Capitalising on Local Knowledge - Community knowledge exchange

Step 1: Shared Vision for development

Step 2: Developing the exchange concept

Step 3: Preparatory processes

Step 4: Knowledge exchange visit

Step 5: Feedback & Planning

Step 6: The way ahead

Step 1: Shared vision for development

What will an improved situation look like?
What opportunities do we see?
What resources and constraints do we have?

Developing a shared vision
Before embarking on a community exchange process, it is essential that the initiating community should have made a start with its own development process. Ascertain that most members of the community share a vision for development. This might be expressed in a vision statement, or something that people articulate verbally. If no current vision has been articulated, facilitate a community process that will develop one. Make sure that most members of the community understand and “own” it. Identifying opportunities for knowledge exchange Next, develop the knowledge exchange concept with community members. For example, if their vision includes community based tourism, but they have little idea of how to go about setting up an initiative, explore the concept of linking them up with other communities that have some positive experiences of community based toursim and are willing to share these with others.

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Step 2: Developing the exchange concept

Share ideas
Consult potential facilitation team members
Set learning objectives
Assess needs & resources for the exchange
Identify communities to be visited
Consult with communities to be visited
Write & submit project proposal

Facilitation team
Establish a facilitation team with various role players through networking and formal liaison. It is good to have a mix of skills and institutional responsibilities on your team. The skills you will need to draw on could include facilitation, participatory planning, monitoring and evaluation, organisation and logistics, conflict resolution and money management.

Members of the community might well have the skills needed on the facilitation team. If it is appropriate, invite them to form, or join the facilitation team.

Other NGOs can usually contribute a lot, and if they participate your working relationship with them can be strengthened. Likewise, local government and other government agencies should be engaged so that they are able to understand and follow up on the new initiatives that emerge. Look at what they can contribute, as well as what the project can contribute to developing their capacities.

The facilitation team will need to have a comprehensive set of skills and capacities. Once the team has formed, the members should assess what skills they will need to facilitate the visit, and the developmental processes that are likely to follow from it. Training and support to the team should help its members to acquire desired additional skills.

Set learning objectives
It is important for the members of the initiating community to set the objectives for the visit. Those members who will not be able to travel should also contribute to this exercise so that their ownership of the process will be strengthened, and their issues and questions can also be addressed.

Needs and resources
Depending on what learning objectives need to be met, assess how far the group will need to travel, and what resources are available within the community, or from support agencies.

Communities to be visited
Once the learning objectives are set, and you have an idea of the resources that are available, you can start discussing potential communities to be visited. This process can take place in many different ways: you can brainstorm with community members and service providers, present various alternatives that at least one informant knows about, and let the participants choose.

Proposal writing and submission
Only once the concept is developed at community level should you develop a proposal. Don’t put the cart in front of the horse! If you do, it will be seen as your initiative, and not the community’s. Before you submit the proposal to a donor community representatives should have a chance to review the proposal and change it if necessary.

Waiting for funding approval
Once the proposal is submitted, you will have to wait for funding. Allow enough time for the proposal to be approved, and keep in touch with the community to let them know what progress is being made. If you would like to conduct the community exchange at a certain time of the year, make sure the donor can grant the funding in good time. This can be broadly framed in the proposal to allow for the unexpected!

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Step 3: Preparatory processes

Facilitation team workshop
Preparatory planning workshop
Matchmaking with local host communities
Logistics

Facilitation team workshop
Once your facilitation team has been identified, hold a team formation workshop. Information about the community and its developmental issues can be shared, and a common methodology and set of skills developed.

It will be important for the facilitation team to have a clear agreement about what they expect from one another, how they will support the process and each other, and how they will address problems that may arise. A contract developed between the members of the team should describe how these aspects will be addressed. See the “Team Contract” exercise 10.

You should also decide how you will facilitate the evaluation of the project with the participants, and plan any necessary next steps.

Preparatory and planning workshops
Preparatory and planning workshops with the community are essential at this stage. You may be able to combine these two steps, but it will add value if they can be held on two separate occasions. The emerging ideas should be firmed up, so that everyone understands what they will be trying to learn about and share, and how they will do this.

It is also important to think about how the delegates for the visit will be selected, and to identify the necessary selection criteria. After the community members have made their selection, plan together how these representatives will share information back to the larger community after the visit has taken place. Assign the necessary roles to individuals.

Now that the participants have been identified, they will have to learn how to form an effective learning team. One of the critical stages in this process will be to establish a team contract, or code of conduct for the group. The team contract will help the group to avoid certain types of behaviour that might be distracting or destructive (for example, drinking alcohol or making sexual advances). The team contract should also support positive behaviour, such as providing feedback and support for one another. See the exercise 10: Team Contract in the Exercises for processes section.

