Multi-actor engagement
Development challenges are rarely resolved through and performance of a single organization. Rather, they depend on the effective engagement and mobilization of multiple actors. Experience suggests that when facilitated well, multi-stakeholder processes can enhance the effectiveness of development initiatives, foster collective learning, and trigger long term changes at the institutional level.
“A society develops and solves its problems through its collective capacities” (Capacity Development in Practice, 2010). The ability of an organization to improve its performance depends on the way it is linked to external actors, and the quality of exchanges between these actors, as well as their respective capacities. The relations between all those actors are influenced by historical and cultural factors, rules, regulations and policies.
In recent years there has been a significant increase in capacity development initiatives that focus on the 'space in-between actors.' The resources featured in this section highlight some of the resulting experiences and insights practitioners have gained through facilitating multi-stakeholder processes and other tools for joint action.
Featured Article
SEEP Network Annual Conference: Partnerships and cross sectoral approaches
Dates: 4-7 November 2013
Type of event: Conference
Location: Arlington, VA, USA
Organization: The SEEP Network/USAID
More information:
http://www.seepnetwork.org/annual-conference-pages-20008.php
SEEP is a global network of 130 international practitioner organizations dedicated to combating poverty through promoting inclusive markets and financial systems. This year's conference will serve as a platform to promote learning and exchange around high-potential collaboration opportunities.
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Recent Articles
Coordinating capacity development partnerships in the higher education sector
25 February 2013
‘Synergy in action’ is a new book from
Nuffic (the Netherlands organisation for international cooperation in higher education). The book
focuses on programmes which aim to strengthen higher education and research capacity in developing
countries. Nuffic administers two such programmes: the Netherlands Fellowship Programmes (NFP) and
the Netherlands Initiative for Capacity development in Higher Education (NICHE).
Les dilemmes des partenariats
25 January 2013
OPINION
« Si tu veux aller vite, voyage seul; si tu veux aller loin, voyage en groupe. » Les décisionnaires politiques, chefs d’entreprise et ONG ont pris l’habitude de citer ce dicton africain à l’appui de leur stratégie de partenariat. Le partenariat est la forme la plus institutionnalisée de l’apprentissage interorganisations. C’est cependant un processus qui n’est pas caractérisé par la simplicité et qui, au contraire, est parsemé de dilemmes.
MoreFacilitating multistakeholder innovation platforms in West Africa
24 January 2013
"One finger cannot lift a rock" (Stylus/KIT publishers, November 2012) documents the process
of developing communities of practice for a variety of agricultural sectors in Benin, Ghana and
Mali. The nine experiences highlighted in the book show that multi-actor platforms require specific
facilitation skills, intense engagement and sensitivity to the local context. But they also
illustrate that there are creative ways of dealing with the challenges and unpredictable situations
that facilitators face.
Collaborating for impact
24 January 2013
In the UK, changes to government commissioning are also driving the collaboration agenda: in
order to compete for public service delivery, charities need to be "collaboration-ready". However,
collaborations can be tricky to navigate. This report by two UK organizations, New Philanthropy
Capital (NPC) and Impetus Trust, addresses some of the less talked-about issues that connect
collaboration with social impact
La communauté du développement de la petite enfance en Afrique du Sud
21 January 2013
Apprendre ensemble, puis travailler ensemble
Il y a près de six ans, 18 ONG d’Afrique du Sud actives dans le domaine du développement de la petite enfance se sont réunies en une seule et même alliance. Elles ont établi une plate-forme commune d’apprentissage et d’action associant des femmes prestataires de soins de niveau communautaire qui se consacrerait à l’élaboration de solutions pratiques et durables en faveur du bien-être des jeunes enfants dans le pays. Voici leur histoire.
MoreApprentissage inter-organisationnel et gouvernance locale
21 January 2013
Transfert du pouvoir en faveur des pauvres
Le transfert de pouvoir aux entités gouvernementales locales a modifié les règles du jeu au niveau des processus décisionnels et ouvert de nouvelles portes. La Society for Participatory Research in Asia a facilité un projet dénommé « Améliorez votre apprentissage et vos performances » visant à faire en sorte que les groupes marginalisés bénéficient de la nouvelle donne.
MoreOther Topics
Essential Readings
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Facilitating multi-actor change
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Jim Woodhill (2010) Capacity lives between multiple stakeholders, in Ubels, J., N. Acquaye-Baddoo and A. Fowler (eds), Capacity Development in Practice, Earthscan, pp. 25-41
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Duncan Mwesige (2010) "Using Multi-Stakeholder Processes for Capacity Development in an Agricultural Value Chain in Uganda" in: Ubels, J., N. Acquaye-Baddoo and A. Fowler (eds) Capacity Development in Practice, Earthscan, pp. 180-193
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“Multi-Stakeholder Processes for Governance and Sustainability: Beyond Deadlock and Conflict”, by Minu Hemmati, 2002 EarthScan
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The MSP Resource Portal
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Pruitt, B. and P. Thomas (2007) Democratic Dialogue: A Handbook for practiitoners, CIDA/IDEA/OAS/UNDP, Washington DC
