Bellanet Proposal Development Workshop Trip Report
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Contents |
Overview
When: June 4-8, 2007
Where: near the Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
Who:
- The Teams:
- AITEC Development, host for Bellanet Africa: Vincent Waiswa Bagiire, Abubaker Basajjabaka, Lillian Nalwoga (replacement for Jacqueline Nnam on maternity leave)
- SAP International, host for Bellanet Asia "BellaSAP": Shikha Shrestha, Hempal Shrestha, Bibhusan Bista
- Sulá Batsú, host for Bellanet LAC: Kemly Camacho, Margarita Salas, Adriana Sánchez (replacement for Lena Zúñiga), Vivian Zúñiga
- "Program X" (Bellanet@IDRC): Michael Roberts, Allison Hewlitt, Zhang Qu, Sarah Kerr, Dominique Morin
- Support Persons:
- Vilma Gamero, Grant Administrator for "Program X" (Bellanet@IDRC)
- Eloise Burke, Project Coordinator of IDRC's Institutional Strengthening Pilot (ISP) Project
- Kafui Dansou, Senior Business Development Officer, Partnership and Business Development Division
Workshop Videos: (sound difficult to hear at times)
Background
Since its inception in 1996, Bellanet has had a strong southern focus to its work. In 2002, the Bellanet International Steering Committee (BISC) encouraged the Secretariat to become more visibly "southern based". This was partly to facilitate resource expansion: the core donors believed it likely that they could only increase funding for the kind of work and programs Bellanet proposed to take on if it was for a southern organization. Coinciding with the departure of longtime Bellanet director David Balson, the Secretariat's new director, Ricardo Gomez, together with the Bellanet team, took on the process of creating a series of southern presences by establishing offices in the three "regions" in which IDRC had programming.
The host organizations that were chosen as Bellanet regional presence partners were selected because they were visible and recognized in the region as knowledgeable organizations that were expert at navigating the local and global context in which they worked. More importantly, they were well connected to networks of local and regional organizations themselves. The roll out of Bellanet's regional presence partners took almost three years: Latin America and the Caribbean was established in 2003 and was based first with Fundación Acceso in Costa Rica and later with Sulá Batsú Cooperative. Three Sulá Batsú staff work on Bellanet initiatives in the region. The Accesso/LAC presence was followed by a partnership in Asia in 2004 where the host organization SAP International has three staff working on Bellanet-Asia projects. The Africa regional host organization is AITEC, where there are two staff persons. This partnership was the latest one to be established in 2005.
Context
Under the Secretariat administrative arrangement, Bellanet staff working in the region were supported through secondments. This proved to be an administratively intensive approach both for host organizations and for Bellanet/IDRC administration. It is also one where the distinction between southern partner staff on secondment and IDRC based Bellanet staff is somewhat fuzzy. Seconded staff had two identities which frequently caused confusion, that of a staff person of their own local organisation, and that of a staff person of IDRC. Seconded staff had additional pressures of working for two organisations with two different sets of expectations.
The backdrop to the development of the project content at the Costa Rica workshop meeting were these administrative requirements. As the southern presences evolve to take on the mantle of the Bellanet project with continued support from IDRC and Bellanet Advisory Committee (BAC) donors, a shift from a secondment to a grant model of providing financial support will occur.
Moving to a grant model will resolve the confusion of dual identities, will give the host organisation more flexibility on staffing and will bring Bellanet's way of working in-line with that of the Centre. However, the grant model will also change the relationship between "Program X" (Bellanet@IDRC) staff and previous Bellanet regional staff, but the new relationships will be well-established based on past working relationships.
Bellanet@IDRC is involuting into "Program X" within ICT4D. Starting in September, Sulá Batsú, AITEC Development and SAP international will receive grants from "Program X" for a joint Bellanet Project.
Objectives
The objectives of the workshop were to have:
- A better sense of who we are, what we do and where we are going.
- A shared understanding of the Bellanet Project's scope.
- The proposals further developed i.e. defined activities, results and impacts.
- Developed plans for strengthening host organisations' capacities and activities in support of cross-regional linkages.
- Reviewed and outlined procedures supporting the application of proposals to the issuing of grants.
- Our Bellanet identity clarified.
- Our working modality (relationships) clarified.
The Future of the Bellanet Network
What is Bellanet?
Bellanet Network: Bellanet is first and foremost a network of organisations carrying out applied research on the theme of Networking (communication, knowledge sharing and learning). The Bellanet Network is supported by the Bellanet Project at IDRC and has plans to solicit additional donors.