Matchmaking
In the planning workshop you should also finally agree on which partner communities will be visited, and ensure that resource people can give the participants a good idea of what these communities can offer. Once the choice is finally made, agree on who will communicate with them about logistics and what the visiting community would like to learn about.

Logistics for community exchange visits
Based on the outcome of the planning workshop, finalise logistics and planning with all of the partners. Send them copies of the learning objectives from the planning meeting, so that they also understand very clearly what the visitors are coming for. Double check to make sure that everyone shares the same understanding of plans, times and logistics. Set up contingency plans in case things go wrong.

Make sure that you have agreed on whom is carrying the risks involved. The donor will not be responsible for any accidents or sickness. If you need any insurance, agree on this, and arrange it.

Logistics & learning
Well-prepared logistics help to enhance the learning experience. Think of the knowledge exchange process as the journey, and the learning objectives as the destination. Logistics can be thought of the vehicle and the fuel in the tank that enables you to undertake the journey. But remember, a journey without a clear destination is rather pointless.

When the learning processes are being designed it is important to also think carefully about the logistics. Logistics are not the most important aspect of the exchanges, but without sound logistics participants will be faced with uncomfortable or unpleasant situations that will not enhance their learning experience, and might completely disrupt them. Careful planning should consider the needs of the participants and host communities, as well as local conditions, infrastructure and likely threats.

Drawing up a budget
To manage the community exchange smoothly it is important to draw up a budget of all the expenditures that are expected during the trip. The budget should reflect what the organisers will pay for, such as meals, accommodation and transport. It is useful to keep an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses such as medical emergencies or vehicle breakdowns, especially when the exchange visit will be to a distant area or another country.

Ensure that the budget is in line with the funds that are available for the exchange visit. Ensure that participants understand clearly what items are budgeted for, and which expenses they will be personally responsible for (such as tobacco, sweets or telephone calls to home).

Travel arrangements
The mode of transport appropriate for an exchange will differ according to available budgets, local conditions and preferences. Whatever mode of transport is decided upon, it is important that the facilitation team and the participants are informed about the type of transport, the route to be taken, the planned stopovers and the catering arrangements for a longer journey.

Useful equipment
A pen and a notebook will enable participants and members of the facilitation team them to document their learning and to make notes for private reflection. Illiterate people might also want to draw things that are significant to them. Notes are important for the feedback process after the exchanges.

Maps are a useful tool, and a simple sketch map of the route can also be invaluable to help participants orient themselves.

Flip chart, cards, marker pens and masking tape are useful for some of the reflection processes during the exchange.

A camera is an important tool to document the visit and can be used to help the participants share what they have learnt during the exchange visit. A video camera can also be invaluable for recording the process and sharing experiences with those members of the community who have to remain at home.

Preparation of participants
Participants should be well prepared and informed about the programme and travel arrangements, documentation (such as passports etc) that they might need and special items they would have to bring from home. Well prepared participants will be more relaxed, open to new experiences and learning opportunities and less likely to hold up the rest of the group because of unforeseen problems.

The preparation process should draw on the skills and experiences of the participants as well as the facilitation team. If the visit will be to a place about which none of them has much knowledge, call on someone who has this knowledge to help. If the preparation process is truly participatory, people will not only be better prepared, but they will also have a stronger sense of self-responsibility for the journey and its outcomes.

Arrangements with hosts
Ensure that the hosts have a clear understanding of why the visit is being carried out, and who the guests will be (numbers, gender, age and, if need be, status). The host community should be well informed about the programme of the visit and any special requirements participants might have during the trip. Overnight facilities and workshop venues should be appropriate, and should suit guests and hosts alike.

It might be necessary to inform the traditional leaders of the participating communities to get permission for the exchange. Traditional leaders will also be able to share important knowledge about the local culture and customs.

Roles of facilitation team members
It is helpful to discuss and decide on different roles and responsibilities to be taken on by the various facilitation team members. It is also important to clarify how the facilitation team members are going to stay in touch during the exchanges.

Dealing with emergencies
It is important to be prepared for any anticipated emergency. Make sure there is a first aid kit on board, and that a participant or facilitation team member is able to apply first aid measures. Find out about the infrastructure of the area you are travelling in and take into account special medical needs of participants (chronic illnesses, allergies etc.). For longer journeys you might want to consider medical insurance for the participants.

