ACCORD hosted a workshop in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal from 31 January to 1 February 2024, to reflect on the institution’s training methodology and trainer development process. The process provided the opportunity for ACCORD to critically evaluate the training programmes and activities undertaken in recent years.
This reflection exercise, led by Philip Visser and René Ngwenya, focussed on updating ACCORD’s trainer development pathway and ensuring that the institution’s capacity-building programmes are responsive to participant needs while aligning with ACCORD’s core objectives. The team in attendance were encouraged to reflect on the recent training events and programmes they had implemented and to draw out lessons on both the conveyance of technical expertise and the management of the events themselves from a logistics and planning perspective. The workshop also covered adult learning methodologies, and how ACCORD could best shape the training environment to both maximise the transfer of knowledge and encourage participants to draw lessons from their own experiences.
ACCORD has implemented several long-term interventions in recent years. These include a training of trainers (ToT) programme for non-governmental and community-based organisations, a ToT programme in partnership with United Cities and Local Governments of Africa, and a capacity-strengthening initiative for local South African women-led organisations. The institution views these, and other training activities, as strategic interventions into a conflict or potential conflict environment. Therefore, training interventions are designed holistically and in a context-sensitive manner, in consultation with partner and stakeholder groups.
The insights gained from this reflection exercise will be utilised by ACCORD to design training interventions that are better suited and more responsive to the peace and security landscape. In 2024, ACCORD plans to launch a number of training initiatives, including long-term capacity building programmes such as a South African Peacebuilding Initiative on Women, Peace and Security, and a Training of Trainers Programme for Civil Society Organisations.
