THEORY OF CHANGE – Wilsen Initiative (Wi)

We see a problem in our society, where many young people lack opportunities, knowledge and mentors to develop their very personal skills and talents to the best possible degree they want them to boost their social economic well being. This problem can be understood across five main subjects; Access to quality education, employability skills, skills and Knowledge transfer, lifelong learning and emerging digital gaps.

OUT PUT
We work directly with individual experts and companies both local & international and volunteers in training & building the capacity of our target group across the five main subjects. Our work is aligned towards training that focuses on 21st century skills (Collaboration, Teamwork, Creativity, Imagination, Critical thinking and Problem solving) that provides a holistic training that will help youth in their chosen careers.

OUR MANDATE: We aspire to mentor self-confident young people who inspire positive social change in the society using their talents and skills.

OUR MISSION: We train youth in 21st century skills towards developing positive change models in the society.

OUR VISION: To be one of the leading institutions that inspires excellence, skills transfer and lifelong learning in Africa.

OUR PROGRAM

• Plus One Talent: This a platform that encourages creativity and innovation through artistic expression. We work with in/out of school youth and pupils.

• Skill-UP: We offer master classes and boot-camps for youth groups, individuals and schools. We also host boot-camps events that aim at inspiring, connecting and educating the participants towards building their personal brands, business or careers.

• Soccer Initiative: We organize annual Mathare Festive Season Soccer Tournament while also mobilizing for soccer equipment and materials for the kids below 14 years.

• Women Make It Happen: This a platform within Wilsen Initiative (Wi) championed by the ladies in encouraging fellow ladies to take part / lead in community service, giving back initiatives, leadership, technology, business and sports as a way of social economic well being.

Download / View  http://www.wilsenx.com/TheoryWilsenInitiative.pdf

Training Of Trainer – Community Based Organizations

Do you have a new team of trainers join your team with minimal or no background in teaching? Do you have seasoned trainers who you would like to build their training capacity, but you are running of lean budgets?

We are here for you!

At Wilsen we also offer our expertise in Training Of Trainers (TOT) especially for community based organization and youth-led initiatives.

What’s unique about us?

We understand the youth dynamics that we seek to impact their lives positively from areas like Kibera, Mathare, Huruma, Kayole, Mukuru just to mention but a few.

Our rates are affordable with a minimum of 3 days of training each day costing Kes 5000. Should you need to take your trainers to the next levels please consider us.

Some of the topics addressed;

1. Lesson planning.
2. Class dynamics
3. Teaching and facilitation.
4. Learning to Learn
5. Content vs. Context.
Among others…
You can request for a customized topic as per your needs.
Contact: info@wilsenx.com or wilson.masaka@gmail.com

“Not everyone with knowledge can train, there is something extra in a great trainer ” Wilson Masaka

Group assignment

Group assignment

Group assignment

Vizazi Booster Training Of Trainer (TOT)

It was a great honor to be invited by Vizazi at the Booster Training of Trainers where our founder Mr. Wilson Masaka shared his knowledge and skills in facilitation and training. Remember not everyone with knowledge can TEACH. Teaching and facilitation are skills that are found with people with passion, time, right attitude, long life learners, experience, training qualification, values etc.

Vizazi is an international expert centre for interventions operating in the field of high quality counseling, training and supervision. More about Vizazi https://www.vizazi.org/

Topic of the day: Facilitation and Training skills.

• Content Vs. Context
• ASK Model.

Facilitators Teaching Vs. Facilitation

• Facilitators might not be subject area experts like a teacher. They do have special training in group dynamics using processes such as conflict resolution, strategic planning and team building.
• A facilitator can quickly determine what the group knows so the group can proceed to build on that knowledge.
• The facilitator also helps the group evaluate what group members learned from their activities.

Teachers / Trainers

• In charge of the learning environment (primary source of knowledge in a session).
• Responsible for creating lesson plans that direct the course of study students follow.
• Clear and concise objectives delineate what the student learns on any given day.
• Measuring how much information the student learns.
  Facilitation is a method of teaching, meaning a teacher can become a facilitator depending with the content (subject, objective etc.)

