CERAR considers capacity building of local organizations and their partners
as a continuous and endogenous learning process.

« The CERAR practical guides have really helped me to apply the trainings in the daily practice of my job. After the training, I could send my documents to CERAR, who supported me step by step in the preparation of my reports. I could always also consult the practical guides, which support the training. They are very readable and clear, and at the same time complete, in understandable language. »
Bonheur SARAGNET, intern at CERAR
Based on a few starting observations such as difficulties in applying training in their daily practice, sometimes too theoretical, standardized and general, based on a technical language, and oriented towards management or administration
CERAR has created its own methodology based on contextualized mentorship and ongoing monitoring which takes into account the different dimensions of an organization.
CERAR has created its own methodology
BOOST (Building On Our Strengths Together)
based on contextualized mentorship (PCM)
according to the ‘spiderweb theory’.
This innovative methodology BOOST – based sur a Contextualized Proximity mentorship (CPM ) – moves away from “plug and play”. It supports and mentors local teams in the implementation of their learnings in their everyday practice, based on gradual change – adapted to their pace – by valuing local experiences and knowledge.

The methodology encompasses progressive stages:
- a diagnostic of the context and the partnerships to tailor benchmarks and evaluation criteria;
- a 360° self-assessment by the staff of the organisation to identify needs, opportunities and strengths;
- a choice of 3 achievable pivotal changes to motivate the staff and strengthen positive self-confidence, following the small change theory and the spider web approach;
- a progressive strengthening action plan to merge training sessions and proximity contextualised mentorship;
- an ongoing monitoring and mentorship of the progress made on the 3 pivotal changes and on the implementation of the learning outcomes in everyday practices;
- a Training of Trainers (ToT) component to transfer learning and to enable empowered organisations to serve as ‘role model’ to monitor, supervise and disseminate training and mentorship;
- an assessment after the first phase, to evaluate the progress made and identify 3 new pivotal changes for a further period to create cycles of endogenous lifelong learning attitude.

In order to facilitate the application of our training cycles, CERAR, local co-facilitators and participants perpetuate the learning outcomes by jointly developing several simple and evolving monitoring tools, in particular technical sheets (for training on place) and practical guides (for online support). They contain key terms and concepts, basic elements and definitions, practical examples, as well as steps to follow for applying the trainings in daily practice in the field.
This allows
a co-production and integration of local knowledge
to help members of organizations and communities to formulate their knowledge in a language that allows it to be integrated
a cultural sensitivity
to conduct a collective reflection on the specificities and complexity of “cultures” and their impacts;
a management of gradual change
to give each other time, thanks to small significant changes and without value judgments, to arrive at mutual learning in practices and perceptions;
a climate of mutual trust
based on the complementarity of partners, understanding and dialogue to facilitate interactions;
sustainable and resilient responses
to build the capacities of all stakeholders, starting from strengths and potentials to achieve sustainable and resilient responses through real ownership and more.
CERAR supports the gradual adaptation of these tools according to changes in the context.

Based on the localization principals, CERAR has developed several practical and methodological tools for more contextualized capacity strengthening.
We offer trainings based on the joint production and capitalization of local knowledge and experience, delivered directly WITH local actors.
CERAR goes further by offering field mentorship, at the pace of learners to put into practice their new learnings in their everyday reality.
Action-research is at the centre of our endeavours, from the preparation of trainings to the support of community mobilization. The use of arts in awareness-raising and dissemination initiatives completes CERAR’s offer.
CERAR offers
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