Improving Capacity Building Initiatives for Civil Society Organisations in West Africa

Internship Report
By

Gima H. Forje

Acknowledgment
This report is my end of internship contribution as premier intern in the Next Generation Internship Programme of the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI). I wish to express my profound gratitude to WACSI for the great learning opportunities I had while working with the institutes training and capacity building unit.

Table of Contents
Acknowledgment...................................................................................................................................2 Table of Contents..................................................................................................................................3 List of Acronyms...................................................................................................................................4 Executive summary...............................................................................................................................5 Background...........................................................................................................................................6 An Overview of my Internship Period (January to June 2008)........................................................7 A Review of WACSIs Capacity Building Training Programmes (2007 2008)............................8 Addressing Challenges in WACSIs Capacity Building Initiatives................................................12 Recommendations...............................................................................................................................13 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Development of a Virtual Community for CSOs in West Africa...............................................13 Introduction of a West Africa Civil Society Essay Competition...............................................13 . Capacity Building in Conflict Prevention.................................................................................14 Specialised training programmes for Womens Organisation in West Africa..........................14 Capacity Building in Regional Integration...............................................................................15 Capacity Building in Climate Change and Global Warming...................................................15 Grooming of the Next Generation of Civil Society Actors........................................................15

Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................16

List of Acronyms

CSOs ECOWAS ICT MDGs NGOs OSIWA UN UNDP WACSI WACSOF NEPAD APRM HIV AIDS TB R2P

Civil Society Organisations Economic Community of West African States Information and Communication Technology Millennium Development Goals Non Governmental Organisations Open Society Initiative for West Africa United Nations United Nations Development Programmes West Africa Civil Society Institute West Africa Civil Society Forum New Partnership for Africas Development Africa Peer Review Mechanism Human Immunodeficiency Virus Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Tuberculosis Responsibility to Protect

Executive summary That civil society is a strategic partner in state building and development is a fact which is increasingly being acknowledged by many. Civil society organisations (CSOs) in many parts of West Africa have been at the forefront of calls for effective policies, good governance, sustainable development, peace and transparency in state affairs. CSOs in West Africa are increasingly getting involved in developmental processes. This is demonstrated by the continuous increase in the number of civil society actors in the region. This increase notwithstanding, its impact is still to be felt in many part of the sub region because most of these organisations are faced with the challenge of limited institutional and technical capacities. Determined to give a new face to civil society in West Africa, the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), established WACSI with a mandate to strengthen the institutional and individual capacities of civil society organisations in the sub region and to render same as strategic partners in the pursuit of good governance, democracy and development. This is a report of my internship experience at WACSI. During this period, I served as intern in the institutes training and capacity building department. This experience provided me with practical opportunities to design, implement and monitor training and capacity building initiatives. I was able to better gauge the needs and aspirations of CSOs in the region and work on how to improve their effectiveness. This report highlights the skills and knowledge I have acquired from WACSI during my internship. Also, I proffer some recommendations on how WACSI can improve and diversify its capacity building initiatives.

Background In September 2007, WACSI launched the maiden call for application into its Next Generation Internship Programme. The call primarily targeted young Africans at the start of their professional careers seeking work experience in WACSIs thematic areas of focustraining and capacity building, policy advocacy, research and documentation. Among other things, the six-twelve (6-12) months internship programme seeks to develop interns capacity in the areas of leadership skills, proposal and report writing, training and facilitation, research on topical issues, governance and human rights, peace and security, Africas current development initiatives the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD), the Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) , sub regional trends (ECOWAS) and gender issues. During my period of internship (January to June 2008), I spent a substantial period working at WACSIs secretariat. The daily operations of the training and capacity building unit of the institute revolve around designing, implementing and monitoring capacity building initiatives. Working in this unit greatly sharpened my analytical and communication skills. Also, I had many opportunities to participate in training and capacity building meeting across the sub region. These meetings extensively broaden my understanding of the needs and aspirations of CSOs. Further, these meetings provided me with first hand information on current regional trends and how to improve the effectiveness of CSOs in West Africa. From January to June 2008, the training and capacity building unit completed a number of activities. Among other activities, the unit conducted training assessments to gauge the impact of training initiatives in corporate governance and NGO management that were executed in 2007. Based on feedback from these assessments, the unit designed improved contents and completed similar training initiatives in 2008. Responses from WACSIs trainees have been largely positive with regards to the contents and outputs of its programmes. These responses indicate that the training programmes of the unit are vital to the capacity needs of WACSIs target constituents. These responses not withstanding, there are opportunities for improvement and diversification in WACSIs training and capacity building initiatives as examined in the subsequent sections.

