Table of Contents
This module is designed to support international cooperation organizations in their ongoing commitment to implementing anti-racism efforts in the design, delivery, and evaluation of context-specific, culturally competent programming.
This module provides an opportunity for development professionals to reflect on their current practices, emphasizing the need for a transformative approach to the programming process; identify gaps; and learn actionable strategies for making their programming and partnership more inclusive and equitable.
Personal Reflection and Commitment: Engage in self-reflection to assess both personal and organizational practices, gaining a deeper understanding of how they influence and shape programming.
Inclusive programming: Ensuring that programs are context-specific and responsive to the needs and voices of diverse communities.
Transforming Partnerships: Explore how organizations can transform their partnerships to ensure they are genuinely collaborative, equitable, and rooted in mutual respect.
- Case Studies and Best Practices: By focusing on practical learning activities, such as case studies and best practices, this module aims to equip participants to implement and apply their learning. The inclusion of VIDEA’s experience and Peace Direct approach adds depth and authenticity, offering concrete examples of how organizations are challenging power dynamics and integrating anti-racism into their work.
This module is structured around 2 learning units and takes approximately 3 hours to complete.
- Session 1: 60 minutes
- Session 2: Self-paced unit with activities
For this module, the order of the units is not important. The first unit is a webinar offered by VIDEA on accessible and inclusive programming. The second provides learning opportunities to transform our partnerships, a key element of this pillar.
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- Duration
- Learning target - Individual level
- Learning target - Organizational level
- Important information
- Interactive session (activities)
- Recommended supplies
- Support material for the session
1. Program & Programming
- 60 minutes
- Organizational level
- Webinar
Description: This webinar designed by VIDEA explores how to design and implement inclusive programming through an anti-racist lens. The webinar emphasizes the importance of intentional wellness, encouraging participants to recognize how physical, emotional, and cultural wellness intersect in the development and delivery of inclusive programs. The session highlights how centering wellness, particularly from an Indigenous perspective, can create more equitable and responsive programming that honors and respects community needs, while acknowledging historical and systemic injustices.
Throughout the webinar, participants will be guided through individual and organizational reflection exercises, providing an opportunity to examine both their personal biases and their organizational practices. This reflective process will help participants better understand how their values, assumptions, and behaviors shape the programs they design and implement.
2. Transforming partnerships
- Self-paced unit
- Organizational level
- This learning unit has been developed by Peace Direct for the ARC Hub
- Support material: Transforming Partnerships in International Cooperation
Description: This learning unit will focus on how organizations can transform their partnerships to ensure they are genuinely collaborative, equitable, and rooted in mutual respect. Based on Peace Direct extensive consultations process and expertise, they have developed this resource and provided insights on how to transform partnership in the sector for better practices.
First of all, we invite you to consult their complete guide, which offers accessible approaches to building and sustaining better partnerships between civil society. In addition to its content, Peace Direct’s process in developing this resource is a good example of a more equitable and decolonial process, away from the exploitative and extractive practices we often perpetuate in the sector.
Practical supporting resource: Transforming Partnerships in International Cooperation
A. Ground setting : Self-paced learnings on transforming partnerships
- Self-paced unit
- Organizational level
- Support material: Transforming Partnerships in International Cooperation
Description: This webinar was developed by Peace Direct and offered in the context of a collaboration with the ARC Hub. It focuses on how organizations can transform their partnerships to ensure they are genuinely collaborative, equitable, and rooted in mutual respect. Special attention is given to how power imbalances, particularly racialized dynamics, can be addressed in partnerships in the specific context of our sector.
B. Caselet activity
- 45 minutes
- Individual level
- Organizational level
- Interactive session (activities)
- Support material: Caselet PDF document
Description: Finally, we suggest you consolidate your learning by putting it into practice with this activity developed by Peace Direct! We suggest you carry out this activity as a team to discuss different perspectives and maximize the learning from this module. Of course, if you’re not in a position to do so, it’s possible to do the exercise individually and delve into your own practices and those of your organization to reflect in depth on how you could transform them.
This exercise should be undertaken in order. You can also refer to the PDF instructions below for easier understanding.
Activity ground setting
Framing: Keeping a decolonised framing to the scenario, highlighting the local organisation’s perspectives on the partnership session’. The aim of the session is to develop a sustainable approach to the problem that speaks to the needs and agendas of all parties involved. In decision making, it is important to centre the perspectives of the local partners – those who are directly, on a day-to-day basis, impacted by conflict and violence.
- All partners need to keep this in mind in order to shift power in their
roles. - Remind them about the principles of equality, mutuality, solidarity, humility, complementarity.
Overarching questions to consider:
- What happens when (discussed changes) are done? How will we know that the priorities and agendas of the local partner are centred in the process? How do we know if power has truly shifted to the local actor?
