The International NGO Training and Research Centre

The International NGO Training and Research Centre

Training Programme April 2003 to March 2004

INTRAC training offers:

· A dynamic arena for reflection on issues faced by NGO practitioners
· A rich cross-cultural exchange of experiences
· An introduction to models and practical tools for use in the workplace

INTRAC’s training programme is one of our main strategies towards improving civil society performance. A clear belief in the values of social justice, empowerment and the participation of poor people in their own development is reflected in our approach to training and learning. The courses concentrate on issues around strengthening civil society and institutional development; organisational capacity building and programme development. Course participants comprise staff from international NGOs and donor organisations, together with people from Southern and Eastern civil society umbrella bodies and support organisations.

Our training is participatory and uses a variety of methods based on action learning principles such as case studies, group work, role play and peer support. This is complemented by presentations on relevant theoretical frameworks and emergent thinking and trends, which provide the participants with a reference point for their learning and an opportunity to locate their experiences within the wider body of thought. The range of participants attending each event enables a rich exchange of experiences that are developed throughout the time we are together.

More information on the courses:
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT FOR NON-FINANCIAL MANAGERS - 7th to 9th May 2003

The aim of the course is to help participants to understand and interpret financial information in order to improve decision-making. The course will cover the basics of financial management within an NGO and highlight the key areas to monitor. It is intended to provide practical skills and techniques.

By the end of the course, participants will have knowledge of:

· Managing budgets and 'budget and actual' statements effectively
· Advising a counterpart group or organisation on the use of a cash budget
· Identifying the accounting records kept by most organisations
· Recognising and evaluating basic accounting statements using an audit effectively
· Identifying weaknesses in financial systems
· Recognising the appropriate timing for financial management inputs within organisations
· Providing a partner with constructive feedback on its financial capacity
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FOR NGOS - 14th to 16th May 2003

This course aims to provide participants with an increased understanding of organisational effectiveness and the role that good human resource development and management plays in enabling NGOs to achieve their strategic goals in a sustainable way.

By the end of the course participants will:

· Be able to analyse their organisation’s strengths and weaknesses and be able to identify what aspects of human resources need to be developed within their own organisations
· Have a stronger theoretical understanding of key human resource issues such as planning, management, project implementation, team building, and working cross-culturally
· Have tools to analyse current practice and areas needing improvement
· Have applied these models and tools to case study material and the issues being faced by their own organisations

MANAGING PARTICIPATORY MONITORING AND EVALUATION – 2nd to 6th June 2003

Donors’ demands for greater accountability, together with our own need to learn from and build on our experiences have led to rapid developments within the field of monitoring and evaluation. Participatory methods are growing in importance as the development community recognises the necessity for involving all stakeholders in the process of development, in order that learning takes place which can contribute to sustainable processes. At the same time, there has been the realisation that the more traditional monitoring and evaluation methods, based on linear, cause and effect interpretations of social development, are limited and need to be enriched by contributions of other perceptions and realities.

By the end of the course, participants will have knowledge of:

· The purposes of monitoring and evaluation
· Stakeholder perspectives and an overview of participatory methods
· Monitoring and evaluation of outcomes and impact at project, programme and organisational level
· Managing the process
· Ensuring institutional learning
TRAIN THE TRAINER – 9th to 11th June 2003

Development staff are increasingly called upon to deliver presentations and training. This course introduces participants to participative learning techniques, and the effective way to plan an event. Participants will have an opportunity to run an interactive training session and to receive useful feedback.

By the end of the course, participants will have:

· Set training objectives and a strategy
· Planned a training event
· Delivered a training session
· Used appropriate learning tools and participative techniques

EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT – 15th to 19th September 2003

This course aims to develop and improve the management capabilities of NGO staff and development workers. Such staff have considerable technical skills and extensive experience of working on a range of projects with local partners, yet often lack the necessary management skills to handle difficult organisational problems or facilitate effective change. The course will not only help participants improve their management capabilities, but will also help them gain an awareness of the impact of their management style, develop greater insight into their leadership role, and increase their confidence in being able to facilitate organisational change.

By the end of the course, participants will have knowledge of:

· Current management thinking and strategic trends
· Cross cultural management
· Exploring leadership and management styles
· Managing people and teams
· Identifying and strengthening personal management competencies
· Managing effective change

CAPACITY BUILDING – AN ORGANISATIONAL APPROACH – 22nd to 26th September 2003

This is an introductory course on capacity building, focusing on understanding the process of capacity building and strengthening, from the perspective of organisations. Capacity building takes place at different levels, such as at the individual level, or at a broader societal level. This course concentrates on building the capacity of organisations, and looks at this organisational approach for NGOs.