Overview of Internship Period (January to June 2008) Main Responsibilities My internship with the training and capacity building unit started on January 7, 2008. During this period, I worked closely on all training and capacity building programmes of the institute. My duties were either related to designing, implementing or monitoring a training initiative. At each of these levels, I was assigned specific tasks. Among these tasks, I had to communicate with partner institutions and organisations, design questionnaires for data collections, collate and analyse data, participate in the design of training contents and projects, participate in the implementation and monitoring of training initiatives. Aside these tasks, I had the opportunity to attend many international meetings across the sub region. These meetings provided me with practical realities on the capacity needs and challenges of CSOs in West Africa. Recommendations from most of these meetings helped me to identify how to improve the performance of CSOs in the sub region. Major Projects During my internship period, the following major projects were completed: 1. A Assessment of 2007 Corporate Governance and NGO training programmes; 2. A Training Programme in Corporate Governance; 3. A Training Programme in Research Methodology; 4. A Training Programme in NGO management; 5. A Conflict Prevention Resource Pack (ongoing till December 2008). Skills and Knowledge Acquired Working as intern in the training and capacity building unit of WACSI has helped me to acquire among other competences, the following strategic skills and knowledge:
1. Leadership skills; 2. Skills in gauging the needs of CSOs; 3. Knowledge in designing, implementing and monitoring training initiatives; 4. Skills in the development of training manuals; 5. Capacity in training and facilitation; 6. Analytical skills on regional trends and global issues; 7. Knowledge on organisation/project management; 8. Communication and internet research skills.

A Review of WACSIs Capacity Building Training Programmes (2007 2008) Capacity has been defined as "activities which strengthen the knowledge, abilities, skills and behaviour of individuals and improve institutional structures and processes such that [an] organisation can efficiently meet its mission and goals in a sustainable way." 1 Also, capacity building is the process of developing and strengthening the skills, instincts, abilities, processes and resources that organisations and communities need to survive, adapt, and thrive in the fast-changing world.2 WACSI has created a niche for itself as a capacity building institution that supports civil societys work in West Africa. Since 2007, WACSI has successfully organised the following training and capacity building initiatives: A training needs assessment workshop to identify the capacity needs of CSOs in West Africa; Two regional training workshops for CSOs in corporate governance; Two regional training workshops for CSOs in NGO management; A research methodology training programme for CSOs; Development of a regional data base for civil society organisations in West Africa; Completed a comprehensive training needs assessment of the West African Civil Society Forum ( WACSOF); Published a Standard Setting Handbook for Civil Society Organisations in Ghana; A workshop aimed at strengthening collaboration between the civil society and the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone; Initiated a quarterly monthly publication WACSeries A Seminar to strengthen the capacity of civil society organisation to partner with the Global Fund in meeting the challenges of HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria in West Africa; A regional Seminar to reflect on the evolution of Ghana over the last fifty (50) years; A round table aimed at raising awareness in building civil society coalition in West Africa on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P).