- What guidance is needed for the international partner involved in transition? What is the local partner’s role in the transition process?
Peace First is an international charity based in the UK. As part of the Strengthening Networks to Prevent and Respond to Violence project, the Global North based organisation has been partnered with a local peacebuilding organisation in Colombia, called Manos Solidarias. The partnership between the two organisations began in 2021 and ultimately aims to support local peace committees in developing and employing early warning systems and crisis response actions.
The partnership between Peace First and Manos Solidarias was agreed after Peace First employed a local peacebuilding consultant to conduct a scoping exercise to mapped out more than 20 organisations in Bogotá focussed on early warning networks across Colombia. The local peacebuilding consultant has been able to bridge the cultural differences between the two organisations by translating sector language so they are understood by both parties. Manos Solidarias was identified as most suitable for the partnership due to the alignment of short-term and long-term outcomes, as well as the fact that they are one of few women-led organisations in the peacebuilding arena. The local peacebuilding consultant was previously a coordinator at one of Peace First’s other partners in Bogotá and became an advisor to Peace First when their term had finished. They are a trusted member of the peacebuilding community in Bogotá.
The project deliverables have been successfully completed, with positive feedback from local communities engaged with Manos Solidarias, and the local protection committees have been strengthened via the coordination and support of Manos Solidarias. As the project enters its evaluation stage, occurring 3 months before the end of the two-year project, Peace First and Manos Solidarias are looking at next steps beyond the project.
Together, Peace First and Manos Solidarias submitted a grant proposal to the donor to expand the work, but it was unsuccessful. Unfortunately, the funder’s strategic priorities had changed, and they were looking to withdraw funding support from Colombia. As a result, Peace First and Manos Solidarias individually conducted an internal assessment to determine whether to continue the partnership. While both organisations conduct their assessments, Peace First have committed to giving the Manos Solidarias a small pot to keep their operations going for 3 months, and their other major grant is finishing up within the next 8 months. With no long-term funding available to continue activities and with the key project objectives achieved, Peace First is looking to transition out of the partnership. However, it was recognised that Peace First have little experience of partnership transitions and to-date, and their previous transitions have had a focus on organisational capacity strengthening with the intention that the local partner could act as their own prime in future grants going forward. This time, Peace First are questioning how they can better approach the transition in a way that supports the long-term goals of Manos Solidarias.
Manos Solidarias, on the other hand, concluded that the end of a partnership with PeaceFirst and the withdrawal of funding leaves them in a vulnerable position in terms of maintaining their community-based activities and sustaining peace in the region. The local staff are also concerned about job security, and the senior management is worried about staff turnover and the financial sustainability of the organisation.
Both Peace First and Manos Solidarias have yet to share the results of their internal
assessments. However, as part of the project evaluation, Peace First are organising
a meeting with Manos Solidarias and both have agreed to set some time aside to
talk through the future of the partnership.
- Please read the ‘Challenges’ laid out below, and the key areas of decision making. Then, within your group, discuss how you would process the transition using the ‘Decision Points’ laid out below. Remember to think about solutions from the perspectives of both Peace First and Manos Solidarias. What approaches might you take to ensure that sustainable transition occurs? How can the actors involved work together to achieve their vision of a decolonised partnership?
- When you are done, reflect on the transition process you have just discussed. What could be improved? Did you find any other challenges that were not included in the caselet? Was your transition dictated by the principles of equality, mutuality, solidarity, humility, complementarity?
- Peace First are unsure how to relay their intention to transition from the
partnership to Manos Solidarias. How can they communicate their desire to
transition in a way that is sensitive to Manos Solidarias? - Peace First has limited guidance on how to transition from the partnership in a responsible manner. How can both organisations work together to develop a transition plan that is supportive for both organisations?
- Peace First and the local staff of Manos Solidarias do not have the same
understanding of what a partnership transition means. A cultural and linguistic difference needs to be addressed. How can this be done? - Manos Solidarias’s main priority is preventing and responding to conflict. As a community-based organisation, their future depends on support from the community, but also from funding from partners. How can their future be maintained?
- The local community is aware that funding will be completely withdrawn in 8 months’ time. Some of the local staff are feeling disconcerted by the uncertainty of Manos Solidarias, where risks include high staff turnover and loss of institutional knowledge. In what ways can the local community’s concerns be addressed?
- The approach to communicating the desire to transition.
- Shared vision of the transition / the transition plan.
- The level of accompaniment throughout the transition.
- The point in the transition where responsibility shifts.
- The formal end to the transition
Post-Caselet Discussion Questions
Group reflexion questions:
- What else might be a challenge that wasn’t covered and how could you respond to improve the situation?
- What are the key takeaways that you are taking with you from this?
- How might you see these lessons applying to your future work with local partners or otherwise?