One Health Trainers Join in Leadership Development Program
In order to ensure the sustainability of the One Health workforce development in Thailand, leaders need to be groomed to carry out the Thailand One Health University Network’s (THOHUN) goals. A leadership development program was held on October 10–13 and 25–28, 2016 at Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand, aimed to enhance the capacity of THOHUN trainers to become true multidisciplinary and multisectoral One Health leaders. The THOHUN Trainers (lecturers) serve as models/leaders and human resources for OHW development in Thailand participated in this training. At the same time, the National Coordinating Office works as the central mechanism in grant and network management. Therefore result-based management (RBM) training was necessary to increase the efficiency and sustainability of network management and collaboration.
The first workshop for THOHUN trainers was organized as a 4-day workshop focused on improving various skills for current and new THOHUN trainers. Soft skills focused on Leadership, Systems Thinking, Coordinating and Facilitation skills. This workshop provided the new and current THOHUN trainers and NCO staff the opportunity to improve their soft skills and learn innovative ways to deliver them to future THOHUN trainers and also gave way to collaborate and establish partnerships between THOHUN and the government sector. After the training, participants did self-evaluations to assess their improvement in each skill. The evaluation showed significant improvements in every skill. The second workshop, RBM training, was implemented for improvement of the NCO staffs’ efficiency and management skills. During the workshop, participants convened into small groups and worked together using real-life projects selected from the participants as models, e.g. “Reduce number of zoonotic cases in the community” and “Workforce development for multidisciplinary network of Thailand.” Interactive learning methods helped stimulate the learning atmosphere and opportunity for participants to practice planning, designing, developing, and monitoring and evaluating a project. At the end of the workshop, the THOHUN-NCO staff acquired new knowledge and the tools necessary for effective planning, work plan development, activity implementation and assessment that can apply them to THOHUN activity implementation. All of which are vital to improve the management aspects of the OHW project.
About the Author
Jitlada Vasuvat is the Networking and Communication Manager for the Thailand One Health University Network (THOHUN), a network supported by the USAID One Health Workforce project.
