REPORT OF THE TRAINING OF TRAINERS WORKSHOP ON …



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PROMOTING LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH STRATEGIC PLANNING: A REPORT OFTRAINING OF TRAINERS ON LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HELD IN GBARNGA, BONG COUNTY, LIBERIA; FROM 22ND TO 24TH NOVEMBER 2012

December 2012

This report has been prepared by the staff and consultants of UN-Habitat. It is part of the activities under the United Nations County Support Team (UNCST) programme ‘Strengthening the Capacity of Local Administration for Service Delivery in Support of Decentralization Efforts in Liberia’

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 BACKGROUND 4

2.0 WORKSHOP OPENING 5

3.0 WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES 5

4.0 METHODOLOGY 6

5.0 PARTICIPANTS 7

6.0 FACILITATION 7

7.0 WORKSHOP COVERAGE 8

8.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 9

ANNEXES 12

Annex 1: Workshop evaluation responses analysis summary

Annex 2: Workshop programme

Annex 3: Participants’ personal profiles and contacts

Annex 4: Individual responses to pre-workshop questionnaire

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACROYNMS

AMSP - Assistant Minister for Sectoral planning

CDA - Country Development Agenda

CDO - County Development Officer

CST/UNDP - County Support Team/United Nations development Programme

CSO - Civil Service Office

GoL - Government of Liberia

LED - Local Economic Development

LEL - Local Elected Leadership

LIPA - Liberia Institute of Public Administration

MDGs - Millennium Development Goals

MIA - Ministry of Internal Affairs

MoA - Ministry of Agriculture

MPEA - Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs

NGOs - Non- Governmental Organizations

PRS - Poverty Reduction Strategy

SDGs - Sustainable Development Goals

SWOT - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

TOT - Training of Trainers

UL - University of Liberia

UNMIL - United Nations Mission in Liberia

WOCDES - Women and Children Secretariat

BACKGROUND

All around the world, cities are looking to economic development as a means of realizing the spiraling demands placed on them by their citizens for more jobs, infrastructure, social, educational and cultural amenities. Experience has shown that partnerships between the private sector, civil society and local government spur economic growth and makes it sustainable. Responding to the emerging need to promote local economic development (LED) in the context of rapid urbanization, and the role LED plays in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as well as the potential successor - sustainable development goals (SDGs) cannot not be overlooked. With the aim to contribute to national development blueprints and local development agendas, LED trainings help to expose and prepare lead national training institutions, associations of local authorities, local government ministries and municipalities to locally owned and driven LED approaches and tools and explore opportunities for their enhanced role in supporting LED initiatives in their respective countries and at a regional level.

In Liberia, Local Economic Development (LED) training is not a particularly new. Between 2009 and 2010, six counties including Grand Bassa, Bomi, Lofa, Nimba, Grand Gedeh, and Bong benefited from the first series of LED training in the country under the programme on ‘Strengthening County Institutional Capacity for Service Delivery’. This training program which aimed at building LED capacity at the local levels was supported by UN-Habitat, UNDP/UN County Support Team, Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs and Ministry of Internal Affairs.Based on extensive series of performance and readiness review by UN-Habitat staff and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, three Counties (Lofa, Nimba, and Grand Gedeh) were selected to participate in the Local Economic Development Strategic Planning Process leading to Local Economic Development Strategy documents for each of the three counties. The other counties also need to have their own Local Economic Development Strategies at the earliest opportunity to ensure balanced national economic growth. However much remains to be done to strengthen and sustain capacities for LED in Liberia and to move forward the work already initiated. Conducting an LED Training of Trainers (TOT) at this stage has been determined as one of the most effective means to ensure desired impact across counties.

The workshop was a part of on-going UN-HABITAT activities jointly undertaken with the UNCST and UNDP, with the support and collaboration of the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs under the project ‘Strengthening the capacity of local administration for service delivery in support of decentralization efforts in Liberia‘. Participants were encouraged to identify entry points and opportunities within their local and national contexts that could be used in promoting LED and thereby contribute to the County Development Agendas (CDAs) and the national Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS).

WORKSHOP OPENING

The workshop was officially opened by the assistant Mr. Jeremiah Q. Krah, Assistant Minister in the ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs. Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Assistant minister emphasized the importance of implementation. He advised on need for follow-up support to ensure that additional LED training results in county strategies and more importantly, their, implementation. The Minister’s remarks were supported by UN-Habitat’s representative, Ms Bridget Oballa, while urging for a quick review of the three County LED Strategies already developed for Lofa, Nimba and Grand Geddeh, and monitoring their implementation.

WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES

3.1 General Objective

The purpose of the 3 day training workshop was to train a pool of national trainers on strategic planning for local economic development.

3.2 Specific Objectives

The workshop had the following specific objectives:

1. To introduce the LED strategic planning process, using the “Ten Steps to Planning Excellence” strategic planning framework outlined in the UN-Habitat LED training series.

2. To exchange experiences among participants from different counties and institutions in Liberia

3. To enable participants / trainers to use with ease the LED training manuals in 1 (one)to 3 (three) days county training program

4. To design and implement a pilot LED training program for county level participants

4 METHODOLOGY

Throughout the workshop period, a blend of various participatory and interactive adult learning techniques was used with emphasis on the principle of ‘going from known to unknown’.

The 3 existing county LED profiles (Nimba, Lofa and Grand Gedeh),were used as familiar case studies to facilitate and enhance the learning experience. In addition to local case studies, a Romanian case study was discussed.

The three-day TOT workshop utilized the 5 LED training series developed by UN-HABITAT and EcoPLan International, promoting an inclusive, participatory process that integrates strategic planning, community participation, sustainability and good decision-making into local economic development. The four stages and ten steps to planning excellence process covered in the series the3 core coverage of the workshop. The participants were provided ample opportunity to design county level LED trainings while adapting trainings to national and county level contexts

Micro-facilitation was a core feature in preparing for county level training. The programme ended with the design of pilot county level training which was implemented from 28th to 30th November 2012.

PARTICIPANTS

For effective interaction and knowledge exchanges the number of participants in the TOT had been set at between 15 and 20 persons. The 11 participants who fully attended the training were drawn from;

• The Liberia Institute of Public Administration

• The Ministry of Internal Affairs

• The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development

• The Group of National Trainers ( Group developed by UN-Habitat/UNCST)

• Women NGO

• United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL)

The UN-Habitat Training Expert and the two Lead LED Consultants/Trainers were fully satisfied with the performance of the trainees during the micro-facilitation sessions. Their subsequent performance during the actual county training workshop was evidence that a national pool of LED facilitators/trainers had been created in Liberia.

FACILITATION

The workshop was effectively team facilitated by:

1. Ms. Bridget Oballa- Training Expert , UN-Habitat (Team Leader)

2. Mr. Samuel M.Githaiga- Training Consultant, UN-Habitat

3. Mr. Ephraim Seville- LED National Trainer- University of Liberia

The three facilitators displayed strong team spirit which contributed greatly to the success of the TOT.

WORKSHOP COVERAGE

7.1 Thematic Highlights

1. Overview of LED, Strategic Planning and the LED Training series

2. Review of the 4 key questions

3. Associated 10 steps in Strategic planning process

4. Local and international LED case studies

5. Current National and Local LED situational analysis

6. Choosing appropriate LED Training Methodology

7. Developing effective micro presentation assessment criteria.

8. Giving and receiving objective feedback.

9. Planning micro-presentation session.

10. Micro-presentation

11. Designing pilot LED county training

7.2 Agenda at a Glance

|Days |Morning |Afternoon |

|Day 1 |Opening and climate setting exercises |SWOT Analysis |

| |Context, History, and principles of LED |Group discussion |

| |Introduction to LED tools- |LED Tools- |

| |Where are we now? |Where do we want to go? |

|Day 2 |LED Tools – |Appropriate LED training methodology |

| |How do we get there? |Developing effective micro presentation assessment criteria. |

| | |Giving and receiving objective feedback |

| |Have we arrived? |Planning Micro Facilitation |

| |Local and international case studies | |

|Day 3 |Micro- facilitation |Micro-facilitation |

| | |Designing pilot LED county training |

RECOMMENDATIONS

The following recommendations were made during the workshop:

8.1 Unhealthy working relationship between the top county management officials in certain counties

Unhealthy working relationship, between several superintendents and county development officials is evident. This situation is said to be one of the major causes of slow implementation of various county projects and programmes including the LED strategy. The fact that the two offices are answerable to two different ministries is seen as the major source of internal disharmony, a situation that can impact negatively on county development and prioritization of LED planning and implementation. It is recommended for consideration by the Ministry of Planning &Economic Affairs, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, that periodic joint bonding retreats become part of the ministries’ regular events.

