Recent Workshops

Workshop Schedule

12th Annual Meeting of National Directors United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) Geneva Switzerland

In March 2009, CDC was privileged to provide media coaching for National Mine Action Directors, from several countries including Laos, Egypt, Mauritania and Jordan. The nested workshop was run in parallel with the main meeting and focused on providing three sessions of individual coaching for each Director. Learning was provided in English, French and Arabic. 

In tribute to CDC’s tailored approach to learning one participant said: “Taught an old dog many new tricks!” 

Another said: “Very stimulating seminar that makes you feel empowered and ready”

Figure 1 Mine Removal in Action

World Food Programme – Deputy Country Directors – Asia and the Pacific.

In March 2009, CDC organized a workshop for more than 15 deputy country representatives of the World Food Programme based in Asia and the Pacific. The two day event focused on the key tasks for a manager ranging from media strategies to individual coaching. The CDC team was led by our team leader based in Phnom Penh with two journalists who have covered Asia extensively.  The workshop was held in Bangkok.  The workshop was so well appreciated that one participant said “Very useful, WFP should organize the workshop to all managers”

Figure 2 WFP Deputies at Bangkok Workshop

IEMTW Special UN Moldova 

Ahead of the elections in which the UN was paying a key role, the UN in Moldova requested a special edition of CDC’s flagship workshop – the International Executive Media and TV workshop that was held in the capital Chisinau. UN officials from UNDP and UNIFEM attended the three day event that focused on the key issues that UN officials would be facing in the succeeding days.   One participant described the workshop in the following manner: “Very lively and timely: throughout the workshop I was thinking how I will make my work different as soon as I finish the training workshop.”

Figure 3 IEMTW Participants Moldova June 2009

IFAD Executive Coaching Portfolio Managers

CDC worked closely with IFAD Senior Managers in its fourth event at IFAD’s new headquarters in Rome. The two day workshop provided senior managers with individual coaching and helped them understand how to be more effective in an interview through better preparation, and understanding what journalists are looking for.  Portfolio Managers responsible for countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America attended the two day event.  One participant described the workshop as follows: “The workshop was fun, thought provoking, and it allowed me to learn some things about myself in front of the camera”

Figure 4 IFAD Portfolio Managers Rome May 2009

UNAIDS Universal Access Communication Workshop UNAIDS
Country Coordinators

The newly elected Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibe, has made Universal Access to prevention and treatment the rallying agenda for the organization, and communication is a key component. CDC was asked to design a special workshop that combined the more traditional media training with sessions on how to design a communication strategy at country level for Universal Access. The design team worked closely with the UNAIDS Regional Support Team, headed by Mark Stirling. The workshop was held at Valley Lodge, about one hour from Johannesburg, and included more than twenty UNAIDS Country Coordinators.  One participant summed up the feeling of the group: “Loved it!”  Another said:” Revealing and good Fun!”

UNCT Leadership and Coordination Skills Workshop – Turin

CDC provides the communication learning as part of the UN System Staff College’s leadership course for UN Resident Coordinators and Agency Representatives.  With the two courses completed in May and June of 2009, we have now helped more than 135 UN leaders address issues of communication as part of their management objectives.  The course includes individual coaching for each participant as well as a focus on media friendly offices and how to react in the midst of a media crisis.  In each workshop communication is often given the highest rating in terms of both the content and the delivery. In May our session received 5.5 out of 6.0. Among the comments by the participants was this one: “Excellent session followed by useful try-out that helps in raising awareness on one’s communications - and helpfully improved. “ The workshop is led by Moncef Bouhafa with our team leader based in Europe, Osei Kofi. 

This event has become a regular event on the CDC calendar with multiple sessions planned each year. For more information on the course please visit here where you can apply for the course and download a report of previous courses.

Figure 5 UNCT Workshop Participants June 2009