The ILO’s Cooperatives Unit (COOP) ran a pilot workshop last month in Tanzania to test its new training tool for co-operative managers and workers.
Designed to improve management and sustainability of co-operatives, the training consists of a training guide for trainees and a methodological guide for trainers. It draws on technical content and activity-based learning methodologies from existing ILO co-operative training tools such as Think.COOP, Start.COOP, and My.COOP.
Manage.COOP is divided into six modules: governance and leadership, effective and open communication, conflict management, business and market growth, financial management, and human resource management.
The training is aimed at co-op directors, current and prospective managers, financial staff, and members aspiring to join the board.
A pilot training of trainers’ workshop in Arusha, Tanzania, from 2 to 12 October, gathered 16 participants from the ILO and Tanzanian, Ugandan, and Kenyan co-operative support, education and apex institutions to test the training content and methodology and train field trainers for preliminary roll-out with co-operatives.
The training was led by Albert Mruma, senior master trainer on co-operative development, and Marian Boquiren, lead developer of the training programme.
As well as skilling up participants in the delivery of the Manage.COOP training, the session provided an opportunity to gather feedback on the tool which will be incorporated into its final version. It also developed country-specific action plans to roll out the programme.
The training programme will now be updated and finalised based on the feedback given during the pilot. It will be promoted for use based on needs assessments in different countries as part ILO efforts to support co-operation and build a network of certified national and international trainers.
A similar process was followed in the DRC earlier this year, when a new set of ILO co-op development tools were shared with trainers, including Think.COOP, Start.COOP and My.COOP
Manage.COOP will be dedicated to the late Francis Mulwana of the Uganda Cooperative College, who passed away during the pilot testing process. A statement from the ILO said: “At ILO COOP, we extend our deepest condolences to his family and his friends and colleagues in the Uganda Cooperative College.”
