Red Cross Youth Introductory Course in Hovdan

 On 27th February 2010 at 10 am we gathered in front of Red Cross house here in Aust Agder. Having everything (foods, skies, Clothes etc.) ready we were waiting for the bus. We were 12 youths altogether and all were very excited about the trip. 'Are you excited?' I asked to one of the participants. 'Yes of course, but I am a little bit scared about skiing because I have never done before,' he replied. 'That will be great experience. We had skied before but are not perfect', I told. In fact only two of us were perfect and all other were new in that thing. We need not have to worry about.

The bus arrived at 10:30 and we loaded all those things in the bus and started journey. It was a long journey about 3 and half hour.

We reached at Hovdan at 2 p.m. Heated up the frozed pizza and ate. 

After that we went out for site seeing and had great fun in the sculptures made out of snow. We spent about two hour and returned back. After we had dinner, We short introduction round with imaginary football dribbling we watched movie called "Hotel Rwanda". It was nice movie.

The next day after breakfast we had an introductory course about Red Cross, It's history and about the principles.

We also had puzzle game of sexual health and demonstration of how to use condom correctly after wards. We also played transmission game there to show how easily the STDs can transmit from one another and how can only condom can save you.

That day after lunch we went out skiing. They were falling many times and still trying. Even i fell down twice during downward skiing. One of us was counting his own number of fall and it reached to 20 and even more. Any way it was fun.

After dinner we sat round again and listen to the stories form different nation because that time we noticed that we were altogether from 10 different nations and speaking 21 different language and all most all bigger religions. The stories tell their journey to Norway and they were unimaginable and touching.

The third day we started with the Human trafficking presentation right after breakfast. And also role play thing to make them understand how big is the problem and how it is effecting the society.

After lunch we went to the Swimming pool and had lots and lots of fun. It was my first ever entry to Swimming pool in my whole life and don't know how to swimm. I think me and Durga were only two who could not swim. We had very great time in hot massaging water pond and the sliding water. We also had steam bath and went outside in that snowy weather in swim suite.We were so tired that day no one was awake for the social evening we were supposed to have. But still we listened to Arabic music and some Nepali music.

The next day was about 'Rules of War'. We had our presentation and discuss about the rules to be followed at war. Ahmed from Iraq was quite clever in that and was telling his story about the iraq war which was also working as an incidence for us.We were supposed to play RAW-WAR game but since after lunch we had to be in the down hill ski spot which was quite far from there we had to cut our things sort and headed towards the spot after lunch.

There we had fixed one teacher to teach us down hill ski. He was so good that at the end we were easily going down hill and turning ourselves as we like and jumping without the sticks.

The final day, we were in hurry and washed out the rooms and fixed all the things of Pomelo building and started our journey at 10:00 am.

All in all it was learning as well as fun tour to all.
 

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Reporting Skills and Professional Writing Training; A Report

Introduction:

This report gives information about the completion of 5-day long reporting skills and professional writing training at Empowerment and Learning Development center (ELD).

ELD is right place for such types of trainings. ELD is UK based organization and continuously providing such trainings in Nepal since 2000. The training was held at ELD's office, jawalakhel from 22nd to 26th June 2009. There were 18 participants from different organizations. The training hall was away from the direct disturbance and can accommodate the participants well. The training materials provided are unique. The training includes Participatory, Learner-centered, Interactive / lively and Task-based / practical methods.

This report contains
• Day to day Course Management
• Teaching methodology
• Management of Food for participants
• Conclusion

Day to day Course Management:

The course is well managed. Entire course is divided in different headings according to different process during writing. Separate day is chosen for separate headings. Three days is spent just with thinking, analysis and planning while the last two days for drafting and editing reports.

Day-1:
It starts with brief introduction of the course and the participants. Then objective of the writing is set and day ends with the knowledge of various methods of data collection: survey, interview, desk study, observation, focus group discussion and case study.

Day-2:
This day is all about data analysis. First Quantitative data analysis through charts and diagrams and secondly qualitative data analysis through clustering, sub clustering and mind mapping.

Day-3:
This day we talked of writing skills; different tools to make our writing clear, reader friendly and effective; organization and principles while writing paragraph.

Day-4:
This day is allotted for planning and drafting the report.

Day-5:
Whole session is ended with drafting conclusions and recommendations, editing and review of course.

Teaching Methodology:

Teaching methodology employed in the training is effective. Each day was divided into two shifts: morning shift and afternoon shift. Each shift is also divided by short breaks. The training is handled by two resource persons. To maintain continuous attention of the participants several games are played in between the sessions. Every session includes lots of discussions and practical works. Some discussions are individual based while others are group tasks. To make more clear one case study is given at the starting session of day-2 and whole process of writing is done with the same case. During the course, a brief introduction to use software applications like mind manager, MS word and the use of internet to calculate clarity of writing is also discussed. Hands out of each session is given at the end of the day.


Management of Food for participants:


The management of food for the participant is also good. Each day started with the breakfast containing tea/coffee, biscuits and fruits. The breaks during the session also include refreshments. Variety of dishes is served in Lunch including meat/fish for non-veg. every alternate day. Clean utensils and friendly environment during meals is appreciative.

Conclusion:
The training all in all is effective and fruitful. This training is sure to change the writing skills of the participants. The participants are able to differentiate between academic writing and professional writing by the end of whole session. The presentation of the edited version of reports of different groups concludes that the training has developed skills in their writing.