8.2 Non effective channels of communication

Communication channels which disregard the existing chain-of- command often cause uncalled- for misunderstanding, conflict, and tension among the county senior management staff. Training on effective official communication need to be designed and implemented by LIPA and/or UNCST. The communication Module under the Local Elected Leadership trainings needs to be prioritized in opportunities for county level training

8.3 Top management turnover

High staff turnover at the county’s top management levels contribute immensely to the slow implementation of LED and other programmes and projects. The Ministry of Internal Affairs should explore ways and means of reversing the trend which is a key barrier to national development.

8.4 Imbalance in training opportunity

There is a general feeling that the top county officials who are already overloaded are also receiving a bigger share of the training opportunities while the grass rooters get little or no training at all. This hampers the implementation of the LED strategies due to their lack of ownership/ acceptance where they matter. It is therefore recommended for consideration by the training coordinating ministries that training opportunities be distributed equally among all.

8.5 General imported goods preference

It has been observed with a lot of concern that many Liberians lack pride in locally produced commodities leading to excessive importation costs. This contradicts the LED principle of reducing national capital leaks. A deliberate campaign to discourage unnecessary importation should be organized.

8.6 Status quo syndrome

Lack of commitment and unwillingness to change due to inadequate exposure has slowed down the LED acceptance and implementation in Liberia. A lot of sensitization needs to be done and resources permitting a benchmarking tour outside Liberia can be organized in order to achieve the desired attitude change.

7.7 Workshop duration concern

It is evident that the three days LED training programmes have created the necessary awareness of the benefits of LED programme to Liberians. However, repeatedly various workshop participants have expressed a need for a longer period, say a week, in order to do more exercises contained in the LED series for more in-depth absorption of the subject matter. The key partners in the LED process should explore the feasibility of the suggestion, subject to resource availability.

7.8 Monitoring and Evaluation

Currently the LED training in Liberia lacks a properly designed M&E mechanism. This has made training to appear as an end of a process which shouldn’t be the case. It is therefore recommended that UN-Habitat, UNSCT, LIPA, MIA, and MPEA jointly develop a locally adapted M&E tools and programme for periodic impact assessment.

7.9 Institutionalization of LED

Institutionalization of the LED process in Liberia, is still at its initial stages. Currently LED lacks clearly defined institutional structure. It is also not linked to established policy instruments such as annual budgeting and human resource allocation. Deliberate efforts to institutionalize LED should be made by the MIA and MPEA with possible back-up support from UN-Habitat and UNSCT, particularly taking into account structural relationships at county level and at national levels.

7.10 Inclusiveness policy

Everyone in Liberia is a stakeholder in LED. LED programme being a partnership oriented initiative, inclusion of as many strategic stakeholders as possible is crucial to the programme’s success. The Liberia Business Association may be a key partner whose involvement in all aspects of the process could greatly boost LED’s acceptance and ownership at the county and grass root level.

ANNEXES

ANNEX 1: WORKSHOP EVALUATION RESPONSES ANALYSIS SUMMARY

Evaluation Scores: 1=strongly disagree; 2=disagree; 3=neither; 4=agree; 5=strongly agree

| |Responses |Mean |

|Aspect | | |

| |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |

|1 |Betty Breeze - Doh |Women & Children |Executive Director |O777004826 |wwocdes@ |

| | |Secretariat (WOCDES) | | | |

|2 |Aloysius P. Taylor, |UNMIL Civil Affairs – |National Professional |0886513897 |aloysiustaylor@ |

| |Sr. |Montserrado |Officer | | |

|3 |Esigbemi K-Ogunkoya |LIPA |Director, Training & |0886572609 |esigbemi2009@ |

| | | |Development | | |

|4 |P. EmMersyn Harris |LIPA |Deputy Director – General|0886538626 |palmaseh@ |

|5 |Stanley Sheriff, Sr.|Ministry of Planning and |County Development |0886517969 |Stanley-566@ |

| | |Economic Affairs |Officer – Lofa County | | |

|6 |Stephen E. K. Tamba |UNMIL Civil Affairs - Lofa|Administrative Assistant |0886520451 & 0770319931 |tamba@ |

|7 |Deroe E. A. Weeks |Ministry of Agriculture |Executive Director |0886517134 & 0777517134 |Daweeks2002@ |

|8 |William G. Miller |Ministry of Planning and |Desk Officer |0886564771 |Billgmiller72@ |

| | |Economic Affairs | | | |

|9 |Mulbah A. Harris |Ministry of Planning and |County Development |0886510142 |Kuchieman2001@ |

| | |Economic Affairs |Officer – Nimba County | | |

|10 |D. Sleh Gurley, Sr. |Ministry of Planning and |Director / Regional |0886520637 & 0777520637 |dslehgbe@ |

| | |Economic Affairs |Planning | | |

|11 |Bryant J. Slah |Ministry of Planning and |County Development |0886910420 |blestslag@ |

| | |Economic Affairs |Officer – Grand Gedeh | | |

| | | |County | | |

ANNEX 4 : INDIVIDUAL RESPONSES TO PRE-WORKSHOP QUESTIONNARE

Q1. Have you previously attended a LED training?

