From the 19-21^st of December 2022, 70 EduSpots local volunteers from across 15 regions in Ghana have gathered in Techiman for EduSpots’ national conference for Project Leaders.

EduSpots is a UK and Ghanaian registered NGO that works to connect, train, and equip over 250 local leaders to drive community-led change through education spaces named ‘Spots’.

Since 2015, EduSpots has supported community members in 40 communities in Ghana in creating well-resourced libraries which are all owned and managed by community members, impacting an estimated 10,000 users annually.

This conference aims to equip Spot Project Leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to run their Spots effectively, under the theme ‘Igniting Community-Led Change’.

Volunteers, sharing ideas. 

Training has included an extensive exploration of child safeguarding and protection, alongside community engagement and fundraising, linked to a key aim to ensure all Spot activities and maintenance can be fully sustained locally.

In addition, volunteers have engaged in sessions supporting them in running EduLit and EcoSTEM clubs for students, promoting literacy development and practical science and environmental education, which are key elements of EduSpots’ work.

Miss Anna Avulga, Literacy Clubs Coordinator presenting on the EduLit Club Model 

The guest of honour at the event is Mr Evans Odei, Varkey Foundation 2021 Global Teacher Prize top 10 finalist and EduSpots Advisory Board Member. Evans led a highly interactive session exploring effective strategies in promoting student-centred classrooms.

As part of the event, 10 volunteers graduated from EduSpots’ 10-month Community Leadership in Education (CLEd) programme, which involved a 5-day training Academy in Abofour in April, followed by the creation and delivery of a community action plan with support with a peer mentor, online coaching session and flexible grant funding.

EduSpots Chair, Miss Cat Davison, commented: “It has been so exciting for the EduSpots community to come together in person for this event which aims to strengthen the capacity of our Project Leaders, enabling them to work with their local volunteers to ensure their innovative education spaces that are truly community-led, sustainable and transformative.”

Mr Faad Abdul-Rahamn, an EduSpots volunteer in Sakasaka commented: “It’s been great to meet other motivated community volunteers from across Ghana and come together to build innovative strategies for what we can do to improve the sustainability and impact of our Spots.”

Faad Abdul-Rahman leading the community welcome introductions. 

The Spots are also being supplied with over 1000 brand new books by African Authors and local text books, which is part of a year long fundraising campaign named ‘Bringing Africa to the Bookshelf’ which has seen EduSpots staff and volunteers highlight the importance of reading material and wider literacy resources mirroring the community and Ghanaian context.

The event culminates in EduSpots’ annual awards ceremony, during which volunteers across the network are recognised for exceptional levels of impact in their communities and their commitment to EduSpots’ vision and mission, with awards also given to recognise particular Spots and education initiatives.

EduSpots Team December 2022

 

Below, Rahamatu, Benjamin and Ridwan, volunteers in Bimbilla, Elmina and Kalpohin, sharing ideas.