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Capacity building in network organisations : experiences from and practical guidelines for HIV and other networks

SLUIJS-DOYLE, José
November 2009

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This report assesses seven capacities of organisations of people living with HIV and other HIV network organisations to see what makes a well-functioning network. These capacities are: involvement and accountability; partnership alliances; leadership; knowledge and skills; internal communication; impact, outputs and external communication; and management and finance. The report looks at four network organisations in Eastern and Southern Africa, with secondary research drawn from networks in Bangladesh, Nepal and India. The findings and recommendations cannot be applied universally to capacity strengthening in all network organisations, but need to be adapted to the context of each particular group

At the heart of change : the role of communication in sustainable development

WILSON, Mark
WARNOCK, Kitty
SCHOEMAKER, Emrys
2007

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This paper shows how information, communication, the media and ICTs are powerful agents of change, how they can give 'voice' to the poor and contribute to more sustainable development, but it also emphasises the need to support and strengthen communication processes used by poor and marginalised people who already face many barriers to receiving information, and to develop the skills and capacity of those people to make their own voices heard. It concludes by suggesting an agenda for action by policy makers, development experts, international organisations, non-governmental organisations and the private sector (including the media)

'The last thing the world needs is another website' : the role of evidence in integrating information and communication into development policy

PERKINS, Nicholas
Ed
October 2006

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This summary paper outlines the interim findings from the ICD (Information and Communication for Development) Knowledge Sharing and Learning programme. It summarises the communication processes that are needed to engage with policy makers in order to embed effective information and communication within their development policies and practice

Community television for the poor : a scoping study. Final technical report. The one to watch, literally?

BACHELOR, S
SCOTT, N
EASTWICK, G
et al
2005

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A technical report on the use of community television. The purpose of the research was to explore the opportunities presented by digital convergence for locally produced and broadcast integrated television and radio for development education, development communication strategies and local content capture among the poor. The research confirms the starting premises of the research, that community radio is known to have strong developmental benefits; that there is a strong trend towards television, even among the poor; and that there will be new opportunities for audiovisual media presented by digital convergence. The report concludes that community television could play a huge role in empowering local communities

Resource centre manual : how to set up and manage a resource centre

O'SULLIVAN, Sheila
et al
2003

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Contains practical information on all aspects of setting up and managing a resource centre, from planning, fundraising and finding a suitable location, to collecting and organising materials, developing information services, and monitoring and evaluating the work of the resource centre. It assumes that most readers will use manual systems for organising information, but also explains how computers can be used in resource centres, including e-mail, Internet and databases. It describes how to select database software, and contains a detailed review of three leading database programs. It includes a list of organisations and publications that can provide further information

Participation, relationships and dynamic change : new thinking on evaluating the work of international networks

CHURCH, Madeline
et al
2003

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Gives an overview discussion of the key characteristics of networks, noting that international development increasingly takes a network form. Networks typically put an emphasis on: facilitative leadership; building relationships and trust; light co-ordinating structure that allows decentralisation, autonomy and voluntary participation. However, these are charactersitics that traditional evaluation approaches have not been developed to address. Provides a useful check-list for evaluating networks and suggests some useful practical tools to approach the evaluation of networks, such as: ‘Contributions assessment’ to guage how effectively the network facilitates the circulation of resources, and enables people to make the contribution that they are capable of; ‘Clarification of aims and activities’ (adapted Weaver’s Triangle) tool to clarify how participants perspectives and activities diverge or converge over time; ‘Channels of Participation’ tool to assess how and were members interact in a network and look at changes over time; ‘Monitoring the edges’ to track independent networking stimulated but not through the centre

Information and communication technologies and poverty reduction in Sub Saharan Africa : a learning study (synthesis)

GERSTER, Richard
ZIMMERMAN, Sonja
2003

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A report of the learning study carried out as part of the Building Digital Opportunities (BDO) programme.The study focuses on mapping the experiences of BDO partners with ICTs and poverty reduction in order to enable BDO partners to improve their understanding of the role of ICTs in poverty reduction and play a pro-poor role in multilateral forums like the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). It draws on research into the use of information and communication technology in Mali, Uganda and Zambia, and examines progress in fulfilling BDO's global objective to ensure that such technology contributes to the achievement of the 8 Millenium Development Goals and 17 Millenium Development Targets

Revisiting the "magic box" : case studies in local appropriation of information and communication technologies (ICTs)

BATCHELOR, Simon
O’FARRELL, Clare
2003

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This book looks at the way communities and groups in developing countries are appropriating information and communication technologies (ICTs) to address their needs. It finds that ICTs are being integrated into wider community-based activities and adapted to fit different contexts. It follows on from the paper "Discovering the Magic Box". It finds that there are still few examples of community-driven and locally appropriated ICT initiatives and an absence of standards or guidelines to evaluate ICT-based projects. The book includes some analytical frameworks and indicators to identify good practice and evidence of impact A significant development has been in the growth of telecommunications, in particular mobile phones, that are relatively cheap and powerful tools for poor communities, even in remote areas. The book concludes that the power of oral communication through telephones and radio cannot be underestimated. The book proposes that the main challenge is to adapt the new, usually computer-based ICTs to the needs of poor, predominantly oral-based communities so that they can be appropriated effectively and quickly