- Yes = 8

- No = 3

Q2. What are your expectations of this workshop?

- To be able to practically transfer knowledge acquired at the workshop to prospective participants

- To understand all about LED, what it entails and be able to train others

- To learn new skills and approaches to making LED a reality

- That the workshop is practical and hands – on

- To understand the indication for LED

- What is achieved at the workshop will be shared at the local level

- To acquire the skill / knowledge to develop LED capacity through stakeholders

- To share train others what is achieved from the training for onward deliberations

- That I will receive better training so that I can be able to train other people

Q3. What are your fears regarding this workshop?

- Lack of support from partners / donors to implement LED

- That we will not receive certificate after training

- That we will not receive copies of presentations

- Implementation – less participation of central government

- Time might not be sufficient

- The actual methods / strategies to make it applicable and achievable in the local community

- Lack of support to share knowledge acquired

- Failure to utilize the series of TOT for community

Q4. State any special skills, knowledge or experience which you bring to this tot and that you are willing to share with others

- Using LED basic tools to create awareness

- Providing information on LED established structures

- The factors responsible for growth / development of community – based programs / projects

- The local authority and stakeholders perceptions on local programs / projects

- The importance of community participation in priority defined program / projects

- Organizational skills, knowledge of LEL competencies, facilitation skills

- Participatory bottom – up approach

- Information dissemination

- A basic understanding of public service management

- Adult – learning methodology and monitoring and evaluation skills

- Instructional methods to make participants grasp the concept and apply them

- Popular theatre: using this means to involve all stakeholders in solving problem

Q5. State how you intend to use the information gained from this workshop in your work.

- Sharing the information through various media

- To use the information to import / share knowledge to others

- To influence replication in other counties especially Montserrado where I work

- Blend information gained in work place activities

- Facility follow – ups capacity building activities

- Dissemination of information at the local level / train others

- As a government employee working with rural women structures and farmers, I will transfer this knowledge to those group

- To impart knowledge / skills in delivering deliverables

- To build partners’ capacity to have continuity of the program

- Field visit to the counties to review plans to implement LED strategies

- I intend to conduct workshops in Nimba – if possible every district of the county to educate district officials on how to develop the locals

6. What is one of the best practices of local economic development in Liberia in your view?

– Campaign to encourage Liberians to buy those things that are produced in Liberia and induce the production of made in Liberia.

– Involvement of rural people in sharing their experiences.

– Involvement of stakeholders in the entire LED process and making them realize their ownership roles.

– Having development committees.

– The people and leaders of Nimba and Grand Gedeh organized themselves to spearhead road maintenance program.

– Empowerment through capacity-building at the local level in business entrepreneurship development.

– Promoting locally made products such as furniture and building materials.

7. What are some of the key challenges facing local economic development in Liberia in your view?

– Getting full backing and support of local authorities, some international companies and NGOs

– The local government support from the national government.

– Commitment by the local leaders.

– Perceived competition between the county and business community.

– Difficulty to avoid bias in project selection and location.

– Non- decentralization of business registration.

– Commitment and trust of local authorities and designated institutions.

– Farm to market roads

– Financial management capacity

– Lack of trust for local authorities.

– Individual and not community interests.

– Inadequate policy guidelines.

– Unachievable projections of projects and programs.

– Inadequate resources.

– Need for support to implement LED strategy.

– Lack of continuity and sustainability.

– Lack of interest in locally produced commodities.

– Government of Liberia refusal to finance locally produced commodities.

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The Liberia Capacity Building Series

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|REPORT OF THE TRAINING OF TRAINERS WORKSHOP ON LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT |

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|STRENGTHENING THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION FOR SERVICE DELIVERY IN SUPPORT OF DECENTRALIZATION EFFORTS IN LIBERIA |

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Ten Steps to Planning Excellence

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