WHAT: Splash uses a training of trainers (ToT) model in which two focal teachers are selected per school and attend a training facilitated by Splash or Splash-trained partners. The training takes place over 2-3 days and covers a wide range of topics:

• Who is Splash and why are we here?
• Challenges the schools face: Share success stories and problem solve together.
• Tools to address these challenges: Designing systems for their school, activities for the children, maintenance of the sites
  • See a further description of the activities for children in Chapter 4: BC for Kids
  • See country specific training manuals here
• Organizing resources: Financial, teachers, PTA and SMC, government support
• Splash commitments for their school
• Action planning and solutions

WHY: One of the goals of the BC program is to change behaviors of the teachers because they are the ones who have the most influential role to play in the lives of the children after their parents. A teacher, on average, spends over five hours per day with children. Children learn things formally from them by attending classes and also informally by observing their behaviors. The purpose of the ToT is to engage these stakeholders, increase ownership, provide capacity building and tactical next steps to have a successful and sustainable WASH program. In addition, the ToT enables the teachers to internalize WASH issues relevant for the kids, equips them with the necessary tools (methodology, module etc.) and ideas (informing innovations being taking place in the other schools) to address those issues.   

HOW: Splash conducts training in "batches" of up to 20 schools at once. After the schools have been identified, a meeting is organized with the Headmasters to discuss the Splash program and sign MOUs. During this time, Splash describes the need and responsibility of focal teachers. Following this meeting, the headmaster identifies two focal teachers to attend the training (one teacher if the school has less than 250 students). Focal teacher selection is based on recommendation from the Headmaster, as well as interest of the teacher.

Once the focal teachers are identified, a date is set for the training, in which the teachers will travel to participate. Ideally, this training will be a venue outside the city, where all the teachers will stay for two nights / three days. If a residential training is not possible, a venue can be selected within the city and the teachers travel to each day. The reasons a residential training is preferred, is because it build comradery within the group, increasing accountability for a successful program. It also fosters deeper focus and 100% attendance.

The agenda for this three-day training varies from country to country, but should be approved by the Global Manager of Behavior Change and designed in collaboration with the local Department of Education. An example agenda can be found here.

WHEN: Ideally, the training should take place just before installation of handwashing stations, but within the same month. This allows Focal Teachers the necessary training prior to installation to make sure students use the infrastructure properly. It also gives teachers time to conduct the soap drive, ensuring soap availability the moment handwashing stations are installed. If the ToT cannot take place prior to installation, it should take place within the window of 4 months prior to installation of infrastructure and 2 months after installation. The reason for the shorter window after installation is because we want to leverage the excitement of the new environment to have adoption of new behaviors.

In addition, if the ToT does not happen prior to installation of handwashing stations, Splash must make sure that soap is provided to the school during the handwashing install to sustain the school until the soap drive takes place.

WHO: The training is led by Splash staff or by the Splash-trained partner staff. It is best if a government representative can provide a welcome message at the beginning of the training.

INDICATORS OF SUCCESS:

Each ToT should result in the following:

1. Measurable plans for the subsequent school level events
2. Implementation of events at the school level as planned
3. Facilitation of monthly meeting of the child clubs and documentation of important decisions
4. Ensuring that soap drives are collected when the stock of soap is depleted
5. Ensuring consistent soap availability at the handwashing stations (dining area and toilets)