Capacity Development

atiti's picture

JOIN NOW! 8th Global RCE Conference Capacity Development Discussion Group

Welcome to the 2013 Global RCE Conference Capacity Development Discussion Group! Please join in the pre-conference discussions today by sharing your thoughts on the topics you feel most need to be addressed in the group meeting during the Global Conference in Nairobi.

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atiti's picture

Capacity development has been broadly defined as the process by which individuals, groups, organizations and networks improve their ability to perform their functions and achieve the desired results over time (Morgan, 1997). Capacity is the ability of an RCE network to perform, sustain itself and self-renew. Addressing social, economic and environmental issues through ESD requires greater capabilities within an RCE network. Such capabilities express themselves in the abilities of RCE stakeholders to collectively address identified and prioritised sustainable development challenges. Capacity development in RCEs is about creating some form of added value for the stakeholders and the local community. It is about adjusting and developing over time on the basis of emerging sustainable development challenges. It is a dynamic process that builds and draws upon various RCE stakeholders whose interaction and interdependency is more than that of individual members. A number of RCEs are involved in promoting capacity development through the exchange of information and experiences. However, capacity development processes in RCEs need to be cultivated and managed over time.

This online discussion provides an opportunity to share insights, stories, experiences and approaches on how capacities within RCEs are being developed and unleashed to effect meaningful change and tangible results. Let us look at the phenomena of capacity and its development not just from the perspective of training, but in a wider context: that of broader processes in which RCEs increase their capabilities to manage and strengthen themselves. We need to examine the nature of capacity, the fact that capacities exist between multiple stakeholders and are embedded in different scales of RCE organisation. We envisage the online discussions to be a ‘platform’ on which new insights, learning, debate and additional content on capacity development can be added and exchanged. Your comments, inputs and suggestions will be used to structure Strategic Discussions on Capacity Development during the 8th Global RCE Conference.

The following questions may be used to guide the discussion:
What is capacity development in your RCE context?
What challenges/successes have you experienced in planning, implementing and evaluating capacity-development efforts in your RCE?
What core capabilities have been developed in your RCE?
How has capacity development contributed to the performance of your RCE?

Wishing you fruitful deliberations.
RCElylebenko's picture

I look forward tot he discussions in this area. I believe that Dr. Roger Petry, my good friend, colleague and Co-Coordinator from RCE Saskatchewan will be making significant contributions to this discussion because of his "expertise" and research in this area. All the best...
Lyle Benko (Co-coordinator RCE Saskatchewan)
RCEgreaterportland's picture

Those are wonderful questions. I will think through them and them compose a response. Given that RCE Greater Portland is just starting out, we are asking many of these questions of ourselves and working on a strategic plan. If you are interested in seeing our work, we have been documenting our progress on our website. http://www.pcc.edu/about/sustainability/regional-center-expertise/

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