EduSpots is empowering 100 community leaders, known as Catalysts, from across Ghana with intensive training to bolster community-led education. The National Training Academy, currently underway, marks a decade of the organisation’s dedication to improving learning spaces nationwide.

The Academy brings together Catalysts spearheading the Gender Equity and Keeping Spots Safe initiatives. Participants, representing 50 communities in 11 regions, are engaging in a leadership and capacity-building programme designed to strengthen their skills and foster collaboration.

This year’s programme is sharply focused on two critical areas: advancing gender equity and strengthening safeguarding practices. Under the ‘Ignite Equity’ strand, Catalysts are preparing to launch 2026 gender equity clubs, aiming to reach almost 1,000 learners and champion female leadership within the EduSpots network.

The safeguarding component seeks to deepen understanding of child rights and responsibilities, equipping participants to develop local strategies for safe and inclusive learning environments. Training covers mentorship, positive behaviour management, asset-based community development, advocacy, human rights education, child protection reporting, bullying, and mental health.

“Gender equity and safeguarding are not one-off events, but ongoing processes that must be prioritised in all educational settings,” stated Zoe Ohene-Ampofo, EduSpots’ Safeguarding and Inclusion Manager. Khadija Seidu, a Catalyst from the Zangbalun Spot, added, “The Academy provides a vital opportunity to learn how to foster inclusive dialogue and address the biases and systemic barriers that hinder progress.”

The Academy will culminate in a Graduation and Annual Awards Ceremony, recognising outstanding achievements within the EduSpots network over the past ten years and in 2025. Certificates and trophies will be awarded to Catalysts and teams demonstrating significant impact.

The programme is being implemented with the participation of EduSpots’ Chief Executive Officer, Cat Davison, who is also a Young Leader in the UNESCO Intercultural Leadership Programme (2025–2026). EduSpots has expressed gratitude to the Coles Medlock Foundation and the Evan Cornish Foundation for their sponsorship of the Ignite Equity Programme.

EduSpots, a UK- and Ghana-based NGO, works to train and equip local Catalysts to lead “Spots” – community education spaces – delivering programmes in early years education, digital literacy, gender equity, STEM, and sustainability to over 10,000 learners across Ghana.

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