Supporting our members at a national level
Forus is developing a wide range of tools: information & resources sharing, exchange of best practices, content and strategy support, access to didactic and multilingual material, administrative support, etc. These tools are adapted to the specific challenges linked to managing the network and membership of wider international multi-stakeholders’ networks.
Recognising the imperative of taking into account wide differences in resources and needs between CSOs, Forus’ capacity development support also includes providing financial support. Forus is establishing partnerships with its national platforms so that they can implement practical capacity development projects elaborated by themselves and aligned with their members’ specific priorities and needs. Forus members are encouraged to develop joint projects as a means to strengthen links and synergies between them, as well as promoting mutual learning.
The present support for national projects goes far beyond financial support, being an important part of the larger goal of capacity development and learning for/from Forus members.
Forus will partner with and support up to 60 capacity development initiatives/projects by 2021, elaborated and implemented by its national members.
These partnerships aim to strengthen platforms’ organisational, operational and/or representational skills and focus on one or several of the priority areas mentioned below:
- Leadership and governance of national platforms
- Communications and strengthening the commitment of members of national platforms
- Resource mobilisation, financial management and accountability
- Advocacy and partnerships
Support for our regional members
The regional level is considered a key building block since its supports the work carried out at national level (in terms of capacity development) and also provides input for the work at regional and international levels (in terms of advocacy).
Therefore the Regional Coalitions are supported through peer-exchange exercises between regional coalitions as well as being provided with regular and predictable funds to implement advocacy and capacity development activities of their choosing, and focus on their national members.
Forus’ main mission at the regional level is to:
- Organise peer-to-peer workshops at a regional level on strategic leadership and peer learning, with the help of a team of facilitators, around issues of impact, social change and the role of CSOs/NGOs or other topics of interest;
- Identify capacity development & learning needs common to Forus members in a certain region, formulate specific propositions for national platforms (i.e. for networks of NGOs) and identify facilitators and human resources to provide these activities in person in different countries.
- Engage in capacity building for national trainers/facilitators to reproduce regional activities at the national level.
- Support regional coalitions in building partnerships with organisations working on capacity development at the regional level in order to develop joint activities.
These regional activities are conducted through the coordination of Forus regional members. Financial partnerships are also ongoing with most of the regional coalitions (ADA, MESA, REPAOC, REPONGAC, PIANGO) for capacity development and advocacy activities.
All regional coalitions participate in the Agenda 2030 Working Group of the network, contribute to its regular advocacy updates and participate in relevant Agenda 2030 webinars. Two representatives of IFP’s regional coalitions (MESA & ADA) have been appointed as co-chairs of IFP’s Agenda 2030 Working Group and play a key role in leading the activities of the Working Group.
You will find more info below and here.
Find out more about our work with Regional Coalitions