Bellanet Program within IDRC ("Program X"): It was decided by the group that a program within a donor agency should not carry the 'Bellanet' name in order to avoid confusion. Bellanet@IDRC is now known as "Program X". "Program X" will also focus on the theme on Networking. It will fund projects of the Bellanet Network and outside of the current Bellanet Network as it exists now.
Bellanet Project of the "Program X" (Bellanet Program within IDRC): The Bellanet Project will support the Bellanet Network through 3 areas:
- Applied Research related to increasing local, regional and global understanding of how to facilitate networking (communication, knowledge sharing and learning) among people who want or need to work together.
- Cross-regional linkages and collaboration among the regions.
- An increased capacity of the host institutions.
Change in Relationship Between "Program X" (Bellanet@IDRC) Staff and Bellanet Network Members
After the first full day of the workshop, it became apparent that there were several assumptions and fears about the new relationship between "Program X" (Bellanet@IDRC) and the Bellanet Network.
A summary of the assumptions and fears from the Bellanet Network: In the secondment model, the relationship was very horizontal, we worked together as colleagues. In the new grant model, the relationship will be very vertical, "Program X" (Bellanet@IDRC) would now oversee the work of the Bellanet Network, rather than work together as colleagues. A new power relationship has emerged, that of a typical of a donor->recipient. The Bellanet Network can no longer participate in decisions which it once could.
A summary of the response from "Program X" (Bellanet@IDRC): "Program X" (Bellanet@IDRC) has strong relationships built over the years working with the Bellanet Network. IDRC has no interest in being just "the donor". We want to work together as a partner. We want to work with the Bellanet Network in order to effectively learn from each other. A donor-recipient relationship need not be prescriptive.
Bellanet Project
The main focus of the workshop was to work out the details of the Bellanet Project. The Bellanet Project will support 3 areas:
- Applied Research related to increasing local, regional and global understanding of how to facilitate networking (communication, knowledge sharing and learning) among people who want or need to work together.
- Cross-regional linkages and collaboration among the regions.
- An increased capacity of the host institutions.
Applied Research on Networking
Prior to entering discussions about the details each region's research proposal, the larger group considered what applied research on networking might look like within the scope. Several questions and comments arose from the discussion including the need to have a conversation on methodology to monitor the project, how to use multimedia to capture local processes, and ensuring the scope of the applied research is clear and focused.
The larger group broke out into their regional teams with IDRC scattered among the teams to facilitate the process. The teams constructed a basic outline of their research projects, answering the common "W" questions: Why, What, How, Where, When, With Whom, For Whom? These outlines were then presented to the larger group for feedback. A separate group made up of representatives from each region also addressed the cross-regional linkages component (expanded on below).
Since the workshop, the regional teams have been working hard on their research proposals. The following is a brief summary of each region's research questions:
Aitec Development
Guiding question: Are collaborative tools an effective means of knowledge sharing, networking and communicating amongst groups that work together in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Specific questions:
- Have the groups that share knowledge and collaborate used collaborative technologies?
- What value has been derived from using the technologies if any?
- What are the factors that influence the use of collaborative technologies in knowledge sharing?
- Are there any challenges in sharing knowledge using collaborative technologies?
Given the oral nature of society in Sub-Saharan Africa how effective are the tools in knowledge sharing, communicating and collaboration.
SAP International
Research hypothesis: Use of collaboration tools for knowledge sharing promotes functional networking of Networks in Asia.
Major Objective: Conduct an applied research targeting to enhance functional networking of the development and telecenters networks in Asia.
Specific Objectives:
- Analyze preconditions for functional networking in Asia.
- Identify and appropriate collaborative tools to strengthen functional networking of the selected networks.
- Enhance capacities of network members on adopting collaborative tools.
Sulá Batsú
Research questions:
- Which are the factors that favor or hinder collaboration and networking among social groups with high levels of diversity and inequitable relationships, such as the groups in Latin America and the Caribbean?
- To what extent do the information, communication and knowledge development processes that are currently carried out in the social group promote collaboration and networking?
- To which extent can ICTs for collaboration and KS-KM methodologies strengthen networking and collaboration in the social groups in Latin America and the Caribbean?
- Which ICTs and which KS-KM methodologies are the most appropriate and how should the process of integrating them in the social groups be carried out?
- To which extent can developing the capacities of facilitators, leaders and ICT specialists in the areas of collaborative uses of ICTs and KS-KM methodologies contribute to the improvement of collaboration and networking in the social groups of LAC?
