Participatory Action-Oriented Training (PAOT)

PAOT is a practical method of stimulating and supporting workplace initiatives in grassroots workplaces relying on self-help voluntary actions.

It helps people use local wisdom for developing creative and practical ideas for carrying out immediate improvements in occupational safety and health (OSH), working conditions and productivity by using locally available resources.

The purpose is to provide practical advice to participants to implement simple cost-effective changes that improve working conditions in their enterprise. Such improvements are designed to increase safety and health, productivity and quality. It benefits both the enterprise and its workers in both the short-and long-term.

Participation of both employers and workers is necessary for the continuous improvement of both OSH conditions and productivity.
PAOT includes several techniques encouraging mutual advice and collaboration among participants. Benchmarking, meeting and discussing with others or visiting their working environment provides broader perspectives.

In contrast with the traditional training approach (where the trainer directs all learning activities and the focus is mainly on transferring knowledge and on targeting attitudes and practices), in PAOT participants are the focus of the activity, they search for knowledge, analyze problems, and ultimately solve them.
The PAOT training approach uses the “learning-by-doing” principle: “Take some actions first and assess the results. If they are good, continue to study and understand them, and where possible take other actions to enhance improvements”.

PAOT methodology is based on the following six principles:

• Build on local practice;
• Use learning-by-doing;
• Encourage exchange of experience;
• Link working conditions with other management goals;
• Focus on achievements;
• Promote workers’ involvement.

• Owners and managers with power of decision in their micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) from different industrial branches or areas which do not have regular access to support services
• Operators in the informal economy
• Farmers and operators in rural communities
• Workers and their representatives