A group of professionals from five different organizations embarked on their ICDP Facilitator level training in Dhaka, in January 2020.
Photo above was taken at the ICDP workshop: One trainee facilitator is doing an exercise whose aim is to show how an ICDP facilitator needs to communicate with a mother with a negative conception of her child; how to help that mother to see the situation from her daughte’rs perspective, and experience perhaps something new and positive about her child.
The twenty one participants in process of becoming facilitators, are representatives from the Normisjon Bd, the Basha Enterprizes Ltd., the AG Mission, the Lamb project and the Salvation Army. The body in charge of organizing the ICDP workshops is Normisjon Bangladesh and the training is conducted by Gerd Eli Lindtjørn Haaland and three trainee trainers, Sajeda Aktar, Shahnaz Parveen and Edna Velasco.
The first workshop was held in January and the second in February, allowing just enough time between the two workshops for participants to practice the eight ICDP guidelines for good interaction in relation to their own children.
“For me as an ICDP trainer, it was very inspiring to see how thoroughly the participants had done their self- assessments. Many had taken videos of their interactions with their children and had evaluated it according to the eight ICDP guidelines for good interaction, which they had learned at the first workshop. By doing such active self- reflection exercise they had initiated positive changes, and could already see the outcomes. By looking at the interaction videos they had made, we could point out what they did well and thereby give them more self-confidence as caregivers. One father shared his experience:
– I never knew that I needed to have a shared focus with my two-year old. If he asked me something I hardly answered him. Now I know that I need to give my full attention and provide meaning to what he is interested in. Now I enjoy helping him to expand his ideas. When he askes me where this and that food comes from, I explain it to him and I always try to find photos or visit places so that he will understand even more. Now he askes even more questions, but it is all good. I enjoy to spend this time with him.
In the second workshop the participants learned how to convey the ICDP message to others. We discussed and role-played the seven ICDP principles of sensitisation. On the last day all the participants did mock session where they acted out as facilitators.
For us who are giving the training, it has been a joy to see that the trainee facilitators are capable of bringing ICDP to their areas. They are now starting to conduct their first caregiver groups. They will work in pairs, and we will organize a follow up; there will also be a visit from an ICDP trainer. From May 31st to June 2nd 2020, we will all meet again for the third and final workshop. ” – Gerd Eli Lindtjørn Haaland.
