Some methodological choices

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

(click to expand)

Training courses at the pace of the participants
Our themes include among others all the phases of the project cycle management, conflict transformation or research methods. Our training courses are specific. They take the participants’ experiences and stories as a starting point, follow their own pace and integrate local knowledge into crisis responses. CERAR develops tools adapted for each training course such as lexicons or technical sheets to perpetuate the acquired knowledge , allow transferability and apply the training in daily practice.
Contextualized Proximity Mentorship (CPM)
« Lessons are only learned if a change occurs! » Based on a gradual approach, CERAR offers field mentorship to provide the monitoring and implementation of the knowledge co-produced during training or action-research through Contextualized Proximity Mentorship.
Training of trainers
In order to support local actors’ own transfer of knowledge and learnings, in their own language ​​and contexts, in their own way, trainers are trained locally. They are invited to co-facilitate all training courses, thus creating a ‘learning body’ within a ‘learning organization’.
Mapping and capitalization of local knowledge
CERAR supports a change of mentality valuing the knowledge and experiences of each and proposes tools for capitalizing on this knowledge based on the specific needs of each organization. Our partners become aware of their strengths and of the importance of documenting them and updating directories in order to transfer them more widely.
Creation of spaces for dialogue
CERAR supports dialogue between organisations and advocates for the co-production of knowledge between humanitarian actors including with local actors, at different levels.
Action-research
CERAR carries out action-research for which local actors are research partners in order to better integrate community mobilizations into projects. It creates observatories on specific situations to allow local populations to monitor them and suggest opportunities for change.

This allows

Co-production and integration of local knowledge
to support members of organizations and communities to formulate their knowledge in a language that allows them to integrate and transfer it more widely;
Cultural sensitivity
to conduct a collective reflection on the specificities and complexity of “cultures” and on their impacts;
Gradual change management
to give each other the time necessary, to reach, through significant small changes and without value judgements, mutual learning in practices and perceptions;
A climate of trust
to create a climate of mutual trust based on the complementarity of partners, understanding and dialogue to facilitate interactions;
Sustainable and resilient responses
to strengthen the capacities of all stakeholders, building on strengths and potentials to achieve sustainable and resilient responses through real ownership and more.

Resilience

Capacity building for each person’s choice and initiatives

Localization

‘as local as possible and as international as necessary’ 

Cultural sensibility

towards
‘a paradigm shift’