By the end of the course, participants will have knowledge of:

· Understanding organisations: how they work, develop and adapt in a rapidly changing environment
· Relating understanding of organisations to the way you work, both internally and with partner organisations
· Unpacking ‘capacity building’ - what is good practice?
· Examining the roles of Northern NGOs/donors in capacity building

Due to popular demand, this course will run again from 22nd to 26th March 2004!

STRATEGIC THINKING – 6th to 8th October 2003

NGOs are constantly having to make difficult choices when faced with the massive scale of poverty and distress, compounded by the limited resources in the non-profit sector. This and the nature of NGO work requires strategic thinking and action. Strategic thinking is a dynamic process, which should be responsive to changing circumstances.

At the end of this three day course, participants will have:

· Discussed the importance of looking to the future and thinking with a long-term view
· Looked at the process of strategy formation
· Explored the issues surrounding strategic planning
· Been exposed to a range of planning tools
· Practised establishing strategic aims for programmes

ADVOCACY AND POLICY INFLUENCING – 13th to 17th October 2003

This five-day course aims to give participants, from Northern and Southern NGOs, a thorough understanding of the policy formulation process and how they can influence it. Participants will be exposed to skills required to formulate effective advocacy strategies, implement appropriate workplans and incorporate monitoring and evaluation systems.

By the end of the course, participants will have experience in:

· Identifying or ‘framing’ the issue
· Understanding the policy making process
· Working in the global advocacy environment
· Identifying ‘levers of influence’
· Planning for maximum impact – using resources to optimum effect
· Monitoring and evaluation systems to improve performance
· Looking at the organisational implications of integrating advocacy and policy influencing work

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS FOR CHANGE – 5th to 7th November 2003

Relationships between NGOs based in different parts of the world have become a key part of international development processes. The aim of this course is to examine the nature and quality of relationships and how they impact on development. Issues emerging from these relationships will be explored. The context within which partnerships occur is a dynamic and fluid one, and power balances and expectations are constantly changing.

By the end of the course participants will have:

· Reviewed existing conceptual frameworks of relationships
· Looked at different types and models of relationships
· Explored the existing debates
· Considered issues of accountability and shared governance
· Discussed live case studies on partnerships and good practice
IMPACT ASSESSMENT: How do we know we are making a difference? – 26th to 28th January 2004
NGOs and other civil society groups are now accepted by governments and official agencies as significant contributors to the development process. But, as the profile of NGOs has increased, so too has the need for them to assess the long-term impact of their work. This course will explore the current state of the debate about impact assessment and review current practice and methodologies.

By the end of the course participants will have examined:

· What do we mean by impact?
· Methodological issues in measuring social change
· Alternative models for impact assessment
· The role of baseline studies
· Using qualitative data
· Case studies

SUPPORTING SOUTHERN ADVOCACY – 9th to 11th February 2004

Advocacy is an important part of development programming, and NGOs in the South and East are increasingly looking to develop their advocacy strategies and capacity. Staff of Northern NGOs and donor organisations, especially those in programme management, policy departments and field desks are increasingly involved with advocacy programmes of their Southern partners.

This course offers an opportunity to:

· Understand the context for advocacy in the South and in transitional countries
· Define core advocacy skills and approaches
· Consider ways of integrating advocacy into programmes
· Look at advocacy support and capacity building
· Reflect upon the roles for Northern NGOs in advocacy, and relationships with partners

ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT – 23rd to 27th February 2004

A current concern and priority for managers and senior practitioners in the NGO sector is how to build the capacity of their organisations and that of their partner organisations. This course is designed for people engaged in capacity building programmes with some experience of OD, and who wish to explore issues around different types of intervention. The course uses reflective practice to develop participants’ understanding of organisational development.

Over a period of five days, participants will:

· Examine their role as a change agent
· Review their understanding of the OD intervention cycle
· Examine the links between OD and capacity building
· Assess the range of possible OD interventions: their advantages and disadvantages and how to select the most appropriate intervention
· Explore the use of OD in NGO partnerships
· Examine Organisational Assessment as a specific OD process
· Examine the particular challenges of monitoring and evaluating OD work
· Examine responses to change at organisational and individual levels and how to manage these

MANAGING CHANGE WITHIN ORGANISATIONS – 3rd to 5th March 2004

Working in development both in the North and the South signifies working in a constantly changing environment. This course suggests ways of raising awareness about the need to be able to continuously respond to change and promote the concept of change as a continuous process that can be managed.

