Integra-Train Analytical Training Guide for Malta September 2018 Contents Session 1 - General Introduction 3 Session 2 - Accessing Rights 15 Session 3 - Accessing Social Services 28 Session 4 - Education Services 42 Session 5 - Health Services 50 Session 6 - Employment 58 Session 7 - Skill Building Workshop 67 2 | Page MATERIAL FOR SESSION 1 – GENERAL INTRODUCTION (2h) The aim of the session is to provide a basic background for Malta, its culture, history and society, establish a positive group dynamic among the participants, while easing them into the training sessions OUTCOMES By the end of the first session the participants will: 1. Know each other, the organisation/trainer and project better 2. Have a better understanding of Malta and the Maltese context 3. Have a general understanding of Malta’s history, political system and culture RESOURCES o Registration forms o A4 paper o Pens/pencils o Rope (or string) o Laptop with presentation software o Projector and Screen o Flipchart o Evaluation forms o Module outline handouts o Sticky notes o Bullseye chart PART 1 – Introduction (15 minutes) Note to the trainer: Start the session with a casual discussion about yourself and your organization. Explain what the training sessions are about and provide information about the content of each session and desired outcomes The main goal is to make to make the participants feel comfortable get familiarized with the process and the topics that they will be covering during the following sessions 1.1. Brief introduction of the facilitator(s): o Name, nationality, how long has the facilitator been in Malta? o What is the facilitator’s experience with similar workshops? 3 | Page o What organization is the facilitator(s) representing? o What is the facilitator’s role in the organization? 1.2. Brief introduction of the organization organizing the training sessions, including: o When was the organization established, and by who? o What is the organization’s mission and values? 1.3. Brief overview of the project (if applicable) o Acknowledgment of EU Funding for the project o What are the expected outputs and outcomes of the project? o Overview of the project partnerships (including partners, countries) 1.4. Brief overview of the modules o How many sessions will take place? o How long will each session last? o What will be the topics covered? 1.5. Expectations o What are the participants’ expectations from the trainings? What do they hope to achieve by the end of the sessions? o What are the trainers’ expectations? Facilitator(s) will explain issues around attendance, participation, questions etc. o Facilitator(s) will also take some time to discuss participants expectations are in line with facilitator’s ideas/plan of the training PART 2 – Ice-breaker (10 minutes) Note to the trainer: This activity aims at allowing participants to feel comfortable and to establish a trust relationship which will facilitate experience-sharing throughout the different sessions. This activity will also act as an energizer for the rest of the session. The trainer may use any icebreaker activity. The one we suggest here is the ”ask a question” activity where the participants take turns introducing themselves, and they also have to ask a question to the next person who will introduce him/herself (the trainer would ask the question to the participant who goes first). The questions have to be simple; e.g. do you prefer cats or dogs? What is your favourite dish in Malta? 4 | Page PART 3 – Malta Quiz (15 minutes) Note to the trainer: The session continues with a quiz activity, with questions about Malta, aiming to establish how much participants know about Malta. The Quiz is an activity mostly aiming at creating a positive group dynamic rather than testing the participants’ real knowledge about Malta and each people. Ideally, it should also be a conversation starter, and should lead to a discussion where participants start discussing what they like/do not like about Malta. Activity: Divide the group into two or more groups depending of the number of the participants (3-4 participants per group) and assign a person to keep the score. Inform the teams that you will be asking a number of questions and that they will have to write their answer on a piece of paper. For each correct answer the team provides they earn a point. At the end the team with the most points wins the game. The set of questions is included in Appendix I. Once all the questions have been asked, start providing the answers while checking which of the teams got the correct answers and which did not. The Malta Quiz activity will lead to a discussion on how much the participants think they know about Malta, why they think they do not know more, and what their sources of information are. This discussion is also an opportunity to ask any questions on any issues they are concerned about regarding Malta and its culture (which will be discussed throughout the rest of the session and course). PART 4 – Malta: History, Culture and Politics (65 minutes) This part is the core of the first session. The facilitator(s) will explain key concepts about Malta. The main themes will include: o History – the aim is to introduce participants to a brief history of Malta, enriched with key facts that could be interesting to them as well as referencing some of the key historical places and monuments in Malta. o Culture and Society o Festivities – the different important dates in the Maltese calendar will be presented season by season o Local traditions including: local village festas, fireworks traditions, Carnival etc. 5 | Page o Religion – the Maltese official religion will be presented, as well as its relation to society and culture. An overview of other religions also represented in Malta o Local cuisine: popular food and drink o Political system – Introduction to the key institutions of the Maltese Republic, as well as the national elections procedure o Executive, Legislative, Judiciary o Elections and representation o Role of the media o Role of civil society o Local councils and their functions o Political participation – discussion on different political parties and associations, as well as on ways of being actively involved in the public sphere. o Media landscape – the main Maltese sources of information will be presented such as newspapers, TV channels, blogs etc. History1 Note to the trainer: The historical narrative provided here is based on David Castillo’s The Maltese Cross, published in 2006. By no means the information provided offer a comprehensive background of the history of Malta, and the trainer is advised to go through additional sources, that will help him/her familiarize with the history of Malta. Malta is located in the heart of the Mediterranean, positioned almost at its exact centre. Malta is also situated at a strategic point between north and South, that is between Southern Europe and North Africa, as well as between East and West, that is Western Europe and the Middle East. Hence, geographically and culturally, the Maltese Islands are part of Europe, but with strong influences from North Africa and the Middle East. Malta is an archipelago consisting of three inhabited islands and several uninhabited islets. The largest island is Malta and the second largest is Gozo. The origin of the name “Malta” is contested. Some say that the name comes from the Phoenician word “malat” (harbor), while others suggest it comes from the Greek “meli”, which means honey. The weather on the whole is sunny, warm and dry. Nonetheless, occasionally storm systems pass through the islands from the south (sirocco), the north (tramuntana), the northeast (grigal) and the northwest (majjistral). 5000 BCE to year 0 The history of Malta begins around 5000 BCE, when it was first occupied by people coming from Sicily. It is believed that the island, that is visible from Sicily on clear days, caught the 1 Information on this section is based on: Castillo, dennis A. 2006. The Maltese Cross. Westport, Conn.: Praeger Security International. 6 | Page attention of farmers that needed more land to cultivate. As they later found out, the land of Malta was very fertile, and the position of the island provided them with a relatively safe environment. This is known as the Neolithic period in the island. In the following centuries, starting from around 3600 BCE, the local population started to build huge stone temples all over the island, leaving a significant legacy such as the Hagar Qim Temple and Hal Saflieni Hypogeum. Whilst these temples were probably created as places of cult, they were later used as burial places. the Hypogeum in particular, is an underground labyrinth used as burial chambers that was recognized as UNESCO world heritage site. Whilst there is visible evidence from this era on the island, there appears to be limited knowledge on how and why it ended. Around 1200 BC, the Phoenicians settled in Malta. At the time, the Phoenicians were the main traders and travellers in the Mediterranean, and they founded colonies on North African costs as well as Sicily, Sardinia, and Malta. Their activity was mostly focused on the port of Marsaxlokk. Even the name of the country seems to origin from the Phoenician word « Maleth », meaning « refuge ». The island was later subjected to the Carthaginians, the Romans and the Byzantines. Particularly relevant for the country is the year 65 CE, when St. Paul shipwrecked on the island on his way to Rome and brought Christianity to the country. The shipwreck of St. Paul is believed to have taken place in the current St. Paul’s bay, and is celebrated yearly on February 10th.