5. Action plan and evaluation

History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, however, if faced with courage, need not be lived again.

Maya Angelou

Learning Objectives

• To support participants to draft an action plan to put into practice what they have learned
• To evaluate the impact of the training

Number of participants: 5–30
Duration: 90 minutes

Suggestions for Trainers

Conducting an activity that engages the participants in processes of planning concrete steps as a follow-up of the training increases the chances of them putting into practice what they learned. It also gives them the opportunity to consolidate the competences they developed during the training, as they find ways to transfer them into their work practices. This activity invites the participants to think of measures they can take to prevent and combat Holocaust distortion.

The participants are asked to work in small groups for drafting the action plan. The composition of these groups is very important and the trainer should find the best criteria for grouping the participants. These criteria depend on who is in the room. For example, if the participants are all from the same institution, they can be grouped according to the department in which they work. This has the advantage that they have a shared understanding of what can be done by their departments and can make a detailed plan. On the other hand, grouping together participants from different departments or even different institutions, has the advantage that it can lead to more cooperation and coordinated actions among different stakeholders. The trainer should pay careful attention to the background and dynamic of the participants when grouping people for the assignment. If time allows it, the criteria can be discussed with the participants, so they can choose the groups, according to their interests.

Asking the participants to fill out the evaluation form at the end of the session while they are still in the training – rather than giving them the possibility to do it later – ensures a higher rate of responses.

Description of the activity

1. The trainer informs the participants that, in order to conclude this training, they are invited to create a detailed action plan, based on the reflections and discussion from the previous unit. Each participant receives a copy of the Action Plan Handout and is invited to plan two concrete measures that she/he/they will take as a follow-up of this training. Participants are invited to work in groups of 4–5 people. They should group according to the institution/department in which they work or in mixed groups composed of institutions/departments that are planning to collaborate on implementing joint measures.
2. The groups have 30 minutes to discuss the short-term and medium-term measures they are planning to take, based on the questions in the handout. Each group should assign one or more people to present the action plan after the group work.
3. After each group presents, the other participants are invited to offer feedback, ask for clarifications, and suggest ideas or partnerships for facilitating the proposed actions.
4. The trainer thanks the participants for their contributions and encourages them to start putting into action the plans discussed and to further discuss with their colleagues and other professionals about specific measures that can be taken in different contexts.
5. The trainer informs the participants that they have reached the end of the training and invites them for a round of evaluation. Firstly, the participants are asked to take five minutes to think about/write down their answers to the following questions:a. What are the main three things I learned?
   b. What are the two things I want to further learn about?
   c. What is the one thing I would like everybody to know about Holocaust distortion?
6. The participants are asked to share their reflections. A few volunteers are invited to answer the first question, then a few others are invited to answer the second question and, eventually, a few more to answer the third question.
7. Before receiving the evaluation form to fill out, the participants are asked if they have any final comments and/or suggestions on who else would benefit from this training.
8. If possible, the trainer should remain available and invite participants to contact him/her/they or other organizations/institutions if they find identify situation of Holocaust distortion for which they need help in addressing or which should be addressed by someone else.