Dates:

Module 1: August 7^th – 11^th

Module 2: November 13^th – 17^th

Venue:

Module 1: Jamaica

Module 2: To be confirmed with participants from Module I

Overview:

What is the need?

Governmental and civil society organisations across the region face fundamental challenges in their capacity to effectively and efficiently function at both the strategic and operational levels.  This is the recurring finding from CANARI’s experience through its training, small grants programmes, technical assistance programmes, and action research, including research conducted as part of the HIVOS-EC funded project: “Improved governance through civil society involvement in natural resource management in the Caribbean”.

Capacity gaps are often reflected in organisations as:

·   A lack of strategic focus;

·   A perception that the organisation is working hard but not achieving its strategic goals;

·   Weak governance systems and poor accountability and transparency;

·   Over-dependence on one or a few key persons;

·   An inability to attract and retain staff or volunteers;

·   An inability to effectively secure funding;

·   Absence of sustainable funding sources;

·   Poor management of projects;

·   Complete collapse of the organisation.

Purpose:

This two-module workshop aims to address gaps in core areas of organisational capacity in order to build governmental and civil society organisations in the Caribbean that can more effectively function to address the environmental, livelihood and poverty alleviation issues for sustainable development of the region.

Strategy:

 The workshop targets persons acting, or in a position to act, as key change agents to transfer knowledge and skills and facilitate processes of development and capacity building within their organisations.

Objectives:

By the end of the workshop participants will be able to:

·    Identify the methods and tools for leading a process of organisational development in a participatory manner.

·    Apply the methods and tools in the development of their organisations.

·    Utilize facilitation and participatory processes within their organisations.

·    Create networks among fellow participants and benefit from the exchange of experiences and approaches.

Outline of topics:

The workshop comprises two five-day modules, with the second module being delivered three months after the first, to allow for the practical application and testing of learning from Module 1 within participants’ organisations.

 Module 1 will focus on the development of tools and skills for assessing and building the capacity of organisations to shape their own strategic direction in a participatory manner. The final agenda for Module 1 will be informed by a needs assessment conducted prior to the course but will include topics such as:

·    Organisational change

·    Governance structures

·    Assessing the wider environment in which the organisation operates

·    Developing the organisation’s world view (e.g. vision, mission and values)

·    Participatory strategic planning

·    Implementing strategic plans

Module 2 will build on the work done during Module 1 and on its practical application within participants’ organisations in the interim. The focus in this module will be on the implementation of strategic planning and development strategies.  Depending on participants’ identified needs, these will be drawn from topics such as:

·    Leadership and succession planning

·    Team building and Board development

·    Stakeholder participation in project cycle management

·    Problem or needs analysis and project identification

·    Project planning, including developing Logical Frameworks

·    Monitoring and evaluation

Approach:

The workshop will be participatory and interactive and use a combination of facilitation techniques, including small group work, individual exercises, panel discussion and plenary discussions. It will include case study material from the host countries and CANARI’s work in the region and practical exercises which apply learning to participants’ own situations.

Who should participate?

The workshop targets senior managers from the governmental and non-governmental (including community-based) sectors who shape and implement policies in areas such as natural resource management, poverty alleviation and planning, particularly those that are designing or leading organisational development processes.

To maximise the ability of participants to effect organisational change within their own working environment, CANARI recommends the participation of two members of the organisation where possible.

No specific prior knowledge, skills or experience is necessary other than an understanding of the participants’ own organisational context e.g. Board or other governance arrangements, number of staff, use of volunteers, mission and vision (or focus), existence of strategic and operational plans, current projects, etc.

How will participants benefit?

In the workshop participants will build the knowledge and skills to:

·        Understand and analyse the dynamics of organisational change and development;

·        Act as change agents to lead processes of organisational development;

·        Lead effective teams;

·        Facilitate Board development;

·        Facilitate the effective and participatory strategic development of their organisation;

·        Implement strategic plans through operational and project planning;

·        Lead processes to engage stakeholders in project cycle management;

·        Conduct a problem or needs analysis to identify relevant projects for their organisation;

·        Develop structured and detailed project plans, using tools such as the Logical Framework;

·        Conduct effective monitoring and evaluation of projects to enable adaptive management and organisational learning.

Costs & funding:

The total costs of participation for both Modules in US dollars are as follows:

Local participants = $3,000
Includes field trips, lunches, group dinner, materials

Overseas participants = $5,000
Includes tuition, field trips, lunches, group dinner, materials, five nights accommodation, transfers, airport taxes, and evening meals

The cost of airfare is not included; however CANARI can make the flight reservations

Facilitators:

This workshop is being coordinated and facilitated by Nicole Leotaud & Polin Sankar-Persad from the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI).

Click here for an Application form

 For more information contact Polin Sankar-Persad at:

Administration Building
Fernandes Industrial Centre
Eastern Main Road
Laventille
Trinidad and Tobago
Telephone: 868 626 6062
Fax: 868 626 1788
E-mail:info@canari.org
Website: http://www.canari.org/