11 Qualities Of a Great Teacher / Trainer

1. An engaging personality (attitude) and teaching style.
2. Good planner: clear objectives for lessons
3. Effective discipline skills (Time management, reliable & accountability).
4. Good classroom management skills.
5. High expectations (Quality standard).
6. Knowledge of curriculum and standards (Trends, learner and innovator).
7. Knowledge of subject matter
8. Passion in teaching.
9. Strong rapport with students and other trainers [everyone].
10. Effective follow up system
11. Skilled in the subject area.

14 Most Effective Training Techniques

1. Quizzes and games.
2. Small group discussions.
3. Case studies (reviews)
4. Q & A sessions
5. Question cards.
6. Role-playing.
7. Participant control. (Group leader, self direct, moderator and facilitation).
8. Brainstorming session (No wrong or right – Post it).
9. Demonstrations.
10. illustration (white board, flip chart, smart screen).
11. Coaching (focused on individual need)
12. Use of multimedia ( Video, Pictures, text, sound, online reference etc).
13. Group research & presentation (‘homework’ or in class)
14. Individual research & presentation – ‘homework’ or in class assignment.

Note: We used the 21st Century skills to achieve our training goal namely;

• Collaboration and teamwork
• Creativity and imagination
• Critical thinking and Problem solving

Some of the pictures as captured!

Lectures

Lectures

Presentation

Presentation

Group assignment

Group assignment

The venue

Group assignment

Group assignment

Imagination – What Do You See?

Group assignment

The Making Of Skill-UP Event April 2018

In everything that we do we pick great learning lessons that we share and also archive for an even greater event next time. In case you are planning an event for the youth, for example, during the school holiday targeting at least fifty people below are some of the points you should consider. These are the pathways to the successful Skill-UP event that was held on 14th April 2018 at the GoDown Arts Centre.

10 Points to Consider While Designing Events; #WilseninitiativeDiary

1. Choose a team, develop action plan and allocate tasks.
2. Develop a budget and source for funds to support the budget.
3. Design the theme and purpose (Concept note and why analysis).
4. Think of the entire brand.
5. Agree on schedule for follow up meetings.
6. Contact your external team in good time for their preparation (Facilitators, suppliers etc).
7. Develop a communication strategy (social media and general communication)
8. Document the event from start to the end ( meetings, photos, videos, social media posts etc).
9. Develop a registration system (confirmations, inform and engage).
10. Evaluate the event (what went well and what needs to be improved)

Branding of SKill-UP design and concept by Wilson Masaka www.wilsenx.blogspot.com 

Pull Up banner

Flier – font

Flier – back

e-flier

e-flier

e-flier

e-poster

The source, the sketch and conceptualization process

The Skill-UP logo

The Team, the T-shirts

The t-shirt

Skill-UP Event April 2018

Wilsen Initiative (Wi) seek to empower young people to use the acquired skills and talent for prosperity. The platforms connect professionals, students, innovators, artist, etc. through building a creative economy using our  Skill-Up program which is creatively designed to enable experiential and practical learning while inspiring the audiences to activate themselves in achieving desired dreams. Our philosophy is 1 % idea 99% action and the champion in you.

How many times have you switched your career? Do you know your career choice makes your acquired skills or knowledge relevant or irrelevant?

Some of the things we learn, especially in school doesn’t mean we will use them all. Our knowledge bank is full of savings are waiting for the next explorations to become who want. Through informed and proactive approach we shall reach at the level of our unique self with a defined purpose instead of copying what other people are doing without understanding the WHY is our journey.

Many youth has been trapped in the puzzle of not knowing how to discover their full potential through talents and skills acquired, leaving many to succumb into the pressure of life without defining how success looks like. At Wilsen Initiative (WI) we use our experiential program to unlock the youth potential through self discovery, guided by an approach that will promote quality learning and lifelong learning.

