From 31 August to 1 September 2022, ACCORD hosted an introductory conflict management training for the All-Africa Students Union (AASU). The training was led by Ms Rene Ngwenya, and ACCORD’s Manager of Applied Knowledge and Learning, Mr Philip Visser. Mr Elorm Mawuli-Kwawu, Ms Nobantu Modise and Mr Shadreck Kanye, ACCORD’s Training of Trainers (ToT) programme, Trainees, were provided with the opportunity to co-facilitate the training with Ms Ngwenya and Mr Phillip.
As an introduction to conflict management, the training focussed on conflict analysis and negotiation, particularly for conflicts between students and university management. The training programme included discussions on power dynamics and its impact to conflict. The participants worked on case studies based on a conflict negotiation, guiding their understanding or the variable party positioning and relative power.
As part of the ACCORD Training of Trainers programme for 2022, the event provided young ACCORD training associates the chance to plan training sessions; present sections of material; and facilitate debrief sessions alongside more seasoned trainers. Ms Ngwenya and Mr Visser mentored the new trainers based on the dynamics of the specific group they were teaching and the sessions they were delivering, thus creating a lively and relevant learning environment.
ACCORD and AASU have a longstanding partnership and will continue to work together, more so now with Mr Mawuli-Kwawu, as the member of the AASU secretariat and an ACCORD ToT Programme Trainee.
