Voice from participant of ILDC2025 – LB
What motivated you to join the course?
There were three main reasons.
First, when I read the course outline, I saw that it was a broad leadership course aimed at building sustainable communities through a participatory approach, but it also mentioned that there would be no theoretical lectures by external resource persons. This made me curious about what kind of training it would be and how it would be conducted without external lecturers.
Secondly, the idea that the participants themselves are the learning resources, and that the learning process itself constitutes the content, was new to me.
Thirdly, I was interested in the fact that participants from diverse cultural backgrounds live together and learn from that shared experience.
Any challenges during the course?
During the first week, I committed myself to fully participate in everything since it was a participatory course, and I made an effort to speak actively during the sessions.
However, I was shocked when other participants gave me feedback that I was “talking too much.” I believed that unless everyone participated actively, it wouldn’t be truly participatory, and I was sincerely and passionately engaged, so I felt confused about what to do.
After a few days passed, I realized that this training was not just for me but for everyone gathered there. I began to think that by talking too much, I might have been taking away opportunities from others. Therefore, I decided to listen openly to the opinions of other members, accept them, and change my attitude. I came to see this as a chance for my personal growth.
This change in how I viewed the training made me realize that not only the sessions but also moments like shopping or interacting with volunteers were all learning opportunities. I decided to practice the most appropriate way for me to participate in every situation.
What changes have you experienced after returning to your country?
Before participating in the course, I was a leader in my organization. I still hold the second-highest position in the organization, but the way I work and how I manage daily activities is completely different now.
Before the course, everyone relied on me. Even if they had the authority, they would ultimately seek my approval. While that was not necessarily wrong, they already had the authority but still asked me what to do. I was always giving instructions, telling my colleagues “do this” or “do that,” and the work was concentrated on me.
However, after completing the course, I have been focusing on “practicing leadership” rather than just being a leader. Now, I have come to trust others more. Since returning from Japan, my mindset and behavior suddenly changed. My colleagues asked me, “What happened? Why did you suddenly change? Are you okay?”
For example, during work, if a colleague makes a mistake, instead of getting angry, I try to remember the ILDC slogan: “Learn from mistakes.”
I give space to team members, and instead of being a leader in the traditional sense, I simply support, motivate, and inspire them. This is the leadership approach I am practicing in my organization now.
I would like to conduct training sessions for CBO members and organization staff, applying what I have learned from this course to help strengthen the long-term sustainability of the CBOs.