World Custom Organisation (2007) WCO Trends and Patterns Report: A Capacity Building Estimate The Nonprofit Quarterly, Winter 1999 Edition Available at http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org (accessed 14 July 2008)
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Bridging Gaps Identifying the needs of CSOs is an important step towards sustainable capacity building. On 20 and 21 September 2007, WACSI organised a training needs assessment workshop to identify the capacity needs of organisations in West Africa. The workshop brought together thirty (30) representatives of civil society from the sub-region who critically assessed existing training initiatives, identified gaps and specific capacity building needs that would improve CSOs productivity. Some of these needs include capacity building in corporate governance, NGO management, project management and research methods. Based on recommendations from the training needs assessment workshop, WACSI undertook three thematic capacity building programmes. Between October 2007 and July 2008, WACSI trained fifty (50) CSO representatives in corporate governance, forty (40) in NGO management and twenty (20) in research methodology. In addition, WACSI introduced the Next Generation Internship Programme that aims at developing capacity for the next generation of responsible civil society actors in West Africa. In 2008, WACSI admitted two batches of interns. Among other aspects, the internship programme involves training in leadership skills, research and documentation, proposal writing, policy advocacy, training and facilitation. The programme also includes research on global trends, African and sub regional developmental initiatives. From another dimension, WACSI is partnering with relevant institutions and civil society organisations for the realisation of its capacity building mandate. Mindful of the need for collaboration and partnership in the realisation of some specific needs of community citizens, WACSI has initiated formal relationships with some key institutions in the sub-region. These relationships are aimed at overcoming potential overlaps in the activities of WACSI and partner institutions and to provide a framework for collaboration with important stakeholders in the development of the technical capacities of civil society actors. To this effect, WACSI has initiated formal relationship with some institutions including: West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF); West Africa Women Association (WAWA); Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR); International Centre for Transitional Justice (ICTJ)

Research Findings
In 2007 and 2008, WACSI conduct some assessments related to its capacity building activities. The results from these findings would help the institute in improving its training and capacity building programmes. These findings include: Feedback from participants at the regional training needs assessment workshop organised by WACSI from the 20th to the 21st of September 2007; Findings from the capacity needs assessment of the West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF), that was conducted by WACSI between November and December 2007; Responses to the capacity needs assessment of womens organisation in West Africa, conducted by WACSI between January and February 2008; Feedback from participants at the 2007 and 2008 regional workshops in corporate governance; On the basis of these findings, some capacity building needs were identified by various organisations that were sampled. Responses from these organisations were geared at giving suggestions to WACSI on designing future capacity building programmes. These suggestions can be summarised under the following thematic area: Corporate Governance Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) Management Financial Management and Reporting Proposal Writing Project Writing Fundraising Networking Information technology Language and Communication Gender Role The table below summarises suggestions from participants. It highlights specific areas of capacity needs in West African CSOs, current gaps and suggestions on how these gaps could be bridged by WACSIs capacity building programmes.

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Regional Capacity Building Needs and Suggestions to WACSI

AreaofConcern Issues

Gaps
Ineffectivefunctioning ofBoardasaresultof: - Tenureship - Irregularmeetings - Noexpertise Weakrelationship betweenManagement andBoard

SuggestionstoWACSI
Needtostrengthengovernance structuresoforganisations Definition of profile/criteria and call for application for competitive recruitment of Board members Motivation Training in strategic thinking Trainingincommunication (internalandexternal) Needforcapacitybuildingin Goodinternalmanagement system

Good Board Governance and Transparency

Management Practices

Management

External relation management Financial Resource Management Budgetingand financial management andreporting

Unclearrolesand responsibilities InefficientChief Executivemayleadto ineffective management Lackofcoordination Lackofsynergy

Lackofgenuine financialprocedures

Information Management

Information Technology

Monitoring and Monitoringand Evaluation(M&E) evaluation Research and Communication Communication Documentation Skills FundraisingSkill Fundraising Meetingdonor requirements Genderrole

Inadequateskillto processinformation Limitedaccesstothe Internet Limitedknowledgein theuseofInternet tools Lackofskilltodevelop M&Eindicators Weakknowledgebase Poordocumentation centre Poorfundraising strategies Failuretomeetmust donorrequirements Underutilisationof womenincivilsociety

Need for capacity building in communication management and advocacy Elaboration and monitoring of code of conduct Needtodevelopcapacityof CSOstomeetdonors requirements Goodreportingskills Need to develop capacity in fund- raising strategies, including diversification of fund sources for sustainability Tailoredtrainingontheuse Internettools

Genderrole

Needforcapacitybuildingon howtodevelopanduseM&E tools Developresearchskills Needtodevelopeffective communicationskillstosuitthe primaryneedsofCSOs Needtodevelopfundraising skillinCSOs TrainCSOsonhowtosearchfor alternativedonors Traincivilsocietyongender issue NeedtotrainCSOson incorporatingagenderbalance approachinalltheiractivities

Source:WACSIs Training Needs Assessment Report (2007)

