National Minority AIDS Council Building Healthier Communities

The WOCLI is designed to equip and empower a cadre of skilled leaders to understand the policymaking system, the role of advocacy and the need to find a voice in the decision-making process that impacts health for Women of color. We recognize the critical role women play globally, in reducing poverty, strengthening communities and improving the health of each other and their families. WOCLI aims to conduct trainings both in the U.S. and the Caribbean, where the HIV epidemic has taken its toll with rates only second to Sub-Saharan Africa.

WOCLI training includes a comprehensive curriculum to include the following 5 modules:

Government and Advocacy – Women Empowered to Achieve Change Together (WE ACT) - will provide participants with an understanding of the relationship between federal, state and local levels of government. National and International participants, will receive materials modified to address their relevant government structure; participants will acquire knowledge about nongovernmental sources of funding as well as governmental sources. By the end of this module participants will have a clear understanding of how to access HIV/AIDS resources and where to influence HIV/AIDS funding decisions.

Leadership Development – Making Adversity Your Ally; The Leader Is You - will provide participants with an understanding of the importance of their own experience in developing their unique voice as a leader. This will include an in-depth discussion and exercise on issues of gender differences in leadership; participants will be able to assess their skills as leaders and identify new areas for growth; assess roles and responsibilities in their organization, campaign or group and develop an understanding of the importance of clarity around roles and responsibilities as well as reflections of self-care and how they fit in their practice as a leader.

Program Development – Responding To Women’s Needs and Services; Doing What It Takes To Make A Difference Through Your Work - will provide participants with an understanding of information and skills needed to effectively plan and implement a program designed to provide resources and services to meet the needs of Women of Color; This will also include hands on exercises to demonstrate an understanding of the processes and tools needed to effectively design, develop, revise and implement a successful program addressing the needs and services responsive to Women of Color; demonstrate an understanding of the importance of establishing a good relationship between their Board of Directors, Key Stakeholders, the community and the Women they serve; demonstrate and understanding of the value of evaluation in determining and reporting the success of their program.

Communication and Media Advocacy – Speaking Truth; Envisioning How Your Voice Can Change The Future - will provide participants with a working knowledge of the functions and process by sharing their stories and educating their communities about HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment; develop and expand their skills in the use of grassroots level communications and media advocacy strategies to identify and develop messages and campaigns that will facilitate awareness and political support for HIV/AIDS resources; participants will be given the tools to identify and participate in interactive exercises and develop models for grass-roots communications that will guide their media advocacy efforts when they return to their respective communities and organizations.

Collaboration – Together We Can Get There From Here; No One Has To Lose For You To Win - will provide participants with an appreciation for cultural, social and political values of other groups. This interactive module will demonstrate: an understanding of collaboration strategies, their multiple applications and unique opportunities for collaborations vested in HIV/AIDS programming for women; an understanding of collaboration in relation to local collaborative histories between individual community leaders, groups , formal and informal agencies and organizations; and heighten their skills in structuring a variety of collaborative relationships most appropriate to cultural context, political realities, and social needs.

Note: Each of the modules can be presented in 2.5 days or in an expanded version of 5 days.

If you are interested in holding a training in your area, please contact us at woc@nmac.org or by calling 202-234-5120, extension 316.

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