- In which sense can a process of accompanying the leaders and facilitators of the social groups strengthen networking and collaboration based on strategic uses of ICTs and KS-KM methodologies?
Cross-Regional Linkages
The 'Cross-Regional Linkages' component of the Bellanet Project will be a project implemented by the collective Bellanet Network (AITEC Development, SAP International, Sulá Batsú and IDRC) - "South-South-North". It will have two main components:
- The first will focus on the enabling conditions necessary to carry out effective South-South-North collaboration and networking, based on past experiences.
- The second will be a collective reflection of the necessary conditions for the current Bellanet Network to continue working together.
It will be a participatory research process which will draw upon the experiences which the former Bellanet International Secretariat has had through the years. Initially it was assumed that IDRC could not be a participant of the Bellanet Network and therefore this component of the Bellanet Project. This was related to the change in perceptions of relationships.
Strengthening Organisational Capacities
The Bellanet Project will provide funds, in addition to those provided by PDBB, to support organisational capacity development. This is in response to the recognition that regional partners will no longer be able to solely rely on financial support from IDRC for core and programmatic activities in order to undertake Bellanet related work.
This component of the workshop was the most difficult piece to plan. Asking ourselves why it was so hard to plan the session helped solidify a process - one that was based on getting a better understanding of why the regional partners felt that strengthening their host organisation's capacity was important and what they would do if resources weren't an issue.
The session, which was wonderfully facilitated by Eloise Burke, was broken into two parts:
- In the first part, we organised ourselves into three groups, arranged to maximise regional diversity, to answer the questions: "What does a healthy organisation look like?" and "What inputs were needed in order to achieve and maintain good health?". This led to some interesting discussions. Allison Hewlitt's 'takeaway' from the conversation was that organisations take different approaches to strengthening organisational capacity - some operate proactively by looking out for opportunities to achieve better health but most are reactive by strengthening capacities when a need makes itself known.
- In the second part of the session, we invited each region (including IDRC) to a chat show which was hosted by Eloise and ended up working exceptionally well. Through her interviewing process, we were able to get a better glimpse of the approaches used by each organisation in addressing organisational capacity building and the areas that they felt needed work. Kafui, as the guest on the show representing IDRC, gave a brief history of PBDD's resource mobilisation program and identified how she felt IDRC could support the organisations in addressing their capacity development needs.
At the end of the show, Eloise discussed the Institutional Strengthening Pilot (IPS) Project. She gave us an overview and her approach which is based on a tool that allows Eloise to lead a facilitated organisational assessment. The assessment involves talking to different staff across the organisation as well as external key stakeholders then 'workshopping' the findings back to a subset of the organisation - with no recommendations. The group is facilitated to identify what they want to do next.
Perspectives and Lessons Learned
This section of the report is devoted to sharing of personal perspectives by teams and support persons, and is therefore written from their perspective.
AITEC Development
AITEC Development is the host for Bellanet Africa and consists of Vincent Waiswa Bagiire, Abubaker Basajjabaka and Lillian Nalwoga (replacement for Jacqueline Nnam on maternity leave).
The workshop was a landmark in cementing the cross regional linkage, especially the South-South-North relationships and also redefining a new mode of operation with our northern counterparts. Although a natural fear existed on what would happen to the Bellanet identity now that Bellanet International had been transformed into a programme in IDRC, the workshop played a big role in explaining how the new relationship would work. Besides that the workshop brought about clarity of the scope. Initially, much as Bellanet Africa had read the prospectus, the scope was still unclear and perhaps this underlines the importance of face-to-face.
It was made clear that although the Bellanet identity defined a fundamental value that had been harnessed over a couple of years, the new relationship would even empower the regional offices more as opposed to being deemed as donor-recipient engagement.
The new relationship also brings opportunities of engaging in applied research around the activities that we do and promises to strengthen organisational capacities as a way of harnessing this relationship.
The workshop was also full of processes that bring the best out of people. The team from Africa listened and learned a lot from the experiences of other regions and facilitators. And at the end of the day the retreat managed to bring out a clearer picture that the activities that we do are not about earning a living after all but learning a living.
"Program X" (Bellanet@IDRC)
"Program X" (Bellanet@IDRC) consists of Michael Roberts, Allison Hewlitt, Zhang Qu, Graham Todd, Sarah Kerr and Dominique Morin.
