Organization of Learning and Practice Communities in an International Context
Contracting organization:
Background
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were unable to organize two successive editions of the “Methodological training course for the design of sustainable projects in a context of climate change,” funded by the Wallonia Public Service. With the latter’s agreement, the available budget was reallocated to a collective learning process in order to improve the impact and visibility of actions and projects related to climate change mitigation and adaptation. These projects were mainly developed by partner institutions of the Walloon Air and Climate Agency (AWAC) or by organizations whose staff members participated in an edition of the “Methodological training course for the design of sustainable projects in the context of climate change.”
Course of action
Following an initial diagnostic phase, our team identified that the targeted organizations prioritized strengthening the following methodologies and themes:
- At the methodological level: monitoring and evaluation system, systematization/capitalization, sustainability of actions, and greater involvement of target groups.
- Thematic areas: agroecology, natural resource management, and agroforestry.
In order to meet these needs, we have opted to set up learning and practice communities (LPCs). This methodological approach is mainly based on collective learning and the co-construction of solutions to problems encountered in the field.
Initially, five CAPs, bringing together a total of 54 participants from eight countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, DRC, Guinea, Haiti, Rwanda, and Senegal), were implemented virtually around the themes and methodologies identified above. These were facilitated by members of the Eclosio team, both from headquarters and in the field. Given the challenges of this innovative process, a specialized team from the University of Liège (Daniel Faulx and Cédric Danse from the Faculty of Psychology, Speech Therapy, and Educational Sciences) also supported the process.
To ensure that everyone had the same foundation and a shared vision, Ucoopia also organized two online training sessions for participants: the first on capitalizing on experiences and the second on monitoring and evaluation.
At the end of this first part of the process, a week of face-to-face meetings and work took place in July 2023 in Thiès (Senegal), bringing together 15 CAP participants. This face-to-face part provided an opportunity to reflect on, summarize, capitalize on, and disseminate the experiences discussed during the virtual CAPs.
Watch a video presentation of learning and practice communities:
Key project results
54 professionals involved in climate change mitigation and/or adaptation projects have strengthened their technical and methodological skills, including:
- 15 professionals are able to implement collective learning methodologies such as learning and practice communities;
- 20 professionals have tools for capitalizing on experience and projects;
- 25 professionals have a methodology for implementing a monitoring and evaluation system in their projects and institutions.
Four capitalization products were developed.
General data
- Country/city of service: Virtual sessions followed by a week of in-person sessions in Thiès, Senegal
- Service dates: May 2022 to August 2023
Contact persons
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