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AIC TRAINING

AIC volunteers at grassroots level work to meet real local needs. Following the example of Saint Vincent, who was concerned throughout his life with education, AIC considers the ongoing training of every volunteer to be an essential requirement in their work to support the most disadvantaged people.

In this regard, AIC offers volunteers ongoing technical, interpersonal and spiritual development training focused on:

  • The many aspects of the causes and effects of poverty
  • Participation and empowerment of beneficiaries
  • Collaboration, shared social responsibility and networking
  • Systemic change

Training takes place through:

  • Documents, distributed to volunteers in digital form, inviting them to reflect and work on the material in their local groups.
  • International assemblies
  • Continental seminars
  • National meetings
  • Visits to national associations and local groups by regional coordinators, members of the Executive Board and the people responsible for projects from the International Secretariat.

Every three years, at the AIC International Assembly of Delegates, common directions for activities are agreed, known as the “AIC Priority Lines of Action” (PLA), which guide the work of volunteers across the whole AIC network.

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Training Documents

The Executive Board produces training documents, based on topics relating to the AIC Priority Lines of Action. These documents are sent out regularly to AIC volunteers around the world, to be studied and discussed in the local AIC groups.

With the support of a team of volunteer translators, the training documents are made available in 6 languages.

ACCESS THE LIBRARY

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The AIC Diploma

Since 2014, AIC has also offered an online training programme: the AIC Diploma. This helps volunteers to:

  • Strengthen the fundamental concepts of being an AIC volunteer.
  • Develop skills to encourage organised working and efficient coordination within local groups.
  • Develop skills in undertaking work and services that empower people, as well as in fundraising, social communication and strategic planning.
  • Improve leadership and professionalism among AIC members.

The AIC Diploma consists of 8 modules sent out at regular intervals over a period of 10 months.

This training is now available in several languages and adapted to different cultures. It was initially developed in Spanish for volunteers from Latin America. Thanks to the support of the Bru Foundation, it was then translated into French and English and adapted to the realities and cultures of other countries where AIC is present. Thus, since 2017, this training has also been offered to French and English-speaking AIC volunteers from Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States. In 2018, the AIC Diploma was also translated into German and Italian.

To date, nearly 1000 volunteers have succeeded in completing the training.

“There is no doubt it has been a really valuable process, helping us to grow in Vincentian formation. The goals are certainly difficult to achieve, but if we do not set ourselves challenges, we will never progress and would be simply offering support, which is a long way from the teachings of Saint Vincent.” (Testimony from a volunteer)

Please contact us if you would like more information about the next online AIC Diploma course.

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Continental Training Seminars

AIC also organises continental training seminars, during which local AIC volunteers receive training that is adapted to their regional context.

These continental seminars provide:

  • Tailored training that enables volunteers to gain the tools and skills needed to better support people living in poverty.
  • Opportunities for exchanging experiences and best practices.
  • A focus on AIC activities which are in line with the AIC Priority Lines of Action.
  • A chance to highlight and utilise each person’s values and strengths and show what can be achieved by working together.
  • Training to become facilitators who ensure that the seminar content is shared and spread to local groups.

AIC International is organising seminars on four continents in 2024-2025. The general theme of these seminars is “Together, let’s open up new paths”.

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Local Visits

Visits to national associations and local groups by regional coordinators, members of the Executive Board and the people responsible for monitoring projects from the International Secretariat also provide an opportunity to continue training local AIC volunteers.

These visits help to strengthen the skills of volunteers in their local environment:

  • Proposing different kinds of training, better adapted to the local context
  • Evaluating the work being done at local level with the volunteers
  • Training them in the development, management and evaluation of their actions and encouraging the development of empowering actions and services
  • Building up institutional and management capabilities within associations (election processes, organisation of Assemblies, financial management, etc.)
  • Strengthening the sense of belonging to the international AIC network in order to increase synergies