Training of Trainers in Marine Protected Area Management
Under the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol and the Caribbean Marine Protected Area Management (CaMPAM) Network and Forum, the Training of Trainers (ToT) Programme was developed to strengthen the management capacity of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Wider Caribbean Region.
One of the main challenges affecting effective MPA management in the Caribbean has been the limited availability of qualified personnel and financial resources. To address this, the ToT Programme trains MPA managers in key aspects of MPA science and management.
The programme consists of a 12-14-day regional course held annually or biennially, alternating between English and Spanish. It covers the basics of MPA management through a combination of interactive classes, field trips, exercises, and discussion to cover key topics, including marine ecosystems features, ecological evaluation, spatial planning, international policy, governance, and communication tools.
Participants selected for the programme are required to implement follow-up activities in their home countries, putting into action the skills and knowledge gained from the training. Since its launch in 1999, the ToT initiative has trained over 240 MPA managers and marine officers and, through more than 100 small-grant follow-up activities, reached more than 1,600 stakeholders across the Wider Caribbean Region.
For more information on the programme activities up until 2018, see this report.
Reports from most courses are also available, including:
- ToT 2011-2012 Local Reports: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines, and St Lucia
- ToT 2010 Local Reports: Venezuela
In 2006 and 20171, external evaluations were conducted to assess the performance, impact, replicability, monitoring and evaluation system, and training materials of the ToT programme. The overall findings were highly positive, highlighting that ToT participants excelled in applying and transferring their newly acquired skills to others through various training events and capacity-building activities.
The programme produced a manual with eight modules delivered in English, Spanish, and French, covering Caribbean MPA planning, stakeholder engagement, management, research, monitoring, regional policy, as well as communication and teaching skills. After 2010, instructors and facilitators were encouraged to use the manuals as a guide and resource for developing their classes, while drawing on primarily their own experience.
