“Preparing for the first SEED Church training course – Introduction to Community Development – was for me an inspiring and emotional experience” said Janine Ward, ttt4c Church Liaison.
Inspiring because she is passionate about gathering relevant information that will benefit others and putting it into an easy-to-use format, so that it can be used in any context. Luckily, the basic principles and lessons of community development have been known for a long time, so it was just a case of picking out the main lessons and thinking of a fun way to present them.
And the emotional part….? Janine decided to use the invaluable experience gained as a student social worker working in a remote rural village in north-eastern Swaziland, to illustrate the basic principles and lessons of community development.
This meant digging out her old photo albums and re-living the many wonderful and sometimes painful moments stretching from 1986 to 1998.
The participants ended up enjoying a day and a half discussing community issues, and all the project and church partners agreed that although we have all made mistakes in the field, we are doing the job well and can improve using some of the skills acquired during this time together.
Some evaluation comments from the training:
Some Training evaluation comments:
In answer to “what new things did you learn about community development?”
- ‘To first go to the people to find out what they perceive as their need and then help (not take over) them to achieve it.’
- ‘The need is to equip or empower the community so that they carry the project.’
- ‘I have learned how to treat a community. I must love the community.’
- ‘You need to be at the level of the community and be interested in their needs. Work with them and not for them.’
- In answer to “what will you do differently when you return to your ministry?”
- ‘I am going to expand my love. Give them back what I learned.’
- ‘I will have more consideration for the opinions of the children and the adults I work with.’
- ‘Share skills. Involve people. Love them. Listen to them. Encourage and believe in them.’