The "Program X" team knew the Bellanet International Secretariat model and mode of operations very well. We worked within IDRC, but always at arms length from IDRC, its approaches and procedures. This was both negative (not benefiting from everything IDRC has to offer) and positive (more flexibility). Moving from a secretariat to a program of ICT4D at IDRC, a whole team was thrown into the IDRC waters and we needed to learn how to swim. We are still in the process of learning how to swim. We are redefining our program and thinking about working towards transforming our former secretariat program of work into a research program with a smart fit within IDRC.
The Bellanet Project is our first taste of working within our new research program. We had a lot to flesh-out, learn and passionately discuss at length before we arrived at the Costa Rica workshop: who are we? what do we do? where are we going? what is our new relationship with IDRC? what IDRC PO knowledge do we need to acquire? what will be the funding allocations? who will be the responsible PO?
At times during the workshop, we felt very prepared while other times we solved problems and issues as we went, however that is the nature of a workshop. We came out of the workshop feeling satisfied, optimistic with progress and eager to review the resulting proposals. It was the end of one era, but the beginning of a new and very promising one.
In addition to these team thoughts, individual thoughts from some team members are shared below.
Allison Hewlitt
For me, I think that this was one of the most successful gatherings of the Bellanet Family for a number of reasons:
- We isolated ourselves in the middle of a rainforest for 4 full days of work. We were serious about the work at hand but just as serious about what we would do for fun.
- Tension within the group emerged but spaces were opened up for genuine dialogue and allowed for the emergence of leaders. Eloise's interventions contributed a great deal to making this happen.
- Lack of wireless access may have contributed to greater attention to the 'here and now'. I know that it did for me.
- Our hosts went above and beyond the call of duty constantly giving attention to the physical and emotional needs of the group.
- We continue to seek opportunities to learn from each other and the work that we do.
Dominique Morin
I was invited to participate in the Proposal Development Workshop as the key documentation person. But my experience there went far beyond taking notes, pictures or videos. I got the chance to meet and discover the many faces of the Bellanet network and understand their deep appreciation and will to build a true South-South-North network and knowledge sharing community. For many, the idea of becoming individual projects of IDRC meant that the partnership created between them through Bellanet could possibly disappear. But everyone there was keen on keeping it alive, and so they did! It was also great to see the regions taking leadership and ownership of Bellanet network. A lot was accomplished in this workshop and I also learned a lot. Thanks!
Sarah Kerr
Everything my team and colleagues have said + ...
Of all the extensive and numerous experiences i've had during my past 5 years at Bellanet, it has been through working with our regional partners that i've learned the most. They have inspired me, excited me and impressed me with their passion and enthusiasm they bring to their work. It was this that I regretted not communicating in the workshop's closing circle.
South Asia Partnership (SAP) International
SAP International is the host for Bellanet Asia ("BellaSAP") and consists of Shikha Shrestha, Hempal Shrestha and Bibhusan Bista.
Bellanet network has seen lots of changes since its inception. There was a tremendous interest from southern partners to facilitate the network for making it more southern driven network. Commitment from northern stakeholders for supporting the southern driven network was noteworthy; it indicated a possibility of emergence of strong south driven network as joint intervention of southern and northern stakeholders.
There was a clear shift of retreat from programmatic discussion to organizational development. There were lots of discussions focused on institutional capacity of host organizations. It indicated some concern for strengthening capacity of these recipient organizations for increasing their efficiency in delivery of programs that will ultimately support in promoting development of south.
Host organizations and their varied nature were clear from presentations and discussions. Sula Batsu a professional woman led organization, AITEC a technical based organization turned into development organization and SAP International focused on development with least ICT interventions. There indeed was a beauty in diversity but challenges to manage diversity should not be undermined.
There were tough times in the workshop. These tough discussion had helped participants to clarify their roles and responsibilities. These interactions have been helpful in minimizing misunderstanding among team members. It is hoped that these discussions will lead in developing a strong network that have a clear destination for future.
Sulá Batsú
Sulá Batsú is the host for Bellanet LAC and consists of Kemly Camacho, Margarita Salas, Vivian Zúñiga and Adriana Sánchez.
When the field is not clearly marked, much of the time is spent on talking about the game instead of playing it. As an International Secretariat, Bellanet has been in a process of transition for quite some time. Several scenarios were designed, re-designed, negotiated, talked about and many changes took place. Hence, we were looking forward to this retreat as a space to collectively mark the field and continue doing what we like and do best: research, build capacities and network.
