Enhancing learning in development partnerships

Abstract

Through an analysis of practical examples and key literature, this article considers what will enhance learning in and between NGOs and other development partners. The authors explore how the types and qualities of relationship currently evolving in the development sector affect learning, drawing predominantly on experiences of relationships between Northern and Southern NGOs. The article identifies those aspects of relationships that foster learning and those that inhibit it, and offers recommendations to strengthen learning. The authors highlight the relevance of, the challenges posed by, and the potential of partnership work, as well as the impact of accountability demands, procedures, and processes on organisational relationships and on learning.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the participants of the BOND/Exchange workshop on learning in North–South partnerships, and an anonymous reviewer for Development in Practice.

Notes

1. Phase I of INTRAC's research involved assessing the policies and practical challenges relating to partnerships of ten Northern NGOs (Brehm 2001c). Phase II (Brehm 2004) focused on SNGO perspectives on partnership. Other INTRAC research being conducted by Bruce Britain explores organisational learning in NGOs. BOND recently conducted research into NGO learning, drawing on views about donor attitudes and policies. Four major donors were consulted. Laura Roper and Jethro Pettit (2002) guest-edited a special issue of Development in Practice devoted to development and the learning organisation.

2. Notable examples include Christian Aid (Lister 2002); BOND (2003); the Southern Africa AIDS Training Programme (SAT); and Healthlink Worldwide.

3. For NGO work in these areas, see www.dgroups.org/groups/leap/evag/docs/AAR.doc?ois = no (after action toolkit) and www.bond.org.uk/lte/ol.htm (action learning) (retrieved 9 February 2006).

4. See www.healthcomms.org/comms/eval/le01.html on the challenges of ALPS (retrieved 9 February 2006).

5. See the journal Early Childhood Matters, No 99, 2002.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Robin Vincent

Robin Vincent is a social anthropologist with a background in the anthropology of policy, governmentality, and the law. At the time of writing, he was Deputy Director of the Exchange programme, working on networking and learning processes in health communication for development. He is currently the Senior Adviser on HIV and AIDS at the Panos Institute.

Ailish Byrne

Ailish Byrne has extensive social development experience and a particular interest in participatory research, evaluation, learning, and organisational development processes. She currently works with the Communication for Social Change Consortium and Healthlink Worldwide.