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Abstract:
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While many non-governmental organizations provide leadership training in interethnic
conflict management to Kenyan youth, relatively little is known about what goes
into such training. This dissertation is a case study illustrating how the training structure
operates. The purpose of this dissertation is to address the challenges associated with
youth leadership training in inter-ethnic conflict management, how these challenges are
managed, what differences the training makes, and how it is transferred back into the
real-life of the youth.
To better understand these issues, a two-month qualitative study was conducted
divided in two phases involving trainers, youth participants, program designers, and
community leaders. Twenty two interviews and 2 focus groups were completed. Results
demonstrated four communicative challenges involved in the design of youth leadership
training were: (1) audience analysis, (2) material resources, (3) participant challenges,
and (4) diversity. Results showed that trainers addressed the communicative challenges
by using the following management strategies: needs assessment, financial management,
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stakeholder education, and dialogue facilitation. The analysis suggested that the
conditions that facilitate transfer of training were: participatory models, training
organization, and trainee motivation. Similarly, conditions that inhibit training transfer
included: resource constraints, youth motivation, environmental conditions, and
diversity.
Finally, results also suggested that the differences that leadership training made
in the lives of the youth were: behavioral transformation, participant input, improved
peaceful relationships, and skill development. Successfully managing the
communicative challenges in the design and implementation of the training were the
main goals of trainers, and the more they took ownership of these goals the more likely
the training would be successful. This dissertation suggests that managing the
communicative challenges associated with the design and conduct of youth leadership
training is the first step to ensuring the training transfer for youth participants and
achieving a workable leadership training in inter-ethnic conflict management. |