On 19-20 February, a two-day reintegration workshop was held for recently returned Ghanaian Commonwealth Scholars. The workshop was aimed at equipping Scholars with key information to support them in adapting back into their homes, communities, and workplace following their time in the UK.
The first day of the workshop opened with a welcome address by Alan Rutt, Country Director, British Council, and introduction to the workshop moderator, Commonwealth Alumnus Dorcas Tiwaa Addai (2016 Commonwealth Shared Scholar, MA Human Rights, Globalisation and Justice Keele University).
Introductions were followed by three sessions: Managing Finances; How to Improve your Work-Life Balance; and Career Building and Development. In the first session on managing finances, Michael Amofa, Financial Controller, West Africa, British Council outlined the importance of savings and investments in supporting alumni through their career and life. The second session was delivered by Commonwealth Alumnus Kwame Asamoa Mensa-Yawson (2016 Commonwealth Shared Scholar, MSc Environment and Public Policy, Cranfield University), who shared importance advice on separating work and life commitments. The final session of day one was delivered Irene Asare, CEO of CarvinClay People Development, and covered a number of points related to career and professional development.
Dorcas opened the second day of the workshop with a recap of the previous day’s sessions. This was followed by another session from Irene Asare, titled Digital Skills for the New Normal. A Q&A followed with alumni raising a number of important questions on news ways of working and its implications on career and skills development.
In light of discussions on the new normal, Commonwealth Alumnus, Dr Dickson Bandoh (2018 Distance Learning Scholar, MSc Professional Practice (Leadership and Management in Healthcare), Lancaster University) took the opportunity to deliver an informative talk on COVID-19 and demonstrated the correct way to wear a mask to protect alumni and others from the virus and help stop the spread.
The final session of the two-day workshop was delivered by the current President of the Commonwealth Scholars & Fellows Alumni, Ghana (CoSFAG), John Boulard Forkuor (2010 Commonwealth Shared Scholar, MSc Social Work Studies, Durham University), who gave an introduction to the alumni association and its activities, and encouraged attendees to get involve and stay connected. The workshop closed with remarks from Christiana Bandoh, British Council Ghana, who reiterated key points discussed during the workshop and thanked all the speakers and recently returned Scholars in attendance.
