Improving trainers’ skills is vital for boosting the effectiveness and long-term impact of first aid programs across the Pacific. To address this need, the French Red Cross’s South Pacific Regional Intervention Platform (PIROPS) and the Global First Aid Reference Center (GFARC), with support from Agence Française de Dévelopement (AFD) under the “3 Oceans” project, convened a regional Training of Trainers (ToT) in Fiji from May 19–23, 2025. Thirteen participants, representing eleven National Societies (Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu), gathered to sharpen their expertise and leadership.
The curriculum, rooted in active-learning principles and adapted to local realities, was designed both to reinforce each candidate’s knowledge and to hone their coaching and mentoring abilities. Drawing on the GFARC level C Trainer Development Guide, with the coaching of GFARC Master Educators from Singapore Red Cross and New Zealand Red Cross, facilitators wove in culturally relevant examples and environmental considerations. Each day combined concise theoretical inputs with hands-on exercises, ensuring participants remained at the center of their own learning journey.
Beyond technical mastery, the workshop fostered rich intercultural dialogue: attendees exchanged professional experiences, shared their motivations, and outlined the specific challenges they face in their home countries. This human dimension not only deepened mutual understanding but also laid the foundations of a regional support network, committed to a unified approach to first aid training.
By the close of the week, all thirteen candidates had successfully met GFARC’s standards and are now poised to deliver trainer-level courses within their own National Societies to be fully certified. This achievement will help guarantee consistent, high-quality instruction throughout the Pacific islands.
On May 24, immediately following the ToT, PIROPS, GFARC and the IFRC Pacific Country Cluster convened a Regional First Aid Meeting in Nadi. New master trainers joined representatives to refine the region’s first aid rollout strategy. Key topics included contextualizing teaching materials, developing sustainable service models, and enhancing communication and marketing skills. These discussions culminated in a draft Regional Action Plan aimed at harmonizing and expanding first aid initiatives across the archipelago.
Together, these twin events underscore the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement’s commitment to fostering a first aid culture that meets the Pacific’s unique needs. The newly empowered trainers will serve as champions of best practices and innovation, significantly strengthening the safety and resilience of island communities.
