With the desire to help the Catholics in Nam Dinh to build a communications plan as well as apply skills and effective communication tools to responding to climate change and environmental protection, a communications training workshop was organized in the Hai Hau district, Nam Dinh province from September 21^st to 23^rd, 2015. This activity was within the framework of the Vietnamese Forests and Deltas Project (VFD) funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development with technical support from Winrock International, the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV), the American Red Cross (ARC), the Vietnamese Red Cross (VNRC) and the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development.

Participants of the communications training

There were 35 trainees at the workshop with varying levels of awareness and different backgrounds including farmers, key Catholics business partners, Priests, and the Brothers and Sisters of the Bui Chu Diocese.

The training applied participatory training methods including: presentations with visual aids, inquiry combined with discussion, small group brainstorming discussions, practice, pedagogic games, and video watching. These techniques promoted a supportive environment, involvement, respect, comfort, appropriateness and a good learning experience that ensured the participants learned with high efficiency and focus. Through the provided expertise, skill guidance, and practice in the classroom, the course allowed participants to develop their communication skills so they can apply them more confidently in actual environmental protection and climate change activities.

SRD project officer - Mr. Vu The Thuong sharing in the training

After the training, the participants understood the basics of the role of community communications and how to conduct community media sessions on climate change adaptation and environmental protection using their new tools and media skills. The participants shared that this training was essential, and that they appreciated the attitude and knowledge of the trainers. With the knowledge and skills acquired from the training, the participants also shared that they expect to apply it in areas such as: practicing environmentally friendly living and consumption; delivering messages of environmental protection and climate change response to local communities; and applying models to reduce environmental pollution in household cultivation and husbandry.

Through the training, the trainers learned many lessons for future training courses and selected a group of key members for their enthusiastic participation, curiosity, responsibility, and communication skills to implement the next communication activities in the community.

Pictures of the training activities:

The trainees discussing their answer for the given question

Representative of each group presenting in the training

The trainees also participating in some pedagogic games

Cheerful atmosphere between trainees and trainers

-SRD-