Training: memory work

This Key list brings together tools designed for trainers working with individuals, families and communities affected by HIV and AIDS. Effective responses to the challenges posed by HIV and AIDS rely on continual personal empowerment, capacity development and community ownership of interventions. Training based on these values can help promote information and knowledge sharing, provide psychosocial support, build resilience, develop community capacity, facilitate communication and networking, and initiate and sustain community mobilisation and action. The resources in this list are practical and user-friendly, with a focus on participatory, PLWHA- and child- sensitive approaches. They describe hundreds of participatory tools, educational modules and interactive exercises for group activities and workshops and are easily adaptable to different needs. The list also features manuals on different aspects of memory work, offering field-tested practical activities and curricula, including memory books, hero books, memory boxes and body mapping.

We welcome your feedback: please send comments or suggested additions to sourceassistant@hi-uk.org.

Selected resources

Psycho-social support

Manual : psycho-social support of orphans

MADÖRIN, Kurt
1999

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This manual is a tool for trainers to train concerned community members to assist distressed children, and to facilitate their interventions on the level of awareness, knowledge, skills and behaviour in relation to orphans. Its stated objective is to enhance the capacity of adults to listen and talk to orphans and children of terminally ill parents, and to understand their situation and their needs. In this way the community improves its capacity to cope with some of the consequences of AIDS. In the manual there are 16 modules that rely on participatory methods, each with detailed instructions for the facilitator and a handout for participants. The manual was produced by the Humuliza (Community Based Mental Health for Orphans) project team

Psychosocial support training manual

WALKER, Lynn
2005

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This document recognises that psychosocial support for children affected by HIV and AIDS is as important as responding to their material needs. It explores children's experience of loss and grief, and suggests ways to deal with aggressive behaviour and to overcome stigma and discrimination. Some of the topics discussed are accompanied by useful handouts. It is designed as a training tool for professionals working directly with children or in community building projects

The journey of life : a community workshop to support children

REGIONAL PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT INITIATIVE (REPSSI)
June 2004

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'The Journey of Life' is a community workshop curriculum to support children. This workshop seeks to address the increasing psychological and social needs of children affected by HIV/AIDS, war, and displacement. Its objective is to raise community awareness of the problems that children face growing up in a time of HIV/AIDS, war, and family disintegration. 'The Journey of Life' assists the community to identify children in need of social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and physical support. Through dialogue and reflection the community better understands how to use available resources in solving the problems that children encounter and to strengthen the resilience of their children. The workshop covers the areas of meeting children's needs; understanding children's problems; identifying children who need help; building children's strengths; and community mobilisation. The workshop manual can be used without additional training, though further training has been found to be helpful. A Facilitator's Guide accompanies the workshop

Memory work manuals

Making a hero book : a guide for facilitators

MORGAN, Jonathan
2003

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This manual describes one of the tools used in "memory work", an approach to helping families and communities cope with HIV and AIDS. Through a series of art exercises and storytelling, children are encouraged to identify their heroes or role models. This process should help children affected by HIV/AIDS to cope with emotions (sadness, fear, anger), and to develop resilience and a positive approach to life. Through the process of developing a book, children are also encouraged to see themselves as heroes, to rely on their strengths and maximise their potential to overcome the problems they might encounter

Training of trainers

Facilitation skills workbook

CLARKE, Sophie
BLACKMAN, Rachel
CARTER, Isabel
2004

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This workbook on facilitation skills provides training material for people who plan to use PILLARS Guides in their local communities. It can be used as part of regular training sessions or can be delivered as a five day workshop. Participants will become familiar with the content of several PILLARS Guides and learn how to adapt their use. They will gain participatory learning skills, understand the qualities and skills of a good facilitator and gain confidence in using PILLARS Guides with community groups. The training uses participatory methods and role play