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Addressing Challenges in WACSIs Capacity Building Initiatives Current capacity building initiatives by WACSI poses some challenges. These challenges are those raised by trainees, WACSIs evaluators and WACSIs management. On the part of trainees, ongoing training programmes are too short for them to fully grasp the contents of training programmes. Following a survey of organisations that took part in WACSIs corporate governance training workshop in 2007, over fifty percent (50%) of the thirty (30) organisations sampled requested for an extension of the training period. According to WACSIs evaluators, there is a need to delocalise training and capacity building to focus on a group of countries or just a country per training. It is believed that when this is done, the impact of the trainings will be greater and easier to measure. Further, the evaluators highlighted the need for field evaluation to gauge the implementation of WACSIs capacity building initiative. WACSIs off-site evaluation method poses difficulties in verifying information received. Field evaluation will therefore help WACSI better gauge the impact of its capacity building programmes. On its part, WACSIs management has identified a few challenges associated to its capacity building initiatives. Inadequate financial resources have been a limitation to the duration of training programmes and the number of beneficiaries. This challenge also impedes the delocalisation of training programmes to a country based approach. From another dimension, an apparent challenge is the temptation for WACSI to rotate its capacity building programmes around those areas identified at the regional training needs assessment workshop. WACSI must move to the next level by examining regional and global developments. To this end, WACSI should design capacity building programmes that take into account topical issues that affect the sub region such as conflict prevention, regional integration and global warming. Identifying the challenges to WACSIs capacity building initiatives is the first step in mitigating them. On the basis of these identified challenges, the following recommendations are offered to WACSI on strengthening existing training initiatives and on exploring new horizons.

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Recommendations
1. Development of a Virtual Community for CSOs in West Africa In recent years, there has been a proliferation of internet-based social networks or virtual communities as a result of revolutionary advances in information technology and computer science. Virtual communities are modern tools for strengthening the capacities of organisations through the instantaneous sharing of experiences without face to face meetings. These virtual communities facilitate the rapid exchange of information and ideas across geographical and organisational boundaries. To facilitate capacity building programmes, WACSI needs to create a virtual community for CSOs in the region that will serve as a forum for the sharing of experiences, professional know-how, and ideas. A virtual community will provide opportunities for civil society actors to come on board the global train of information sharing through the use of information and Communication Technology (ICT). WACSIs online community should provide room for the publication of articles, research work, group chat, comments and feedbacks from comments posted. 2. Introduction of a West Africa Civil Society Essay Competition The capacity of civil society organisations in West Africa could be strengthened through a learning by practice approach. This implies that, by engaging continually in a particular activity, organisations end up developing their capacities in that activity. WACSI can enhance and strengthen the capacity of CSOs in writing and research in the region through the introduction of a regional essay competition for CSOs. The West Africa civil society essay competition should be an annual even that challenges civil society organisations to write on topical issues affecting CSOs in West Africa. WACSI should allocate rewards for the best essays and publish them in its WACSeries3. The essay competition will stimulate auto capacity development in research and writing skills which has been identified as crucial amongst the capacity needs of CSOs in the region.

WACSeries is a quarterly electronic publication of the West African Civil Society Institute. Its objective is to emphasise the contribution of civil society organisations (CSOs) to the promotion of democracy, good governance and the socio-economic development of West Africa and to create in-depth debates on issues of interest to civil society.

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3. Capacity Building in Conflict Prevention The serious disorder and challenges posed by conflicts in West Africa for the past two decades makes it important to develop the capacities of West African civil society actors in conflict prevention. It is estimated that from their independence to 2004, the sixteen states of West Africa have witnessed amongst other conflicts forty-four successful military led coups and at least eighty-two coup plots4. The above stated estimates indicate that the sub region is prone to conflict. Although there have been a decline in inter-state conflicts in the sub region, intra-state violence has thrived in many parts and continue to threaten resurfacing. Violence in the Cassamance region of Senegal, Northern Ghana, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria has been counter developmental to these countries. To strengthen the capacities of West African CSOs as key developmental partners to the state, WACSI needs to design training programmes for CSOs on conflict prevention as part of its capacity building initiative. Importantly, such programmes should align with national and regional conflict prevention frameworks. 4. Specialised training programmes for Womens Organisation in West Africa Following a capacity needs assessment of Womens Organisation carried out by the training and capacity building unit of WACSI in January and February 2008, it is important for WACSI to design a training module for womens group in West Africa. The study revealed that women groups need specialised trainings to enhance their capacities. Inline with the Beijing Platform for Action5 that was adopted at the United Nations Forth World Conference on Women, in September 2005, it is important for WACSI to partner with other capacity building institutions in providing specialised training programmes for women organisations. WACSI should design capacity building modules providing broad rage activities addressing the specific needs of women organisations and promoting life-long education and training for girls and women in the sub region.

