building a community of practice

BUILDING A COMMUNITY BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICEOF PRACTICE

Question 1: What is the Question 1: What is the mission of our network?mission of our network?

To share knowledge and experiences. To extract lessons to improve dialogue

interventions for the organizations that are members of the network.

To optimize resources and to support national and local capacities for democratic dialogue to enhance sustainable impact.


To learn about, promote and link inclusive dialogue processes that:– Strengthen democratic governance– Prevent and/or resolve violent conflict and– Build trust and confidence that leads to

sustainable results.


To create, generate, and share knowledge To promote consensus, prevent and manage

conflicts To improve democratic processes To include training and broaden participation To promote democratic dialogue as a more widely

used, understood, practiced and applied tool at a global, regional and local level

To take forward democracy and civil participation To build capacity (social, political)


Contribute to democratic transformation by strengthening governability (social and economic sustainability) and by increasing participation of the population.

To create a space for sharing and learning about dialogue.

Principles: analyze and understand the context; understand how dialogue relates to other tools of conflict resolution and democratic development; learning among ourselves; acting together; keep it simple; avoid bureaucratization; capacity-building

Question 1: Possible mission Question 1: Possible mission statementstatement

To create a space to share knowledge and experiences, and extract lessons learned to improve dialogue interventions for the organizations that are members of the network.

To coordinate institutional efforts for dialogue promotion and to optimize resources.

To enhance local and national capacities for democratic development by:

– Building trust and confidence that leads to sustainable results– Improving inclusive democratic processes to strengthen democratic

governance and democratization– Promoting consensus and responding to crises and complex

problems To understand the conditions for using democratic dialogue and

how it is related to other tools for conflict resolution and democratic development

Question 2: Tools and ProductsQuestion 2: Tools and Products

First step: mapping Website (chat rooms, events, activity reports) in

different languages Directory of contracts for networking (internal and

external to the networks) Directory of dialogue practitioners Manuals Conceptual frameworks (definitions, typology, other

variables) Comparative research (for mapping, best practices) Relevant bibliographies


Monitoring reports (issue of sustainability) Handbook for dialogue practitioners Meetings and workshops at the global,

regional and country level, including physical and virtual self-selected working groups

Assessment reports (to assess needs of stakeholders and define capacity-building strategy)

Make specialized personnel available (SWAT Team)


Step 2: Systematization Systematized (simplified) evaluation

methodologies Synthesis of dialogue evaluations Standard reporting customized to various

types of dialogue Gather knowledge, collect best practices and

comparative analysis of dialogue experiences


Step 3: Common products Video documentary with dialogue stories – for training

and awareness Capacity building module (training) Develop analytical tools, indicators, and trends

analysisOther tools: Use of the media Promote country-based communities of practice Train trainers

Question 3: Key issues and Question 3: Key issues and challengeschallenges

A. FOR THE NETWORK To expand and sustain the community

– Develop a strategic plan– Secure funding, dedicated personnel (BDP/BCPR)– Bring in other regions (replication)– Create steering committee– Bring in practitioners and local actors– Define institutional roles (UNDP leadership role and

strengthen involvement of the OAS)– Strengthen trust– Make sure information flows – Sustain energy between meetings


To expand and sustain the community (cont.)– Outreach to new members: EU, OSCE, Civicus

Regional and global human rights organizations?

– Be inclusive of grassroots and national organizations– Overcoming TURF issues – complementing each other and

working together– Networks must be lively referral systems and must assess

how it influences real problems and real situations– Create a common language within the community


B. ON DIALOGUE Challenge for the group going forward is to be able to

explain how deep, transformative dialogue fits into all of the different conflict management tools -- but certainly not to try to demonstrate that it is a solution applicable to all types of conflicts.

In the case of a destructive crisis, where there is a time constraint, democratic dialogue might not work quickly enough to quell violence. Seems like DD processes are well suited in the prevention and post conflict stage and not necessarily at the height of conflicts.


Influencing political and economic leaders Explore the role of the media Coordinate crisis interventions Gender, age/youth. How to incorporate these

components into the design process? Who are the participants? What are their

responsibilities?


Issue of timeframes and sustainability– How do dialogues evolve and become

sustainable?

Evaluation: objective analysis, during and after the process

How can the benefits of democratic dialogue re-legitimize the democratic process? (link with democratic institutions)

building a community of practice

Documents