By the end of the course participants will have examined:

· Change theories and models, including the identification of forces that promote and hinder change
· Exploration of the issues of managing change
· Introduction to practical tools for managing change processes
· Application to your own working environment
· Working with your partners and change

MONITORING AND EVALUATING SOCIAL CHANGE – 8th to 10th March 2004

Planning for social change recognises that this process cannot be predetermined but is rather a facilitated negotiation between the various stakeholders. We need to consider the implications for monitoring and evaluation of working with more flexible programmes, which focus on changing relationships and contexts.

This course enables participants to:

· Think beyond the individual project
· Develop strategies for rapid feedback for on-going monitoring
· Explore practical methods for facilitating dialogue around changing programme objectives
· Identify useful and credible methods for documenting the process

Make the most of your trip, and book both the MANAGING CHANGE WITHIN ORGANISATIONS and the MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF SOCIAL CHANGE courses, which are running back-to-back!

CAPACITY BUILDING – AN ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT APPROACH – 22nd to 26th March 2004

Please refer to the course outline for 22nd to 26th September 2003

Past participants concluded:

“The facilitators were excellent – friendly and flexible.”

“The facilitators really created a very participatory atmosphere and contributed a wealth of experience to the theories explained”

“I feel very much inspired after this course and look forward to an opportunity to put this week's material into practice – thank you!”

“So much of this course was useful and valuable. I really appreciated the small group work…and learning about other people’s experiences”

Other training opportunities:

Summer School:

INTRAC is considering holding an International Summer School in summer 2004. To be added to the mailing list to receive more information, please contact the Training and Logistics Co-ordinator at [email protected].

In-House Training:

INTRAC designs and carries out short training courses on a range of organisational and programmatic issues, tailored to meet specific needs of organisations. This ensures that the courses are relevant to the issues that the NGO is facing and enables discussion and an exchange of ideas. In-house training programmes can be one day workshops, one week courses, or staggered workshops over a period of time. For more information please contact the Training and Capacity Building Manager at [email protected].

Logistical Information

Course Fees and Accommodation:

Five day courses cost £899. The price includes four nights accommodation at the college venue, course fees and materials, plus meals and refreshments. It is possible to request a non-residential fee.

Three day courses cost £380. The price includes course fees and materials, plus meals and refreshments. These courses are non-residential, however we invite participants to book their own accommodation at the venue. Further details are sent out in the booking letter.

Application Procedure:

Once you have decided that you would like to apply for a course, you will need to fill in our application form. Early booking is recommended, as places are limited. Application forms are available from our website www.intrac.org, or by request from the Training and Logistics Co-ordinator. The form enables us to assess whether the course is suitable to your needs. As our courses take a participatory approach, we need to ensure that your experience is relevant to the course, and that you will be able to take part in the rich cross-cultural dialogue with fellow participants. We may contact you to request more information on your organisation, in order for us to learn more about your work.

Once we have accepted your application we will send you a booking letter and invoice. The invoice contains full details on how to pay. Please note that your contract with us commences from this point, as we will now hold a place on the course for you. To guarantee your booking, receipt of full payment is required, so you are advised to arrange payment as soon as possible. We will contact you on receipt of payment to confirm your place on the course.

Cancellation Policy:

In the event of a cancellation less than one month before the course, a fee of 50% will be retained. If in this instance, we have not yet received your payment, we will issue a new invoice for 50% of the course fee. We regret that this is the case, however it is very important for the future of the Training Programme. In cases where we manage to fill the vacant position, or where a visa application is unsuccessful we will charge an administration fee plus the cost of any cancellation charges incurred at the venue. The rest of the fee will be returned. Visa applications will only be dealt with on receipt of full payment.

Training Hours:

Five day courses run from Monday to Friday. Registration is from 10.00 on the Monday morning and the first session is after lunch. The course finishes at 15.00 on Friday.
Registration for three day courses is from 09.00, with the welcome session at 09.30. The course finishes each day by 17.30. We expect all participants to be there for the duration of the course.

Location and Travel:

Five day courses take place in university colleges in Oxford. Three day courses run in North London. Full travel details are sent out, along with any course preparation, three weeks before the start of the course.

Contact Details:

For further information please contact Rebecca Blackshaw, Training and Logistics Co-ordinator at:

Postal address: PO Box 563, Oxford, OX2 6RZ, UK
Visitors address: 65 George Street, Oxford, OX1 2BE, UK
Tel: + 44 (0) 1865 201 851
Fax: + 44 (0) 1865 201 852
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.intrac.org

“We publish an extensive range of books and occasional papers, as well as “Ontrac”, a four-monthly newsletter, available in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Russian. For more information please contact [email protected].”

INTRAC is a company limited by guarantee number 2663769 and a registered charity number 1016676