13 October 2011

Partos Plaza

Angelica Senders – Fair and Sustainable

Roel Snelder – Agri-ProFocus

Learning in Networks

Programme

Objective

Get inspired on what Learning Networks can do for you and how they can work (or not)

Programme:

Hot Chair

Some theory

Two cases

Wrap up

Learning Networks Theory

Level Agenda Reach

Individual Own drive and agency I googled Nancy and found the video and applied some of it to my presentation

Community Bounded / mandated group

Compromise / Gets things done

Network Intersecting interests / participation fluid

Embraces diversity / opportunity to deepen and go to scale

WHY/ Objective• Improve practice• Action oriented• Start with questions not

knowledge

WITH WHOM?• Members share same/similar

practice and domain of work• Credibility (who says so?)• Trust• Reciprocity• Leadership/ facilitation• Linkages with other

networks

WHAT / type of learning• Sharing horizontally

amongst practitioners• Input from expert (vertical)• LC is not a training or e-

course

HOW• Communication face to

face (f2f)• E-tools:

– Fast: interactive and informal

– Slow: depository for resources

Learning Networks / Communities

Case Set-up

5 min. story telling including one dilemma the facilitators is confronted with

5 min. Q & A to get more clarity

10 min. analysis as if you were in the position of facilitator (3 – 4 people) formulate one advise / way forward

10 min Sharing and reflection

Write advises on card (one per card)

©2011 Fair&Sustainable Advisory Services

The ICCO Alliance Learning Community on Private Sector Cooperation

Steps taken• The concept of LCs centrally introduced within LA• Invite members and make ‘Dgroups’ (emailist) for communication

(27 people registered) • Identify needs and interest (via e-survey)• Create commitment (3 Skype conversations for agenda setting) • Members present themselves and one key experience (via Dgroup)• Case analysis in 4 groups (Skype and e-mail) • Create depository for resources (wiki); Upload the 4 cases (Burkina

Faso shea, Albert Heijn Foundation, Bio fuel Kenya, BDS Kyrgistan)• Plenary e-discussion on cases integrated in forthcoming e-

discussion on Partnerships (use Partnership Box PrC as extra input)• Introduction of Facebook-Twitter-like new tool (Yammer) to make e-

tools ‘more fun’

©2011 Fair&Sustainable Advisory Services

Successes • E-survey for needs assessment• The presentations in Dgroup of the members • Skype sessions for agenda setting and ownership• Work in small group on cases was a good idea leading to

concrete results. The level of the discussions was high.• Skype conversation contribute to people getting to know

each other• Wiki has potential to be a depository of experiences

Less successful• During the case work the Dgroup was very silent and not all

members had registered for sub-groups• Time planning: people are busy so all phases took longer

then expected

http://genderinvaluechains.ning.com/

GVC Learning History

Lessons

• Lesson one: By creating a core group with neutral facilitation we established continuity and legitimacy

• Lesson two: Case based internal learning created a light process which facilitated a genuine group feeling to emerge as well as commitment to put in time and effort

• Lesson three: As we valued questions it enabled us to look better at gender in value chains. And while the number of questions rose, it gave us the structure to hence focus our interests.

•  Lesson four: jointly organizing face to face meetings for a wider audience build our confidence to articulate lessons learned and engaged others to link up

• Lesson five: Combining gender and value chain expertise in the group as collaborators rather than as ‘outsiders’ levelled the playing field to built trust and expertise

• Lesson six: Promoting learning involves a missionary attitude and framing to make sure participants are easily linked up.

• Lesson seven: Action-learning not only requires good cases but also resources for coaching and commitment for reflection

•  Lessons eight: She / he who dares wins

• Lesson nine: Online tools and networks are invaluable to create transparency and to let new initiatives emerge

Dilemma

We have a great set of resources; but a limited core. How can we establish further action at field

level without having to facilitate everything ‘ourself’

Wrap up

Have you changed you mind?

What are you taking with you?