In order to create unified approach in all countries CBIB organized Training of Trainers, which took place on July 24^th and 25^th in the premises of the Regional Development Agency – SERDA, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The ToT was initially designed as the training to help selected professional trainers to understand the approach and the content of the training materials that would be used during the training of potential beneficiaries of IPA CBC Programmes.

Nevertheless, since other partner organizations in the region are planning to organize trainings on project preparation for potential beneficiaries of IPA CBC programmes and in order to create synergies and the same approach in the region additional 11 representatives from different partner organizations attended the training.

The purpose of the training was to prepare the trainers and potential trainers for upcoming 2-days courses on the grant proposal preparation in the region and to help them understand the objectives of the training and topics to be covered.

The trainer was Mari Adele, CBIB EU STE, assisted by Haris Piknjac, CBIB EU Expert, Marija Stevanovic and Maja Stojanovic Local experts from CBIB.

Description of the event:

The main objectives of the training:

• Understand what are the objectives for the two-days course on the grant proposal preparation;
• Have clear overview what are the topics and to what extent they will be covered in the training;
• Understand (the reasons) for proposed training methods;
• Get experienced with using tools proposed in the training;
• Understand when certain materials are to be used in the training;
• Contribute to the training materials;
• Learn from experiences within the group.

The objectives of the TOT indicate that the course was assisting the participants/local trainers to understand what are the objectives, approach, methods, and materials to be used in the training on Preparation of the Grant Proposal.

The course followed the sequence of the topics in the program for the training of Preparation of the Grant Proposal. The discussions were guided by the training outline. The presentation and discussion of each session followed the aspects of:

• Objectives of the session;
• Flow of the session;
• Content and materials for the session.

Training materials and background information were distributed to the participants containing concrete exercises and important links for the participants. The training ended with the evaluation papers distributed to the participants.

Conclusions:

Since the CBIB is organizing trainings for potential beneficiaries of IPA CBC Programmes that is not related to any specific Call for Proposals, it was important for trainers to understand the objectives and approach of the training for potential beneficiaries.

All of the participants considered the training to be very well organised and very informative and useful (achievement of the course objectives, quality of lectures, quality of exercise, balance between lectures and exercise, role of the trainer, the training materials, the general organization of the course and the relation of the course to their daily work).

They considered the topics of the training and the content very relevant to the issues of their concern and in particular on getting information on issues and technicalities they were not familiar with. Also, partcipants felt that they had opportunity to exchange experience with colleagues from the region.