We conduct master classes in: – Business skills, Soft skills, Digital Marketing, Technical Skills, Web Development and Graphic Design, Team Building, Personal Branding, Painting classes, Financial literacy, Blogging, Photography and Internet Research. Our facilitators are passionate practitioners with good understanding of the market trends as users and innovators.

Skill UP Master Classes – Offering 21st century skills training using eight approaches;
21st Century skills

1. Problem solving
2. Design Thinking
3. Participatory learning
4. Case studies
5. Interactive learning
6. Collaboration and teamwork.
7. Creativity and imagination
8. Critical thinking.

Skill UP – Boot Camps / Master Classes

We target young people who have finished their secondary, college education ready for the job market and pursuing further education. “Ready To Work”. We also work closely with young people currently in school offering multimedia skills, personal branding and career guidance courses.

Skill-UP April 2018 was a success… venue: GoDown Arts Centre Date: 14th April 2018
Sign up with us for master class with your youth group. Write to info@wilsenx.com or wilson.masaka[at]gmail.com

More photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/30155647@N08/sets/72157667812430478

The Skill-UP logo

Sara sharing the GoDown transformation vision

Patrick Mukabi sharing moment in creativity

Patrick Mukabi session on creativity

How it was done… the concept

Wilsen Initiative team

Faith sharing her journey

Cythnia registering the participants

Inspiration session by Faith

Wilsen team on social media and registration desk

Participants enjoying the games

Jabes sharing his journey

Vison Magic

Sign up today!

Experiencing the VISION MAGIC

Experiencing the VISION MAGIC…. from Wilsen Initiative diary #YouthGroups #Youth101 Wi. experience…
10 points To Ensure Teams Success

1.  Do your search in finding the vision match in your team.
2. Exploit your strength grow your weak links.
3. Consult and brainstorm widely.
4. Plan and communicate effectively.
5. Accountability
6. Maximize on your shared values
7. Recruit based on complementing career paths.
8. Don’t compete but rather compliment each other.
9. Praise in public, correct in private.
10. Build a working culture ( systems, procedure, standard operation etc.)

Wilsen Initiative (Wi) Steering team 2018 from left to right: Danstan Ochieng, Belinda Nyamboki, Cynthia Kihu, Jane Ruguru Wanjiku, Minnie Kang’ethe and Wilson Masaka

Skill UP Photograph 101 At CMETrust in Mathare

It was a great pleasure to receive an invitation from CMETrust to train their youth (16 to 19 years) in Story telling and the fundamentals of making great photos while also thinking of captions that could help tell the story. Canada-Mathare Education Trust believes every child should be able to go to school. They also believe that education empowers people to change their communities for the better. Below are important notes shared today by our founder Mr. Wilson Masaka, who started his photography and blogging journey in 2009 while on an assignment in Zanzibar. Check out his blog at www.wilsenx.blogspot.com

Pre and Post Production: Making Great Photos Basic 101

1. Know your camera (Mobile phone, DSLR, Brand Canon, Nikon, Lens etc.).
2. Think of the moment or story line before the shoot (Pre-production).
3. Be present and embrace the moments.
4. Don’t stick to script too much, some great moments aren’t planned.
5. Shoot as many shots as possible then select later.
6. Understand the theme of the event, do’s and don’t.
7. Take the right gear with you, for example, there are many types of lenses for different purpose
8. Learn the basics from shutter speed, Aperture, ISO, Light, Composition, Rule of third, Golden hour and style.
9. Build a portfolio on our way up, dedicate time for pro-bono work.
10. Never sop learning and learn from your mistakes. Editing is a skill you must master in the post-production.

Some photos as captured;

Are you a youth group with a desire to Skill UP? Get in touch with us for a session in photography, creative entrepreneurship, social media marketing, blogging, graphic design, web development and personal branding (life skills) write to wilson.masaka[at]gmail.com or info@wilsenx.com