Human resources toolbox : building an inclusive development community

MOBILITY INTERNATIONAL USA (MIUSA)
2003

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This toolbox provides information, strategies and resources for development organisations to become more inclusive in their hiring practices, administration and policies. It focuses on practical tips and resources for organisations seeking to become more inclusive at headquarter offices and though organisational policies. Although it was designed for US-based agencies and refers to the Americans with Disabilities Act, it includes practical and useful guidance which will be adaptable to many contexts. It deals with workplace accessibility, communication, Internet accessibility, recruitment of disabled people, budgeting for inclusion, and more. The "budgeting for inclusion" section provides an innovative strategy for ensuring that your organisation has the funds it needs to accommodate people with disabilities in both offices and the projects the organisation supports

Collecting and propagating local development content : synthesis and conclusions

BALLANTYNE, Peter
May 2002

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Drawing from a consultation process to examine how local content in developing countries is created, adapted, and exchanged, this report provides some answers to these questions. It is a synthesis of lessons; the case stories which are reproduced in an accompanying report provide details on actual experienses and lessons from the ground

Strengthening the knowledge and information systems of the urban poor : policy paper

SCHILDERMAN, Theo
April 2002

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This brief policy paper summarises the findings of a research project that focused on the information needs of the urban poor, and the information sources they access. The study found that the main sources of information were social networks, key informants, and infomediaries. It ends with six suggestions for development agencies seeking to share their knowledge and information with the urban poor

Strengthening the knowledge and information systems of the urban poor

SCHILDERMAN, Theo
March 2002

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Presents the findings of a research project that focused on the information needs of the urban poor, and the information sources they access. The study found that the main sources of information were social networks, key informants, and infomediaries. It considers the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs), and impact assessment methods. It ends with suggestions for development agencies seeking to share their knowledge and information with the urban poor

Information and communication technology : poverty and development in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia

PIGATO, Miria
2001

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This lengthy report examines the patterns of utilization, ownership and affordability of ICT in these two regions. It also discusses the application of ICT to the poor by the private sector, government and NGOs. The paper notes the significant gap between industrialized countries and these two regions and two internal gaps - between the richest and poorest and between the urban and rural areas. It also notes several principles for ICT use to alleviate poverty.

Measuring the difference : guide to planning and evaluating health information outreach

BURROUGHS, Catherine M
WOOD, Fred B
September 2000

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This guide presents a programmatic and goal-orientated approach to outreach activities. The premise of this approach is that evaluation is an integral part of programme development: planning and evaluating an outreach initiative is one and the same process, and asking the right questions at the beginning is essential for getting useful results at the end. The guide is practical in purpose, with checklists, worksheets and examples, but also heavily theory-based, offering a range of methodological possibilities and strategies. The guide should be useful to community organisations, libraries, clinics or other groups seeking to affect the capacity of individuals or communities to use health information resources and to address barriers to access, through simple or complex outreach projects. It is not specifically written for developing-country contexts

Access for all : helping to make participatory processes accessible for everyone

SAVE THE CHILDREN
2000

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This manual draws attention to different aspects of the accessibility of meetings, written documents, visual communications, presentations, environment and accommodation. It gives an overview of the major issues around accessibility for disabled people and presents practical adaptations to enable disabled people to be included in participatory activities

Voices for change : rural woman and communication

BALIT, Silvia
COMMUNICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT GROUP
1999

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This book describes how, in the current climate of political and socio-economic change, communication can play a decisive role in promoting food security and rural development. By fostering a dialogue between rural people and other sectors of society, communication processes can empower both women and men to provide information and knowledge as a basis for change and innovation. It can give rural women a voice to advocate changes in policies, attitudes and social behaviour or customs that negatively affect them. The book briefly explores these complicated ideas, focussing on how communication processes can be harnessed. It then describes how different technologies, from the internet, video and radio, to traditional media, can be used. It is illustrated with brief case studies throughout

The first mile of connectivity : advancing telecommunications for rural development through a participatory communication approach

RICHARDSON, Don
PAISLEY, Lynnita
Eds
1998

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Begins with the need to work at the 'first mile' of connectivity - essentially the prevailing conditions for rural communities - when discussing the value of new information communication technologies. Emphasises people and the communication process, and the various factors of community dynamics and context that frame any communicaiton initiatives, not the technology . Chapters cover a range of examples of participatory communication methods, such as Participatory Rural Communicaiton Appriasal, and the training of 'community animators'. Looks at examples of rural telephony and radio, telecentres, video and the Internet, and also discusses some issues connected to telecommunications infrastructure and regulation, such as rural networking co-operatives and parterships with the private sector

The internet and rural and agricultural development : an integrated approach

RICHARDSON, Don
1997

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Discusses the potential benefits of using the Internet for rural / agricultural development. Contextualises the growth of the internet in development initiatives and addresses the potential of the internet in specific areas, eg community development, research/education, small and medium enterprise development, and news media. Finallly, identifies several areas of best practice to guide effective use of the internet. Recommends engaging intermediary agencies involved in (project support, research, extension, health etc) in internet initiatives, as well as stakeholders and intended beneficiaries. Warns against the widening information gap between haves and have-nots

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