Training of Future Trainers

PASOS - Policy Association for an Open Society is pleased to announce a Call for Future Trainers in Policy Making Skills

Attention to: This call is addressed to those, who have participated in the Policy Making Skills Training hold in Istanbul during May-June 2011, as well as to those, who are on our short list as persons cooperating with civil society organizations, which operate and are involved in development the citizens participation on policy making by educational and training efforts tin the Project Target Countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan).

Time and venue: The training will take place in Hotel Royal Beach, Chok Tal at Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan, from May 29th to May 31st and will be then followed by a Regional Networking Conference in Bishkek, on June 1st, 2012.

The aim of the training: is to prepare qualified trainers to promote wider use of methods of policy analysis and research in the target countries of the project and enable qualified participation of non-governmental actors in discussing policies important for the further democratization, social and economic development, as well as in the promotion of open society values in their own countries. The training will aim at strengthening skills which are necessary to work in cooperation and partnership with national, regional and local public administration officials prepared to accept and act upon policy initiatives from civil society organizations and individual citizens.

The choice of participants: The Awarding and Selecting Committee of PASOS shall select one future trainer per each Project Target Country based upon applications delivered to PASOS not later than on 30 April, 2012. The details about how to apply are described below.

Expected Future Trainer’s Profile

The Future Trainers (FT) in policy-making skills are expected to demonstrate that they meet most of the following criteria:

  • They should have personal experience and knowledge about the work of civil society organizations or as a citizens activist as regards policy research, policy analysis work, policy papers writing, and/or advocacy of policy recommendations or in campaigning for certain policy issues within their country of residence.
  • They should be already trained in writing of policy papers and policy briefs, planning and managing projects and advocacy campaigns. Applicants are asked to attach details about the content of their previous training.
  • They should be aware of how public administration works, and how to create and develop relationships between civil society organizations on one side and public administrators and/or policymakers on the other side. Demonstration of this knowledge through citation of experience and achievements would be an advantage.
  • They should provide at least one example of training activities that they plan to organize or participate in as trainers following the Training of Future Trainers
  • They should specify in which policy areas they are likely to be working, and what are the main constraints and opportunities they see in these areas.

It would be an advantage for an applicant to demonstrate:

  • Some experience in training others. The applicant is requested to submit a list of training events in which he/she has been directly involved and to describe what was his/her main roles and responsibilities in the events.
  • Fluency in the English language. The ability to use Russian language shall be regarded as an important advantage, since it is expected, and our experience shows, that in the Project Target Countries the use of the Russian language is common. However, English will be the main language used in the Training of Future Trainers with Russian components whenever needed.

Trainers' Financial Support:
PASOS will cover the actual future trainer’ costs associated with the travel to and stay at the training site: travel and visa costs, hotel accommodation, and food during the training events and the follow-up Regional Networking Conference in Bishkek. In addition to it, will be paid USD 20 of pocket money per day from the date of arrival to the day of departure as agreed with PASOS. However, the future trainers are encouraged to cover their travel and health insurance from their own resources.

How to apply?

Since this is a call based upon the short list, PASOS would appreciate to get either refusal of participation on this call or an application.
In the latter case, please send your letter of intent and documentation showing how you match the criteria described above to Petr Pajas, Project Manager, at gro.sosap|sajap.rtep#gro.sosap|sajap.rtep, not later then by Monday, 1 May 2012. Unless you did it already when applying for the Istanbul training, or in case they are important changes in your residence, education or professional career data since that time, please add also a short CV to the application package.

General Information on the project
PASOS is implementing the two-year long project Opening the Doors of Policy-Making: Central Asia and South Caucasus financially supported by UNDEF (United Nations Democracy Fund) under a grant No. UDF-GLO-09-281. The main activities of the project comprise several forms of training and networking events for civil society actors and public administration officials in the Project Target Countries, including fellowships for civil society actors with European think-tanks.