McGowan and Patrick J, Coups and Conflicts in West Africa, 1955-2004, Armed Forces and Society, 1, 5-23 (2005) 5 The Beijing Platform for Action is an agenda for women's empowerment. It aims at accelerating the implementation of forward-looking strategies for the advancement of women and at removing all the obstacles to women's active participation in all spheres of public and private life through a full and equal share in economic, social, cultural and political decision-making.
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5. Capacity Building in Regional Integration Regional integration is a topical issue in West Africa. The lead institution on this is the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The contribution of CSOs in the discussion on regional integration has not been impressive. In many instances, CSOs have been left out of vital decision making process on this topic. As a capacity building institution, it is important for WACSI to develop the capacities of CSOs on regional integration so that they can meaningful contribute in the debate. Such capacity building programmes should be designed in partnership with ECOWAS and should raise awareness on regional instruments on integration such as ECOWAS vision 2020. 6. Capacity Building in Climate Change and Global Warming Climate change is a major challenge facing the world. These are environmental challenges affecting mankind and the destabilising consequences are likely to increase over the years. According to the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), Africa is the most vulnerable continent to the devastating effects of climate change. WACSIs capacity building programmes needs to take into account global issues affecting the people of West Africa. It is important for WACSI to partner with key institution dealing with climate change to raise awareness among CSOs. Such capacity building initiatives should raise awareness among CSOs on the debate in climate change and the role of CSOs in policy advocacy that would protect the environment and the peoples of the sub region. 7. Grooming of the Next Generation of Civil Society Actors Give a man a fish; you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. A challenge facing civil society in the sub region is that of grooming a next generation of civil society actors. Developing the capacity of the present leaders without investing for tomorrows could be likened to providing the society with fish today yet tomorrow the society will be needy. Capacity building for civil society actors needs to be prospective. It is therefore important for WACSI to seek for avenues in broadening its Next Generation Internship Programme and to encourage like-minded institutions to start similar initiatives.

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Conclusion My first six months at WACSI as an intern has been an important learning experience. As a learner, WACSI provided me with an opportunity to accumulate practical experiences in organisational management. Further I was exposed to the realities of multiple and cross sectorial actors in the sub region. My understanding of civil society operations and challenges was completely transformed. My internship in the training and capacity building unit was exciting in many ways. I had to do a job I loved which made everyday meaningful. Developing training manuals and working on topical issues was quite refreshing. The internship was also a great opportunity for me to trace a career in conflict prevention and development promotion. Working on a conflict prevention project was the most encouraging part of the internship. This project invigorated my determination to work towards a career in conflict prevention and development. During this period, I realised how CSOs in West Africa are in the limelight. More than ever, their role is increasingly being recognised by many. However, this has come with a corresponding scrutiny of these organisations - demanding that their operations and activities should imbibe the professional ethos of transparency, accountability, and good governance. This is where the task of training and capacity building for CSOs becomes strategic. Fortunately, WACSI was established by OSIWA to enhance and strengthen the capacity of CSOs in the sub region by bridging identified institutional and operational gaps. WACSIs capacity building programmes aim at rendering CSOs as viable partners in the pursuit of democracy good governance and development in the region. WACSI has been focused to its vision and mission as a capacity builder for civil organisations in the region. WACSIs partners, affiliates and networks describe the services rendered thus far by the institute as excellent6.The above acclamation not withstanding, there are opportunities for improvement and diversification of WACSIs training programmes. The recommendations offered in this document will help WACSI in these directions.

See preliminary report of WACSIs evaluators (June 2008)

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