Integrating learning into organisational capacity development of Cambodian NGOs

Abstract

A holistic learning approach to organisational capacity building with Cambodian NGOs produced impressive results in some organisations and important learning about blocks to change in others. The approach clearly demonstrates that moving beyond traditional training and organisational development interventions and into processes that promote learning and its integration into everyday work practices has positive and lasting impacts. Organisations willing to engage with the learning approach found that both individuals and the whole organisation were able to function more effectively, and that this contributed to sustainability and resilience. The approach also produced important lessons about organisational readiness to embrace learning and change.

Intégrer l'apprentissage dans le développement des capacités organisationnelles des ONG cambodgiennes

Une approche holistique (globale) de l'apprentissage en matière de développement des capacités organisationnelles avec des ONG cambodgiennes a produit des résultats impressionnants dans certaines organisations et donné lieu à d'importantes leçons sur les entraves aux changements dans d'autres. Cette approche démontre clairement que le fait d'aller au-delà des interventions traditionnelles de formation et de développement organisationnel pour entreprendre des processus qui promeuvent l'apprentissage et son intégration dans les pratiques de travail quotidiennes a des impacts positifs et durables. Les organisations disposées à adopter l'approche d'apprentissage ont constaté que tant les individus que l'organisation dans son ensemble étaient en mesure de fonctionner plus efficacement et que cela contribuait à la durabilité et à la résilience. Cette approche a aussi produit des enseignements importants sur la bonne disposition des organisations à embrasser l'apprentissage et les changements.

Integrando aprendizado no desenvolvimento da capacidade organizacional de ONGs cambojanas

Uma abordagem de aprendizado holística para a capacitação organizacional com ONGs cambojanas produziu resultados surpreendentes em algumas organizações e um importante aprendizado sobre obstáculos a serem superados em outras. A abordagem demonstra claramente que ir além dos tradicionais treinamentos e intervenções para o desenvolvimento organizacional e incorporar processos que promovam o aprendizado e sua integração em práticas de trabalho diárias promovem impactos positivos e duradouros. Organizações que desejavam engajar-se com a abordagem de aprendizado constataram que tanto os indivíduos quanto a organização como um todo eram capazes de atuar mais efetivamente e que isto contribuía para a sustentabilidade e resiliência. A abordagem também extraiu lições importantes sobre a preparação organizacional para incorporar aprendizado e mudança.

Incorporar nuevos aprendizajes al desarrollo de capacidades organizacionales en ONG de Camboya

En Camboya se aplicó un método de aprendizaje integral para la construcción de capacidades institucionales en ONG que produjo importantes resultados en algunas organizaciones y proporcionó datos relevantes sobre los obstáculos que impiden los avances en otras. Este método muestra con claridad que si se va más allá de las acciones habituales de capacitación y de desarrollo institucional y se abordan procesos que promuevan el aprendizaje integrándolos en el trabajo cotidiano, se pueden obtener resultados positivos y duraderos. Las organizaciones que se mostraron dispuestas a incorporar este método de aprendizaje consiguieron mejores resultados en el trabajo tanto de los individuos como de la organización y aumentó su sustentabilidad y flexibilidad. El método también generó importantes datos sobre la predisposición de las organizaciones a incorporar el aprendizaje y el cambio.

Keywords:

• East Asia
• Methods
• Civil society

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the staff of VBNK who participated in the IPP and contributed to its successes, challenges and lessons learned, and also Graeme Storer, Director of VBNK, for his contributions to this paper.

Notes

‘ICCO's mission is to work towards a world in which people live in dignity and prosperity, a world where poverty and injustice are no longer present’ (ICCO 2009). ICCO provides financial support and technical advice to local organisations and networks across the globe that are committed to providing access to basic social services, bringing about fair economic development and promoting peace and democracy. www.icco.nl

‘VBNK's mission is to be a centre of learning, working creatively with others to generate and share innovative practice and local knowledge that can contribute to positive social change’ (VBNK 2008c). www.vbnk.org

During the main implementation phase of the project one partner dropped out of the project. Despite substantial efforts by the VBNK team to keep working with them, the partner's repeated failure to engage in any of the schedule activities made it impossible to continue to think of them as an active participant in the project and ICCO were duly informed.

In 2005 ICCO started a major review of all aspects of its functioning and programming worldwide. The result was a strategic change of approach, which in Cambodia resulted in a decision to cease funding the majority of the existing partners, including VBNK. The impact of this news was, in a number of cases, detrimental to the progress of the project as senior managers responded to the urgent need to find new core funding support for their organisations and activities.

VBNK stops external activities for one week every two months in order to engage in a structured process of reviewing activities to identify learning, and to plan how to implement the learning into future activities. Past experience showed that this level of time and commitment was necessary in order fully to embed learning into the organisation's culture.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jenny Pearson

Jenny Pearson has been living and working in Cambodia for 16 years having previously worked in the UK public sector. She holds qualifications in Social Work and a Masters in Public Sector Management. She was the founding Director of VBNK and is now consulting and writing on capacity development issues.