Guidelines for the trainees for pilot implementation of the phase 1

Communication for development

 

These guidelines have been prepared for the trainees who attended the first workshop of the Training program on Communication Management at PPD  Bamiyan (26-31 March 2007).

The training programme focuses on the communication methodologies required for generating trust and cooperation within the organizations and between public institutions and civil society actors, in order to reinforce democratic and accountable governance.

 

The Training program is divided in 5 phases:

-           Workshop 1; held at Bamiyan in March 2007  (26-30).

-           Pilot implementation first phase  (April-May-June)

-           Workshop 2; to be held in Bamiyan (23-27 July)

-           Pilot implementation second phase (August-September-October)

-           Final symposium  (November 2007).

 

The training programme intends to built capacity so that the training direct beneficiaries, supported by the training facilitators, will be able to:

-           prepare communication plans for supporting and facilitating the implementation of development plans in Bamiyan province and facilitate better coordination between Government agencies, civil society actors, international organizations and the beneficiary population.

-           discuss with government officials and development programme managers the plans drafted, so that some part of the communication plan could be integrated into the development activities being presently undertaken in Bamiyan province;

-           arrive at a consensus over some communication activities to be put into practice (the draft plan prepared becomes an operational plan for communication activities to be carried out in Bamiyan).

-           Implement the operational plan on a experimental basis.

 

During the Workshop 1; held at Bamiyan in March 2007, trainees have addressed the following knowledge areas:

·       What is communication

·       Why communication is important.

·       Communication as a Technique and Communication as an art

·       Information and Communication: what is the difference?

·       The two levels of communication: sending messages and building a human relationship.

·       Communication for managing organizations and projects: why we need a communication plan.

·       How to plan communication management for projects

·       How to analyze stakeholders and their information needs.

·       What are the most important communication skills in team leadership.

·       What is a Communication Climate and why it is important to build a positive climate.

·       Listening and feedbacks

·       Encouraging Openness

·       Communicating Credibility   

·       Building a Climate of Trust

·       Behaviours that Endanger Trust

·       Four Basic Steps for Resolving Conflict

·       Guidelines for Effective Listening During a Conflict

·       Addressing Resistance

·       Addressing the Belief that the Project has been Handled Improperly

·       Addressing the Belief that the Project will fail

For further details please see at http://www.kautilya.bluedomino.com/training_schedule_communication.htm;  there you will find the links to the documents illustrating more extensively the topics illustrated during the workshop.

Now we are in the Pilot implementation first phase  (April-May-June).  After the workshops, trainees continue to be assisted and supported in the application of the knowledge and skills acquired in their ordinary routines within their own organizations and departments.  Amir Foladi  and Harish Vashistha will offer support from PPD, while Stefano De Santis will provide support at distance, by telecommuting, through communication through the Internet (e-mail and web pages at www.kautilya.bluedomino.com).

 

These guidelines are providing some indication of what we can do in order to achieve the expected results of the first phase of pilot implementation.

-           Group by activity sector: trainees are invited to form small group and address specific development areas where they can make an actual contribution. So, for instance, Government employees working in the health sector can address the communication needs of health planning in Bamiyan; women working in advocacy can address specifically the communication issues of advocacy for women empowerment, etc.  Individuals can also decide to join more than one group, provided they really contribute to them.

-           Once the group is formed be sure to generate a good team spirit (see http://www.kautilya.bluedomino.com/output_oriented/team_building.htm ;  http://www.kautilya.bluedomino.com/output_oriented/togetherness.htm ; http://www.kautilya.bluedomino.com/impact_oriented/working_effectively_in_teams.htm )

-           Identify an action (or a project, a programme) where you think that you could contribute by designing and implementing a communication plan.  Either you can consider communication as a facilitating process (i.e. a process that identifies the stakeholders, analyze their information requirements, establishes a modality to collect and deliver the required information in a appropriate manner using appropriate tools).  Or you can consider an explicit project output to be delivered through a communication action (e.g. make local population aware of the consequences of early interruption of TBC treatment …)

-           Prepare an information plan using the templates provided during the workshop 1:  www.kautilya.bluedomino/templates/Project_Stakeholder_Analysis_Template.doc www.kautilya.bluedomino/templates/templates/Project_Responsibility_Matrix_Template.doc  www.kautilya.bluedomino/templates/ templates/Communication_Plan_Template.xls

-           If you need additional information you can consult the resources prepared for you on the Internet (translation in Dari is in progress: you can ask help at PPD office):  

o         Identifying Stakeholders :  www.kautilya.bluedomino/templates/ output_oriented/project_management/identifying_stakeholders.htm

o         Analyse the communication needs of each stakeholders: www.kautilya.bluedomino/templates/ output_oriented/analyse_the_communication_needs_.htm

o         Identify the information for fulfilling the information needs of each stakeholder: www.kautilya.bluedomino/templates/ output_oriented/project_management/communicate_with_project_stakeho.htm

o         Identify the Method and the Effort Required: www.kautilya.bluedomino/templates/ output_oriented/identify_the_method_and_the_effo.htm

o         Prioritize the Communication Options: www.kautilya.bluedomino/templates/ output_oriented/prioritize_the_communication_opt.htm

-           Chose the appropriate communication instruments  (you can also see their main list in the page www.kautilya.bluedomino/templates/ communication_skill/2_________communication_instrume.htm

-           Prepare a separate document where you identify the communication skills required by the team for successfully manage the communication plan.  Remember the related topics we have seen in the workshop; you can consult the documents collected at the following address   www.kautilya.bluedomino/templates/ communication_skill/communication_skill.htm

-           Discuss the plan with PPD facilitators;  have a correspondence with Stefano by e-mail using the following email address: stedesantis@yahoo.co.uk  

-           Once you have prepared a draft plan discuss it with the other stakeholders, especially with the persons responsible for authorizing the activities and for providing the resources.

-           Modify the plan as per their indications and contributions.

-           Start working at the plan and specify to training facilitators what are the skills that you would like to improve as they are needed for the efficacious implementation of the communication plan. (you can also see their main list in the page
www.kautilya.bluedomino/templates/ communication_skill/2_________communication_instrume.htm

 

Remember that the objective of the training programme is to enable you to move forward autonomously, thus developing your own capacity of giving solutions. That is why the programme (besides the traditional training and assistance in the workshop) this programme includes this “pilot implementation phases”.  In this learn-by-doing process the facilitators will continue to guide and assist you during your work.  Do not hesitate to write e-mails to Stefano and to go to PPD to ask for support.

 

Following activities

Workshop 2; to be held in Bamiyan between 23rd to 27th  July.  See the proposed schedule of the workshop 2 at the following address:   www.kautilya.bluedomino/templates/ ppd/training_schedule_communication_2.htm

Facilitators will better tailor the schedule to your requirements once your communication plans are prepared and you have identified the communication instruments and modalities that you intend to use.

                                                                           

After the workshop 2 we will have:

-           Pilot implementation second phase (August-September-October)

-           Final symposium  (November 2007).