Click here for a checklist for logistics

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Step 4: Knowledge exchange visit

Share experiences
Experiential learning
Regular reflection to deepen learning

The knowledge exchange visit
Before you leave on the journey, prepare a written programme so that everyone has the same point of reference to know what has been planned. When you distribute it, make sure that it is understood by all, and that the travellers share a strong sense of responsibility for the journey. Ensure that they are able to consciously co-direct it, and to make modifications to the programme if need be. Avoid taking them from place to place as passive passengers.

The travellers will probably find the shared journey to new places very stimulating, as well as the rich experiences of getting to know people who share similar challenges and aspirations, and learning about what they have done. However, be aware that a journey to a strange place can also be disorienting and distressing. Hold a briefing session once you have left home, but before you arrive at the first destination. This will be a good opportunity to review the programme, the team contract, and the roles (such as rapporteur) that have been accepted by individuals. This will give the participants a chance to address any doubts or questions, and to focus on the purpose and process of the journey.

Facilitation during the community exchanges
In the host communities, some basic process will help. Make sure that people have a chance to introduce themselves, and get to know each other. Workshops can be invaluable to share information about local initiatives in a focused manner. Supplement this with smaller group interactions to learn more experientially about the local initiatives. By “touch, feel and do” activities participants can learn tacitly about the undertakings of the various hosting groups.

Be open to unpredicted opportunities. Even logistical problems can offer new opportunities to gain insight and learn.

Farewell ceremonies are important not only for expressing thanks, but also for exchanging contact details for future networking. Small gifts from the visiting communities, representing their unique culture or flora will be greatly valued, and remind people of the visit.

Learning events & reflection
After each stage of the journey the participants should evaluate and share their reflections while their impressions are still fresh. It is never easy to do this, because people are often tired and have other priorities. However, if you miss the moment, it is very difficult to capture the learnings later. This is not just about having material for the report, or for the facilitation team: it is a very important learning process for the participants.

Reflection can be undertaken on either group or an individual basis. Group reflection is important because it gives participants an opportunity to share their learnings, and to express any problems that they are having in a way that will help the group to find solutions. It can strengthen group purpose and cohesion.

It is also valuable to record the experiences and impressions of individuals. A de-briefing after the exchange visit will be most useful if it is structured to help people to address questions such as:

• The purpose of the visit?
• What activities were undertaken?
• What difficulties were experienced, and how were these addressed?
• What were the outcomes of the process?
• What was learned about how to conduct an exchange process?

Write down what participants have to say about their experiences. It is more effective to record the conversation using a tape recorder. If the de-briefing can be recorded on video, it will provide material for sharing with others who want to learn from the experience.

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Step 5: Feedback & Planning

Report back to the community
Sharing the experience

Feedback & planning workshops
It is essential to share back with those who stayed at home what was seen and learned, so that any future planning can include as many members of the community as possible. For this it will help to have reports prepared by the rapporteurs, and to use any photographs or other materials. The report back workshop should conclude with a planning session, in which the community members decide what they want to do, and how they will go about it. Do not make the mistake of undertaking the follow-up yourself: let people keep the ownership for their ideas and initiatives.

Sharing the experience
Once you have completed the project, or even before, it is important to prepare dissemination materials in appropriate formats (photo reports, popular articles, etc). In this way you can share the richness of the experience with others. And of course you will also have to submit a full project report, including a financial report, to the donor.

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Step 6: The way ahead

Contribution to larger scale development processes
Local processes utilise new knowledge
Developing new intiatives

Next steps
Once the group has returned to its community, the feedback workshops have been held successfully, and reports of the community exchanges written, the actual work can begin…

The knowledge exchange will have stimulated people to undertake new initiatives, or to re-invigorate and perhaps re-direct existing initiatives. These processes will probably require new skills, further knowledge and possibly material support. Ideally, your knowledge exchange project will also include some resources for follow up training and capacity development (see 2. Process Design, Step 2 Developing the exchange concept, Proposal writing and submission, page 14). Now is the time to draw on these resources, and to identify the right people to satisfy the needs.

Wider perspectives will also enable people to understand how their local initiative relates to wider processes at community, district or state level. Follow-up activities should also include linking in with these processes in appropriate ways: informing planners and decision makers in government of the emerging resource needs, ensuring that local initiatives contribute to local development forums and planning exercises, etc.

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Community Exchange, Visit Shantumbu- Petauke, Zambia

Regular reflection is an important opportunity to share and deepen the learning while travelling. (Suid Bokkeveld, South Africa)

In the feedback sessions community members can share what they saw and what they learnt (Suid Bokkeveld, South Africa)

One of the new initiatives is the Heiveld Co-operative which markets fair trade and organic rooibos tea. In the picture: Nolene Kotze, Magrieta Sass and Katriena Fortuin who package the tea (Suid Bokkeveld, South Africa)

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