Table 14: Training participants’ views on changes in the Village Courts, 2015 Tairuma 1 VC Tairuma 2 VC Lamo VC Lovera Paiaru VC Interview date: Interview date: Interview date: Visit date: 21/09/15 22/09/15 24/09/15 25/09/15 Personal gains -gained family respect -empowered to do VC -learned about the -increased knowledge from the training work confidently mediation process of VC processes, now -learned how to implementing what approach difficult -gained knowledge on -learned about was learned situations role of VCOs HIV/AIDS and its -learned about the implications -knowledge on what to -now encouraged to mediation process do as VCO do VC work -gained community respect -learned how to be -realised importance of -learned leadership humble VCO role in the skills, now able to -gained confidence community “care for VCOs and the -fairness in decision -“helped me to do community” making -feeling of my work honestly” empowerment -how to handle difficult situation, e.g. fighting Changes -Chairman appoints -established a -VCOs do spot fines -Chairman delegating implemented other magistrates to designated court to offenders so responsibilities and after the training hear cases, previously sitting area within the people fear getting other VCOs comply only the Chairman can village, where into trouble -conduct mediation hear cases community knows -using and correctly before full court about it -All 4 Peace Officers to completing VC forms sitting, encouraging attend the sittings -parties make the parties to go through -that Clerk can decision in mediation mediation -Sittings opened and advise magistrates not the magistrate closed with prayer -determine difference -formally opening -Peace Officers between civil and -Magistrates taking and closing the court securing the court criminal cases notes during sitting sitting, VCOs sit at a sitting area and table and hear cases -court fines monitor situation -Clerk empowered to determined during during court sittings provide advice to -not to be involved in sitting Magistrates fights -VCOs now use and -correctly set-up court refer to the new VC -VCOs had briefing -advising disputing sitting Manual regularly before court sitting to parties that they can discuss cases appeal if they are not -using correct forms -As a team, VCOs happy with the and tried to complete assess and discuss -Share knowledge with decision the forms correctly cases and address other young people in outstanding the village -all 3 magistrates compensation issues involved in making
Table 14: Training participants’ views on changes in the Village Courts, 2015 Tairuma 1 VC Interview date: 21/09/15 Tairuma 2 VC Interview date: 22/09/15 Lamo VC Interview date: 24/09/15 Lovera Paiaru VC Visit date: 25/09/15 Personal gains from the training -gained family respect -learned how to approach difficult situations -knowledge on what to do as VCO -realised importance of VCO role in the community -feeling of empowerment -empowered to do VC work confidently -gained knowledge on role of VCOs -now encouraged to do VC work -learned leadership skills, now able to “care for VCOs and the community” -learned about the mediation process -learned about HIV/AIDS and its implications -gained community respect -gained confidence -“helped me to do my work honestly” -increased knowledge of VC processes, now implementing what was learned -learned about the mediation process -learned how to be humble -fairness in decision making -how to handle difficult situation, e.g. fighting Changes implemented after the training -Chairman appoints other magistrates to hear cases, previously only the Chairman can hear cases -All 4 Peace Officers to attend the sittings -Sittings opened and closed with prayer -Magistrates taking notes during sitting -Clerk empowered to provide advice to Magistrates -VCOs had briefing before court sitting to discuss cases -Share knowledge with other young people in the village -established a designated court sitting area within the village, where community knows about it -parties make the decision in mediation not the magistrate -Peace Officers securing the court sitting area and monitor situation during court sittings -VCOs now use and refer to the new VC Manual regularly -As a team, VCOs assess and discuss cases and address outstanding compensation issues -VCOs do spot fines to offenders so people fear getting into trouble -using and correctly completing VC forms -that Clerk can advise magistrates -formally opening and closing the court sitting, VCOs sit at a table and hear cases -not to be involved in fights -advising disputing parties that they can appeal if they are not happy with the decision -all 3 magistrates involved in making -Chairman delegating responsibilities and other VCOs comply -conduct mediation before full court sitting, encouraging parties to go through mediation -determine difference between civil and criminal cases -court fines determined during sitting -correctly set-up court sitting -using correct forms and tried to complete the forms correctly
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