ACCORD convened a series of online practice sharing and mentorship training sessions for the 2024/25 cohort of the Training of Trainers (ToT) programme, all following the ToT Baseline Workshop that took place in July 2024. The sessions consisted of group discussions and one-on-one practice sharing, and mentorship sessions. The final session held on 29 January 2025 anchored participants’ insights and skills in experiential learning methodologies, while supporting participants to refine their case studies ahead of the Case Study and Graduation Workshop that took place in April 2025.
The online practice sharing sessions offered participants a platform to share key learnings, reflect on personal experiences, and deepen their knowledge of conflict management. Participants enhanced their workshop design and facilitation skills while being introduced to the principles of case study writing as a critical tool for training and content development.
Each session aimed to strengthen participants’ understanding of key conflict resolution concepts and improve their ability to connect theory with practice using real-world experiences. Furthermore, the online sessions served to reconnect the group with one another and their trainers, creating a learning community. Participants were guided on how to transform personal experiences and stories into teaching tools, reinforcing experiential learning approaches. Guidance notes were shared to assist participants in beginning the writing process, and ongoing one-on-one mentorship sessions provided tailored feedback to strengthen their case studies.
The case study development process was central to the broader ToT learning journey. Participants learned to use case studies as teaching tools, deepening content understanding, applying conflict management skills, and enhancing reflective learning practices.
ACCORD’s ToT programme continues to develop skilled trainers who are meaningfully contributing to conflict management and peacebuilding efforts across the continent. Participants from this cohort were able to support other ACCORD trainings for the ICGLR Regional Youth Forum and Eswatini Local Peace Committees. The Programme aligns with ACCORD’s objective of strengthening the role of multi-dimensional stakeholders to deal with complex conflicts.
