PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION OF A PARTICIPATORY ACTION-ORIENTED PAOT COURSE

Background

We will be conducting a PAOT on work improvement in small enterprises (WISE) course over a one week period. The PAOT course is not a formal lecture, is interactive and participant centred. It is recognised that SMEs contribute significantly to the national economy and that they are huge employers. It is also recognised that however, they do not always have a preventive or safety culture. They do not employ OSH practitioners nor do the employees and employers alike receive formal OSH training. Hence the implementation of the WISE programme as one of the PAOT methodologies, whose aim is to improve working conditions/OSH in the workplace and productivity using simple, effective and affordable techniques that provide benefits to owners/employers, workers and the community. Facilitators will do preliminary work, send invitations to identified participants. Other significant persons will be also invited as the programme will detail.

Target group and participants

Two facilitators will provide guidance and steer the programme. Invitations will be extended to 30 participants drawn from the local informal small to medium scale enterprises. These will consist of largely the employees or owners who do day to day work and including their supervisors, managers or owners who do supervisory or managerial work. Invited important observers will include two members of the community local leadership, one official from The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and one representative from the financial sponsor of material: ILO, Zimbabwe Decent Work Programme

General and specific objectives

General objective: Make participants become aware that investment in low cost permanent simple improvements results in more satisfied and productive workers, more satisfied mangers who, together with the workers, will ensure efficient safe workplaces, leading ultimately to a more successful sustainable business.

Specific objectives (for the participants)

1. Learn application of the checklist for the purpose of selecting priority workplace improvements in their SMEs in the local setting for, materials storage and handling, workstation, machine safety, control of dangerous substances, lighting, welfare facilities, industrial facilities and work organisation.
2. Identify and focus on commonly encountered working conditions problems in the above mentioned areas.
3. Point out the local and commonly available simple low cost workplace improvements for the identified problems.
4. Link better working conditions to better productivity.

Course outline and contents

Dates:29 December 2014 to 2 January 2015 (five days)

Venue: Local Community Hall

Site Visit: A walking distance from the Hall, an SME that is into furniture making

Facilitators:Dr B. Ziki and Mr D. Moyo

Participants: 30 (split into 5 groups of six individuals)

Course content: Will include the history of PAOT, concept of PAOT, its advantages, the WISE methodology, scope for improvement and emphasis on the tapping of local wisdom for low cost sustainable workplace improvements in the SMEs.

Day 1 to 5: Will be guided by the above course content. Activities will include: The opening ceremony, introductions, orientation, workplace visit, checklist exercise, group discussion of checklist results, presentation of group results, technical sessions – one or two a day, implementation of improvements with an action plan, workshop evaluation and closing.

Methodology

1. Facilitators will do preliminary work, visiting SMEs, finding and taking pictures of good examples to be used for discussion.
2. A spacious venue where island sitting (round table) arrangement is possible is chosen. It must also be near the visit site
3. On the first day after the opening ceremony, the course outline is presented and soon after there will be a site visit to a chose workplace.
4. The 30 participants are split into five groups of six each. Each group will complete a checklist. A spokesperson is chosen and after discussions, he or she will point out important observations and low cost sustainable suggestions for improvement.
5. No negative criticism is allowed.
6. A different aspect of the WISE programme is tackled each day. Facilitator gives an outline of the topic for discussion and provides good examples and allows participants to discuss on the topic.
7. Last will be implementation of improvements with an action plan, workshop evaluation and closing of the workshop.

Timetable

Evaluation and follow-up

Evaluation of the PAOT course is necessary to assess usefulness, effectiveness and areas that were good and those that need improvement. Participants are given evaluation forms which they fill in and immediately return. Feedback is given after all forms are looked at. Participants also must demonstrate assimilation of information and that they are ready to undertake self help actions to improve workplace conditions in their local settings. They are reminded to do checklists at their workplaces, identify priority areas that need improvement and draw action plans. Participants are encouraged to share experiences with each other and with their or fellow employees, as well as continue to improve even on improvements already made. They are then issued with certificates of attendance.

A tentative calendar for follow-up visits by the facilitators at the participant’s workplaces is drawn up. It is recommended that this is done two to three months after the course is conducted to assess the participants self help, low cost, and local practical solutions suggested and implemented to improve working conditions. After a walk through and discussions, positive developments are praised and the discussion must stimulate the participant to remain interested in the PAOT methodology and its ideals.

A small, inexpensive and clever (SIC) contest held anytime between two to twelve months is organised to show the group with the best SIC solutions to identified workplace condition/s needing priority attention. An achievement workshop can be planned for six months to a year after the PAOT course. Participants present on their achievements and sustainable improvements and the best presentation can be rewarded.

References

1. Learning modules A8.1 and 8.2
2. Participatory Action-Oriented Training. Ton That Khai, Tsuyoshi Kawakami and Kazutaka Kogi. 2011. An ILO publication.
3. Roles of Participatory Action-oriented Programs in Promoting Safety and Health at Work. Safety and Health at Work. Safe Health Work 2012;3:155-65
4. An introduction to the WISE Program. Conditions of Work and Employment Programme. An ILO initiative.