Balkan and Caucasus Regional: Training of Trainers Program (2009 - 2011)

Civil society organizations, such as think tanks, business associations, and chambers of commerce are important vehicles for democratic and market reform in the Balkan and Caucasus regions. Yet, before they can fulfill that role, they must themselves exhibit democratic ideas in the way they organize and operate. Many associations require outside support in order to gain a solid membership base, to be effective in their advocacy efforts, and to strengthen their internal governance mechanisms.

In response, CIPE will develop a base of local professional trainers and facilitators throughout the region to assist local business associations and chambers of commerce. CIPE will combine international best practices with local realities and thus, business associations in the region will be able to have reliable and easy access to the most current knowledge and skills.

This project aims to strengthen business associations in the Balkans and Caucasus by developing a permanent network of trainers, facilitators, and consultants for the region.

The project will help develop skills for assisting local organizations for effective advocacy, strategic planning, membership development and successful communication with government and public authorities. This project specifically recognizes the value of local experts and trainers in understanding the subtleties of local political environments.

Ultimately, the purpose of the program is to help the participants develop the professional skills allowing them to become a valuable resource for the associations in their respective countries.

The project comprises two stages, the first of which was initiated in 2009 and completed in 2010. The first stage included an online training phase, which exposed the participants to the basics of organization management. More specifically, the participants were introduced to essential organization management topics, such as: the role of business associations and chambers of commerce; strategic planning; structure and governance; programs and services; membership development; advocacy; and finally, communication and public relations.

The participants were evaluated on the basis of their participation in weekly discussions on the project website (www.associationmentoring.com), as well as a number of written assignments. Throughout the online training phase, each participant received assistance and customized feedback from three CIPE experts.

The online training phase was followed by a seminar, which was held in Bucharest, in May 2010. The seminar allowed the participants to delve deeper into the issues discussed during the online training phase, and also exposed them to the essentials of verbal and written presentations. Each participant delivered a presentation on a topic of their choice and received customized feedback.

In order to provide further customized assistance to the participants, four seminars were organized in each of the countries that were represented in the project (Moldova, Serbia, Armenia and Azerbaijan). The local workshops were meant to allow the participants to make the transition from being practitioners in a certain sector to being able to cross the boundaries of their own field and facilitate sessions on a variety of business association management topics, for various sectors. Moreover, the seminars sought to address the needs of local business support organizations.

Each of the presenters was invited to choose a business association management topic beforehand and to deliver a presentation in front of an audience including the presenters’ peers, as well as guests from other business associations.

The second stage of this project started in October 2010 takes the participants one step farther by giving them the opportunity to analyze and respond to a number of organization’s training needs, with the help of specific CIPE diagnostic tools. Throughout this stage, the participants will receive customized feedback and assistance from CIPE experts through the online platform that was also used during the first stage of the project. The second stage is currently in progress.

At the end of this project, the participants will have acquired the necessary knowledge and skills to act as experts, consultants, and trainers for business associations at the grassroots level. They will work to consolidate and strengthen the still-fragile democracy in the respective countries by becoming a conduit for knowledge transfer, skill building, and local expertise among local associations.

Not only will the organizations employ them as consultants, trainers, and partners in international or regional projects, but also as facilitators for events involving group discussions (for example, board retreats or annual meetings).

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