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Recap: WRAP at AMFI Day 4

Editor’s Note: This is the fourth installment of a five-day look into one of WRAP’s most exciting training courses, taught by our Vice President of Training and Education Stuart Webster to third-year honors students in the Fashion Management degree program at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI). AMFI students will learn the ins-and-outs of factory certification, social compliance practices and challenges, and the role of audits and WRAP certification in the apparel and fashion industry.

On the fourth day of the social compliance and auditor training course, students journeyed to a shoe factory in the make-believe land of GooBaBa to conduct an audit and day-long factory tour, complete with opening and closing meetings, group and individual interviews, factory details and procedures.

Prior to their journey and factory tour, Webster prepped the students for their tour and the final exam, which will be given on the last day of the course.

Then, Webster went on to discuss indicators of factory non-conformities and audit preparation for the students’ trip to GooBaBa, briefing the students on pre-audit questionnaires, GooBaBan labor law, opening and closing meetings, and more.

Arriving in GooBaBa, students hosted an opening meeting at the shoe factory with manager Marco Miz and Health and Safety Manager Hilda Hiz

Then, on to the factory tour, led by Marco Miz, in which Webster toured students through security check-in points, factory floors, cafeterias, equipment— including management, security and workers—equipment, and more.

Throughout the process, students asked in-depth questions on the details and procedures in the factory, and spotted nonconformities on the factory tour.

Then, students inspected relevant documentation such as wage cards, employee contracts, factory policies and procedures, relevant labor laws and more.

Continuing on their factory audit, students interviewed GooBaBan laborers in the factory, investigating for possible issues of child or forced labor, coercion, harassment, and wage issues. Most importantly, students were careful to check for discrepancies between information provided by the management and information provided by workers.

The course runs this week—January 30 to February 3, 2012. Throughout the session, WRAP will feature live updates from the Amsterdam Fashion Institute on Twitter, Facebook and the WRAP blog. For tweets on the subject, look for the hashtag #WRAPatAMFI.

Posted on February 3rd, 2012 by admin
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Recap: WRAP at AMFI Day 3

Editor’s Note: This is the third installment of a five-day look into one of WRAP’s most exciting training courses, taught by our Vice President of Training and Education Stuart Webster to third-year honors students in the Fashion Management degree program at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI). AMFI students will learn the ins-and-outs of factory certification, social compliance practices and challenges, and the role of audits and WRAP certification in the apparel and fashion industry.

The third day of the course focused on the principles of health and safety and the environment.

Throughout the day, the students participated in approximately six interactive group activities and prepared for their trip to the fictitious country of GooBaBa, where they will conduct a full factory audit on the fourth day of the course.

Beginning on a positive note, Webster and his students brainstormed positive components of health and safety that can be found in factories, including: natural daylight, fresh air, empty working halls, clean working areas, ventilation, clean bathrooms, sanitary drinking water, sealed chemicals, health kits and more.

Then, Webster and the students played “Rate the Risk,” in which Webster showed pictures of health and safety issues—from electrical cords near flammable objects, blocked fire exits, water faucets near electrical cords, locked water faucets, alligators in rivers, and more—and students had to spot the safety problems and propose solutions.

In the afternoon, students engaged in another group exercise—drawing the safety components of factory cafeterias and dormitories then presenting their drawings to the class with laser pointer.

One of the most notable components of Webster’s style of accelerated learning is that activities and subject matter build upon eachother as the course continues. On the first day, students engaged in an activity where they laid out simple processes like making a cup of coffee and washing their hair. Today, calling upon what they learned in the first day’s activity, students laid out the steps required to conduct a process-based auditing.

Webster uses stress relief techniques—with students playing with and twirling pipe cleaners throughout the day. “It’s not about toys, it’s about maintaining attention, getting students involved, and relieving any anxiety or stress that may be present,” he said.

The course runs this week—January 30 to February 3, 2012. Throughout the session, WRAP will feature live updates from the Amsterdam Fashion Institute on Twitter, Facebook and the WRAP blog. For tweets on the subject, look for the hashtag #WRAPatAMFI.

