WACSI empowers CSOs from West Africa with effective communication skills

Communications staff and Public Relations Officers from civil society organizations (CSOs) from West Africa attended a three day training in Accra, Ghana from which they acquired robust skills that would enable them enhance their organization’s visibility. From September 5 – 7, these practitioners were groomed on Communication Skills and Strategies at the Training Centre of the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI).

This platform gave WACSI another opportunity to empower participants with innovative, robust and contemporary skills that will enhance their ability to successfully lead all communications processes in their organizations. The modules were designed with special considerations of the communication gaps expressed by the organizations which benefited from this initiative. The trainees were equipped with the requisite skills to develop specific and suitable messages that effectively represent their organization’s goals, values and challenges. They were also provided with effective communication tools that can be used to promote the work of non-profit organizations.

The Communications and Information Assistant of WACSI, Mr. Jimm Chick Fomunjong, pointed out on the first day of the training that the course has been organized to enable participants to understand how to effectively develop and disseminate information pertaining to the goals, priorities, achievements and challenges of their organizations.

During the three days, Mr. Fomunjong, together with the resource person Mr. Charles Mawusi, a seasoned development journalist, engaged participants through discussions, question and answer, experience sharing and lecture sessions that made participants to understand the specific techniques that can be used to develop and share different messages about their organizations with the different stakeholders they collaborate with.

By the third and last day of the training, participants affirmed the relevance of this training and commended its quality. While Ms. Amevor Aku, a newly recruited Communications Assistant of the Fellowship of Christian Churches in West Africa pointed out that she is most satisfied because the training has provided her with the basic and most important skills to boost her performance, Ms. Baranaye Diana, Programme Associate of Search for Common Ground, Nigeria was able to write her first blog article for her organisation thanks to the skills she acquired from this training.

WACSI’s courses respond to the capacity needs expressed by CSOs across West Africa. The Institute has slated courses in Policy Research and Analysis (October 24 – 26), Introduction to Policy Advocacy (October 29 – 31) and Networking and Alliance Building (November 1 – 2). These courses have been scheduled to give civil society practitioners a platform on which they can better understand their stakeholder community and how to effectively collaborate with their stakeholders. These courses will also equip beneficiaries with relevant techniques of working with decision makers to influence policies that would positively affect their citizens. More information can be found on www.wacsi.org