GESI training and workplace talks
A full day workshop that helps programme staff and partners build gender equality and social inclusion into their work, and a short talk that opens up conversations about men's wellbeing and respect at work.
Integrating gender equality and social inclusion
Programmes only work when they reach the people they are meant for. Our full day GESI workshop builds the capacity of programme staff and partner organisations to make sure men, women, girls and boys, including persons with disabilities, have fair opportunities to take part in and benefit from programme activities.
At its heart is a hands on gender analysis. Participants learn to carry it out and use it to guide delivery, so that activities linked to gender and age based access to opportunities run well and on time.
GESI starts with us. It has to be done right inside the organisation first, in a relevant and transparent way. Only then will communities and partners believe it and put it into practice.
The day in five sessions
- The language we share
Sex and gender, equality and equity, social inclusion and intersectionality.
- Why GESI matters
Rights, results, Do No Harm and what the Kenyan evidence tells us.
- The gender integration continuum
Moving activities from gender blind towards gender transformative.
- Gender analysis in practice
Six areas of analysis, simple tools and a realistic case study.
- From analysis to action
Activity checks, budgeting for GESI, indicators, safeguarding and action planning.
How the day runs
Most of the learning happens by doing: games, the Power Walk, sorting exercises, a group case study and planning. Examples come from real programme settings in Kenya, including agriculture and finance, digital jobs, youth voice, peacebuilding and nutrition.
The day follows agreed ground rules, with content notes, accessible activities and a referral pathway in line with standards on protection from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. It draws on the gender integration continuum, the Harvard and Moser gender analysis frameworks and the Washington Group disability questions.
What participants take away
- A practical toolkit: the gender analysis worksheet, the 24 hour day and access and control tools, and the 10 point GESI activity check
- A GESI action plan for their team or organisation, with clear owners and dates
- A short quiz at the start and end of the day to show what they have learned
- The workshop slides and a workshop report within five working days
For programmes, that means activities that reach their intended participants, fewer dropouts and delays, better disaggregated data and risks spotted before they cause harm.
For the organisation and its partners, it means one consistent approach across teams, GESI costed in every budget, and stronger credibility with communities and donors. What does not get budgeted for does not get done.
A talk on men's wellbeing and respect at work
A 45 to 60 minute facilitator led session for staff, leaders and boards, built around International Men's Day on 19 November or offered all year.
It lifts the stigma on everyday issues many men carry quietly: health, money and debt, grief, family pressure and harassment. It also covers culture, age and respect in both directions, such as young men being dismissed and older men being mocked.
It ends with practical steps for leaders and the board, so that every man and woman at work belongs, is safe and is respected. The talk does not centre on suicide. It stays on relatable, everyday issues, with fictional examples drawn from Kenyan and African workplaces.
How the talk works
- Fictional, locally grounded scenarios, with content notes and permission to step out
- Short, practical tools people can use straight away: ask twice, the five Ds of bystander intervention, and what to say and what to avoid
- Gender nuance throughout, for example how a woman checking in on a male colleague may be read
- Quiet reflection questions, so nobody has to share personal stories
- A board and leadership segment with a strategic view and questions to ask management
- Anonymous feedback, a one page summary for management and a follow up at 30 days
What changes
For participants
- Better at noticing when a colleague is struggling, and starting the conversation
- Confidence to speak up, or step in as a bystander, without making things worse
- A clearer understanding of respect across gender and age
- Language and tools that work in a Kenyan workplace
- Less stigma, so people use the employee assistance programme (EAP), including confidential counselling and mental health support, and their medical cover earlier
For the organisation
- Earlier support, which means fewer crises, less burnout and fewer sick days
- Stronger retention, especially of young and experienced staff
- Lower conduct risk, because harassment of men is recognised and reportable
- Visible leadership on wellbeing, with clear next steps for the board
Common questions
Who is the GESI workshop for?
Programme staff, managers and partner organisations who design or deliver activities and want them to reach women, men, girls and boys, including persons with disabilities, fairly.
How long is the workshop?
A full day, from 8:30 to 17:00, with five sessions. We can adapt the content for your sector and programme.
Can the talk be held outside International Men's Day?
Yes. Many organisations book it for International Men's Day on 19 November, but it works at any time of year, for staff, leaders or the board.
Does the talk deal with suicide?
No. It stays on everyday issues such as health, money and debt, grief, family pressure and harassment, using fictional examples from Kenyan and African workplaces.
Will anyone have to share personal stories?
No. Reflection questions are answered quietly, content notes come before each scenario, and anyone can step out at any time.
Plan a GESI workshop or a talk
Tell us your team size, your sector and when you would like to run it.