Posted on February 2nd, 2012 by admin
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WRAP at AMFI: Recap Day 2

Editor’s Note: This is the second installment of a five-day look into one of WRAP’s most exciting training courses, taught by our Vice President of Training and Education Stuart Webster to third-year honors students in the Fashion Management degree program at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI). AMFI students will learn the ins-and-outs of factory certification, social compliance practices and challenges, and the role of audits and WRAP certification in the apparel and fashion industry.

The day focused on the principles of prohibition of child labor, forced labor, and trafficked labor. The day began with a factory compliance team exercise—with the class splitting into two groups and matching up flash cards on a wall.

Then, on to a worksheet to map out the characteristics of an auditing team.

Later in the morning, the course turned to the principle of forced labor, with an exercise on how to spot forced labor.

With reinforcement and positive encouragement from Webster, students determined the indicators of forced labor. Students learned that, as auditors, they should look for the following characteristics of forced labor in factories:
- High level of security on premises
- Migrant workers
- Labor contracts with agents and recruitment services
- Retention of documents
- Restricted freedom of movement
- Fines and other forms of discipline

Moving on from forced labor to child labor, Webster said, “Child labor is one of the most emotive subjects in the world.” Making use of various educational techniques, Webster then showed the class a graphic, powerful video about child labor in India show by the BBC.

“The WRAP course uses a good combination of visual, auditory and kinesthetic styles through such things as pre-made flashcards with color used to assist exploration, brainstorming, mind-mapping, positive feedback and reinforcement, jig saw puzzles,” said IRCA course monitor Harry Mitchell, who visited the WRAP course for the day.

Later in the day, throwing a squishy basketball around, Webster asked the students to call out types of discrimination. Engaged and interested, various students called out types of discrimination as they caught the ball.

Students named possible types of discrimination that an auditor could find in a factory, such as: age, gender, religion, health, sexuality, hair color, skin color, political views.

Concluding for the day, Webster assigned the students homework for the following day—but, rather than write answers, the students were told to draw their responses to health and safety issues in factories.

Check back tomorrow for a recap of the third day of the WRAP at AMFI course.

The course runs this week—January 30 to February 3, 2012. Throughout the session, WRAP will feature live updates from the Amsterdam Fashion Institute on Twitter, Facebook and the WRAP blog. For tweets on the subject, look for the hashtag #WRAPatAMFI.

Posted on February 1st, 2012 by wrapadmin
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WRAP at AMFI Recap: Day 1

Editor’s Note: This is the first installment of a five-day look into one of WRAP’s most exciting training courses, taught by our Vice President of Training and Education Stuart Webster to third-year honors students in the Fashion Management degree program at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI). AMFI students will learn the ins-and-outs of factory certification, social compliance practices and challenges, and the role of audits and WRAP certification in the apparel and fashion industry.

Monday marked the first day of WRAP’s fourth annual social compliance course taught at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute of the Hogeschool van Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

After introducing himself, WRAP’s Vice President of Training and Education Stuart Webster, dove right into to a hands-on exercise—asking students to interview each other.

Divided into pairs, students asked each other the following questions:
- Who they are?
- Where are they from?
- How many audits have they done?
- What they hope to get fro the course?
- How do they rate their social compliance knowledge? 1-10
- Anything else of interest. (Family, hobbies, etc.)

Webster then asked the class why they did the exercise. The room was silent. “Well, you’ve just conducted an audit interview,” he replied.

Webster then provided a brief history of social compliance—from the Triangle Factory Shirtwaist Fire of 1911 to the various social compliance and labor abuse scandals of the 1990s and the 2000s.

This was the first of many interactive exercises of the day—color-coded flashcards, group activities and friendly competitions, social compliance jigsaw puzzles and more kept students engaged from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Students working on a social compliance-themed jigsaw puzzle.

Throughout the course, Webster showed photos, videos, and played music.

Best of all, students who answered questions correctly were awarded with a variety of rewards for their excellent contributions and whole-hearted participation.

AMFI Students working on a hands-on flashcard exercise.

The course runs this week—January 30 to February 3, 2012. Throughout the session, WRAP will feature live updates from the Amsterdam Fashion Institute on Twitter, Facebook and the WRAP blog.

 

Posted on January 31st, 2012 by admin
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