Capacity building on occupational health among informal workforce: Participatory training

Introduction
Strengthening potentiality of safety at work among occupational health volunteers (OHVs) is considered to be significant for building partnership between health professional and OHVs, and being a key success of improving health among informal workforces. The study of lesson learned in the developmental process of capacity building among OHVs was designed, focusing on the mechanisms employed in this process.

Methods
The methodological approaches in this study were Participatory Action Research and After Action Review techniques. The target groups were stakeholders including working teams, health professional, OHVs, and informal workforces of each occupation in the study areas. Data were analyzed through content analysis indicating categorization and data association.

Results
The main findings revealed that the first OHVs training before conducting the present study was unsuccessful due to difficulty with the curriculum content and a lack of practice and training evaluation. The new curriculum and risk assessment manual were developed through collaboration among the researchers, working teams and health professional in the study areas and were implemented in the second OHVs training. Based on the reflection of both trainees and trainers, the new curriculum was well organized and feasible for building capacity of OHVs as occupational risk and safety at work communicators. Also, the risk assessment manual was useful and feasible for occupational hazard assessment and as a ‘medium’ for information dissemination to informal workers.

Discussion
A driving mechanism for the success of OHVs training in this study was full participation and cooperation between the researcher team, health professional and working teams throughout the entire process of problem solving creating a ‘sense of ownership’ and a strong commitment to improve the life quality among informal workforce. Further, continuous driving and academic supporting, ‘in time & soon enough’ from the researchers was also a key to success.