This retreat has been an intensive learning process for us and there's a lot we could share, but in the interest of keeping this report of a reasonable length, we'd like to emphasize the following points, as takeaways from the process:
- It was extremely important to explicit assumptions in order to really tap into the ideas, fears and expectations that each one of us had regarding the process of changing from an International Secretariat model to a grant model. We believe that if this had not taken place we would have kept naming as equal issues that we understood differently.
- Having other people from IDRC (non-ex-Bellaneters) present was very helpful in terms of giving us a better sense and feel of the limits and flexibility of IDRC. Knowing that others have thought "outside of the box" before established a good precedent for us and made us feel that we would not necessarily loose Allison, Sarah, Michael and Zhang if they all become project officers.
- Groups and Networks always have a life of their own. Through the years of working together as Bellanet staff worldwide we've come to know, value, trust and love each other. In that sense, we feel it's a very natural step for us to want to continue networking and collaborating. We feel also that IDRC should view as a success the fact that as a network we want to continue outside of IDRC. It's like we were first IDRC's child and now that we've grown up we will always want IDRC to be in our lives, but hopefully will stop depending on it to exist.
Vilma Gamero
Vilma Gamero is "Program X's" (Bellanet@IDRC's) Grant Administrator.
Bellanet@IDRC’s request to join the team and provide GAD's support and input at the Proposal Development Workshop was an exciting and valuable opportunity for me to meet the Bellanet family with whom I had been working since June 2006. My first objective was to meet the regional presences’ secondees to discuss the current financial status of their Secondment Agreements on a one-on-one basis. After months of e-mail exchanges, this proved to be extremely beneficial and positive for me to show them my appreciation of their efforts to submit clear and complete financial reports.
I also had as objectives to have a better understanding of the new Bellanet Project’s scope as it evolved, to present the administrative procedures involved at each stage of the project cycle, and to go over the items of a proposed project budget as per the Centre’s requirements. It was interesting to participate in the discussions of the Bellanet identity and to know about the things that excite and scare each one of the participants in this process of transformation. I am very much looking forward to a signed Project Approval Document for the Bellanet Project!
Eloise Burke
Eloise Burke is the Project Coordinator of IDRC's Institutional Strengthening Pilot (ISP) Project.
This is a first for me....that is a group write. Everyone's style is different and so I have deliberately not read what has already been written. This was my first trip to Costa Rica and I felt as if I had returned home. It was therefore "easy" to do the work and remain relatively stress free given the environment. Thanks and deep appreciation must be given to Sula Batsu for the workshop site. It was truly inspiring. My overall impression of the workshop was that of a group engaged in a transformative process with each individual having her/his own understanding of what was takiing place. My perception is that "Bellanet South" is very clear about the need to nuture and evolve the "Bellanet" brand and wants to see a process, systems and procedures clearly outlined that provides the boundaries, ways and means for engaging "Bellanet North". With some heartfelt discussions, well articulated analysis, I feel that this was understood by all by the end of the workshop and that with goodwill the Bellanet family will survive the bumps ahead. I think that it is important for all of us to recognise that any change brings challenges and that it is necessary to remain open, make sure that there is a "Change Manager/Champion" and keep the communications flowing both ways at all times. One para...it is!
Kafui Dansou
Kafui Dansou is a Senior Business Development Officer at IDRC's Partnership and Business Development Division.
The idea of including a Capacity Development component, which emerged from early discussions between Bellanet@IDRC (Michael Roberts, Allison Hewlitt) and PBDD (Kafui Dansou), was a novel area of collaboration between Bellanet @IDRC and the regional presence partners. SAP, AITEC and Sulà Batsù welcome the opportunity, and the session dedicated to this component although difficult to plan was very lively. The three regional presence partners shared on their capacity development efforts and actions to date, areas requiring further thinking, and perceived challenges they hope to address. This was a great learning opportunity for all of us. The capacity development component of the proposals will vary from one organization to the other. Initial thoughts from each organization were shared and discussed during the workshop, giving each organization an opportunity to learn from others, and share with others.
This is a time of change for the Bellanet family as the secondment model is moving to a grant model, and change is always a troubling and stressful period. The sessions and discussions during the workshop offered an opportunity to address issues and concerns relating to this change of modality, and also spur thinking on the medium/longer term development of Bellanet. AITEC, SAP and Sulà Batsù vehement interest in working towards the creation/formalization of the Bellanet Network was yet another confirmation of the group's engagement to keep the Bellanet concept strong.
Finally on a personal note, just a thank you to Bellanet for inviting me to be part of this process. I look forward to more work and fun together.
