 open-ended questions the will stimulate conversation.

* In this session, the emphasis is not only on those skills, etc. which relate directly to Blacksmithing, but on any resources one might have which would help the group.

Step 4. (5 minutes)
Explain the interview format.

Trainer Notes

The Interview Format

Step 1 (5 minutes)
Find someone in the group whom you don't know well and move to a comfortable location.

Step 2 (30 minutes/15 minutes per person)
Interview one another using the list of questions as guidelines. Jot down brief notes as the conversation proceeds.

Step 3 (10 minutes)
On a clean sheet of paper, write down in legible, paragraph form the information you have gathered from your partner.

Step 4 (5 minutes) Share the interview sheets with your partner and make any modifications or additions.

Step 5 (10 minutes)
Post the sheets on the wall and walk around the room scanning the other interview reports.

* If the training group is a small one, an option to the written reports would be to have the pairs interview each other, reconvene the groups, and ask each participant to describe his/her partner.

Step 5. (60 minutes)
Have the participants carry out the interview procedure.

Step 6. (5 minutes)
Reconvene the group and facilitate a short discussion of the participants' overall impressions of the resources that exist within the group.

Trainer Notes

During the discussion, point out a number of the identified skills which are particularly useful/necessary in blacksmithing (e.g., carpentry, construction, auto/farm mechanics, welding).