The OWYP Online Training Course Experience

Ryan Hoppie is OWYP’s 2012/2013 Project Manager Fellow from the University of Guyana. Ryan manages the OWYP program and team responsibilities on his campus.

The OWYP Online Training Course is a user friendly course which is simple yet rich in content. The direct approach being used in the videos and the readings is as if you are talking with someone about the focus areas of Global Interconnectedness and Collaboration, Cross Cultural Dialogues and Community Engagement and Leadership.

I am of the opinion that the material that helped to structure this course was not just something out of a final thesis paper but tested experiences that the various authors and experts had and were willing to share with us. Feedback which takes the form of a weekly quiz proves exciting because we were also given the opportunity to say what was really in our hearts in addition to recalling other important points in multiple choice answers.

The “Who Are You?” and Hub Call Projects dismantled social, economic and political perceptions and barriers as we had front row seats to seeing our new friends from other nations. This was very engaging; it included interacting with them and realizing that we all have come alive in one way or another all towards a great cause- helping to effect social change. If material such as this can be shared with all our peoples our world will be on its way to much needed progress and development.

Knowing what to do is not so much a challenge as compared to knowing how to do what you want to do. I feel a sense of responsibility in helping youth to realize their dreams and believe in themselves. One of the things I am grateful for is the information regarding the education theories; it made me re-evaluate and modify approaches to facilitation to include more of the participants’ ideas and creativity which is important to having balanced effective, efficient and lasting outcomes.

Not forgetting the steps on how to be most effective in community development inspired me to start partnering with people of like passion in Guyana and the Caribbean to start a network that will help youth in and out of school to become community builders. I will use the knowledge gained over the six weeks of training as a springboard to greater development and stronger relationships.

In January 2012, OWYP worked with the University of Guyana to recruit 12 university student leaders for the program and has since been training these students to facilitate our global education program in Guyana. OWYP will build upon UG’s mission to promote knowledge for the service of the community, the nation and all of mankind.