Resources

This is a workbook designed for people concerned about the local economy and who want to measure how different parts of the economy are working. This workbook describes LM3 measuring tool that has been tried and tested in various sectors across the UK. This workbook is a manual of how to use the tool, and is structured around four key sections: the money trail; a how-to-guide for using LM3; troubleshooting and finally taking action. The workbook concludes with some appendixes about flowcharts, surveys and data management.

This guide is about using monitoring and evaluation (M&E) to improve the impact of IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development)-supported projects working with rural poverty alleviation and rural development. The focus is on a learning approach to M&E that uses achievements and problems for better decision-making and accountability. It requires creating an M&E system that helps primary stakeholders, implementing partners and project staff learn together in order to improve their development interventions on a continual basis. Because the ultimate objective is to ensure the maximum possible benefit for the rural poor, they are the ones best placed to assess project impact. The Guide suggests ideas for implementing this and other forms of participatory M&E. It includes the following set of booklets with sections going through the steps of M&E: introducing the M&E guide; using M&E to manage for impact; linking project design, annual planning and M&E; setting up the M&E system; deciding what to monitor and evaluate; gathering, managing and communicating information; putting in place the necessary capacities and conditions; and reflecting critically to improve action. The guide kit also includes five annexes with a glossary of M&E concepts and terms; an annotated example of a project logframe matrix and logframe explanation; an annotated example of an M&E matrix; methods for monitoring and evaluation; and sample job descriptions and terms of reference for key M&E tasks.

This handbook is a guide for ordinary people to understand what is going on in their local economy so that they can be involved in decision-making. The handbook is responding to a need of residents involved in local decision-making to feel comfortable about decisions relating to the local economy. Based on work with communities in the UK, the handbook addresses local involvement in community economic decisions and looks at how local businesses can link to outside investment or strong skill bases that can benefit the wider community. The handbook is divided into four main sections: introduction; theory: understanding the local economy; preparing: a step-by-step guide to plugging the leaks; and action: co-ordinating the program, information gathering, raising awareness and ready to go. The handbook concludes with detailed appendixes about the case studies as well as some worksheets, surveys and ideas.

This book provides 21 sets of participatory ideas and activities for facilitators, trainers, teachers and anyone who organises and manages workshops, courses, classes or other events for sharing and learning, and in particular for people wishing to approach this in a lively and interactive fashion. The book is divided into six parts, part 1 begins with a brief overview of the basics, part 2 provides ideas for the beginning, middle and end of a participatory workshop, including ideas for getting started, energizers and ideas for evaluation, part 3 is entitled Messing Up and prepares even the most experienced facilitator for unforeseen eventualities, part 4 provides practical tips for group work, seating arrangements and coping with large numbers, part 5 covers analysis and learning and part 6, behaviour and awareness. There is also a section at the end providing source ideas for trainers and facilitators. This book is designed to make sharing, learning and teaching more participatory, enjoyable and effective, and can be used in a wide range of organisations, for an equally diverse range of reasons.

This manual is designed for trainers and facilitators who have an interest in improving the facilitation skills of field workers in the context of community forestry development. The manual is designed as part of a facilitation training package supported by a training video that helps the trainer bring real life scenes from the field into the classroom. The training sessions described have been effectively used within a wide range of audiences all over Asia, including field workers, extension workers, college teachers and managers. Practical suggestions are given for how to adapt and use the manual for different target groups and contexts. The focus of the manual is on the facilitation of groups and group processes in meetings. The manual is divided into 9 main sections, including preparing for the job; setting the context of the training; participatory decision-making; facilitation fundamentals; core roles of a facilitator; practicing facilitation skills; integrating skillsÆ optional sessions and annexes.|The video lasts for 2 hours and is designed to accompany the training manual. It consists of a series of short film clips that are self-contained and can be watched separately. Each clip shows a sequence of scenes of a facilitator in action or interviewed reflecting on their experiences. The video is divided into 4 main sections: basics, roles, challenges and skills. Within each section, specific issues are addressed such as what is facilitation; role of the facilitator; attitudes and group dynamics; integrating tools into the meeting process; dealing with controversial issues; dealing with dominance and facilitating multi-stakeholder meetings; facilitating reflection and using energisers.