The CTI-CFF Women Leaders Forum held leadership training sessions in Honiara, Solomon Islands, and Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, this month. The training was building on the Inter-generational Leadership Learning Program of 2017-2018, which paired mentors with mentees from each Coral Triangle country, providing the pairs with training on leadership, conservation and project management to support their conservation projects. To continue expanding on the skills and lessons of this program, the in-country trainings in the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea were organized, building on the capacity of women currently holding leadership roles in marine resource management. The three-day training in Honiara and two-day training in Port Moresby were delivered by Robert Schout, the founder of Powerskills Training & Development Inc. He was supported by Hesti Widodo, CTC’s Senior Program Manager, and a leading regional trainer in marine conservation.

The Port Moresby training session was divided into strategic leadership development on the first day, and providing and facilitating the development of insights, practices and skills for growing as situational leaders on the second day. Mentoring and coaching sessions aimed to assess challenges facing the participants and identify steps to address them through discussions with the trainer.

In Honiara, leadership development was supported by training on gender advocacy and equity at work. The third day focused on communication and networking, enhancing communication behaviour and strategies, and determining solutions for challenges to the development and sustainability of women’s leadership networks and alliances.

21 women leaders participated in the two-day training in Port Moresby, and 27 attended the training in Honiara. The participants came from government agencies and local and international NGOs. They came from different backgrounds and career points, leading to a richer learning experience through sharing of knowledge and ideas. The program was supported by the US Department of the Interior International Technical Assistance Program and the Coral Triangle Center in collaboration with the CTI-CFF PNG and Solomon Islands National Coordinating Committees and USAID. The Nature Conservancy PNG Program provided logistical support in the preparation of the agenda in Port Moresby, identifying the training participants, and in facilitating the training during the two days.