Workshop on Programme and Project Development in Koforidua in Ghana

By Sarah Heinlin

The YMCA Ghana invited all its staff on the national, regional offices, some members and the German interns to take part in a workshop on programme and project planning for three days from Wednesday 25^th April, 2018 to Friday 27^th April, 2018 in the Eastern Region at the YMCA Centre in Koforidua.

After opening and introductions, the Executive Director of YMCA Mr. Kwabena Nketia Addae presented to the house, what the YMCA has gone through over the years with the African renaissance and how it influences our daily work. He also pointed out that coming from the staff retreat that we had recently, we will need some more projects and programmes in our various branches and regions.

With that knowledge in mind, Sarah Heinlin, who facilitated the workshop, explained to the participants the SWOT analysis to find out more about the Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats of the Ghana YMCA.

In four groups we held discussions about those issues. Later the groups presented their results of those discussions to the general house with questions and contributions.

On the next day, Sarah informed the house to continue working in groups and asked them to think of the future of the YMCA in 4 work stations with the questions like “Why do we need projects?” or “What is our mission?” and “What kind of program and projects could we have/” and “How do we implement projects?” to help creating more ideas and getting new inputs to develop innovative projects and programmes afterwards.

During the meeting, we learnt about the German YMCA, when Kira Otto, one of the German Interns presented the SWOT analysis of the German YMCA as put together by the interns to share their experience with the Ghanaian YMCA.

After the discussions, we started working on developing concrete projects with the help of the SMART Tool. Therefore, the group was divided into the various regions to use a prepared sheet to design a project at the regional level feasible enough that it can be done at the regions or branches as soon as possible.

In the end every group came up with some new projects that were presented to the entire audience.

• Matthew presented the Volta region with the goal to empower young people in civic engagement by organizing a Youth conference in May, whereas the Ashanti/Brong Ahafo Region focused on youth in transition presented by Gabriel Ofori Appiah.
• The Western Region report was done by Nana Peperah Antwi on economic development to empower the young people with entrepreneur skills.
• Greater Accra would like to have a project on Debate to Action and considered a Youth parliament, that was presented by Reginald Crabbe.
• Last but not least the Eastern Regional report presented by Daniel Ofosu was on movie nights as a low cost, no cost project. And furthermore, they also have designed a second project on teenage pregnancy prevention.

Since we had some funny energizers in between, the time was very diverting and enjoyable for all of us.