PRIA Learning Circle

With the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the country was under lockdown and all offices were closed. Like many other, PRIA staff were also working from home. Right from beginning, PRIA has always given special attention to build capacities of their employees as adult educators and trainers, either by organising In-house ToTs or nominated them for ToTs organized by other organisations.    

PRIA’s training-learning programs had so far been face-to-face sessions but this time a series of learning circles called Learning to Learn, Learning to Change were organised to build capacities of 11 young professionals in the organisation. These young professionals work as adult educators, empowering the marginalized with knowledge and skills, supporting communities to use the new knowledge to change attitudes, leading to individual and collective action that changes the circumstances of the lives of the marginalised. The purpose of this learning program was to stimulate the curiosity of the young adult educators and knowledge workers to learn how to become more effective. When they apply this learning, they will help (re)build PRIA’s identity as a knowledge institution.  

These learning circles were delivered in online mode, through Zoom meetings. In conducting this program, the in-house trainers also learnt how to transfer their knowledge of participatory training onto the online environment. Learning to Learn, Learning to Change was delivered through a series of 8 learning circle sessions. Each session discussed various aspects of learning-change paradigm.  The primary methods used were lecture method and small group discussions. Case studies to stimulate group analysis and reflection were also used. Learners were encouraged to reflect, and guided through structured materials (written documents and audio-visuals) shared before and after each session.