Press Release: Empowering Palestinian Educators at the Training of Trainers (ToT) in Turin
Turin, Italy – June 28, 2024 – From June 25 to June 28, 2024, the Learning Innovation Programme of the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITCILO) successfully conducted a Training of Trainers (ToT) and Mentors workshop in Turin, Italy. This pivotal event brought together 14 educators and mentors from Palestine, including six from Birzeit University, six from Al Najah University, and two from the BuildPalestine organization. Participants with experience in social entrepreneurship and digital transformation were meticulously chosen through a rigorous process involving an announcement, interviews, and final selection.
The ToT training comes as part of the EPISODE project, which aims to empower continuing vocational education and training providers to enhance the resilience, digital readiness, and growth of social entrepreneurship, micro-businesses, MSMEs, and early-stage start-ups in Palestine, by developing and delivering a blended course on Digital Social Entrepreneurship targeting CVET students and young entrepreneurs.
The three-day face-to-face workshop focused on experiencing active learning approaches by demonstrating methods and tools in action. Participants collaborated with peers on session planning, fostering a hands-on and engaging learning environment. They gained insights into the latest educational technologies, including virtual reality and artificial intelligence, and explored innovative techniques to enhance the design and delivery of learning activities.
Following the face-to-face sessions, participants are engaged in weekly online sessions as part of the ToT and Mentors (TOT) course to enhance the trainers skills in entrepreneurship frameworks and digital skills These sessions cover topics such as Digital Marketing, EntreComp, Artificial Intelligence for businesses, blockchain among others.
Riham Wahidi, Programmes Manager at BuildPalestine, shared her experience: “The workshop was incredibly insightful. The interactive activities and discussions helped solidify my understanding of social entrepreneurship and digital teaching methods. The knowledge exchange in Torino was exceptional, and I am excited to apply these learnings in real-world scenarios.”
Ola Anabtawi, Assistant Professor at An-Najah National University, added, “I found the training very useful and engaging. The sessions provided me with a fair understanding of social entrepreneurship, as well as practical tools that can be applied both in face-to-face and online teaching environments, which is crucial in today’s digital age. The workshop was well-structured, and the facilitators were knowledgeable and approachable, which in return, made the learning experience enjoyable and enriching. The interactive activities and discussions helped solidify my understanding of the concepts and allowed me to see how they could be implemented in real-world scenarios.”
As the next step, the trainers will be divided into groups to produce modules based on the competencies framework that EPISODE’s team has produced in preparation for course delivery to participants from Birzeit and An’Najah universities. The course will be available to all educators and supporters in the social entrepreneurship sector, equipping them with the tools and knowledge to foster a resilient and digitally ready entrepreneurial ecosystem in Palestine.
Participants received a Certificate of Participation upon completing the training, recognizing their commitment to advancing educational methodologies and their contributions to enhancing social and digital entrepreneurship in Palestine. This transformative experience marks a significant step towards empowering educators and mentors, enabling them to create more impactful and engaging learning environments for their students.