Capacity Building Model Research Articles

Study Report on Optimum Utilisation Plan of Ngoma 22 Irrigation Scheme

The study was conducted in Ngoma 22 irrigation scheme located in Remera and Rurenge sectors of Ngoma District in Eastern Province of Rwanda between November 2018 and January 2019. It was recommended by RAB Board of Directors. The methodology used encompasses the study area, sampling procedures, data collection and analysis tools. The main data collection tool used was FGD which targeted site agronomists and household head farmers producing rice, fruits and vegetables as high value crops in the scheme area. Through pair wise ranking technique most profitable cash crops in the scheme were ranked as follows: (1) tree tomato, (2) maracuja, (3) egg plants, (4) water melon, (5) tomato, (6) irish potatoes, (7) french beans, (8) onions, (9) carrots, (10) cabbages, (11) beetroots. From this point of views, findings from the study show only two most profitable crops: maracuja with 696 Frw/kg followed by tree tomato with Frw 249 Frw/kg. The third ranked cash crop being Irish potato (with a loss of -40 Frw/kg), the fourth is egg plant with a loss of- 177 Frw. The existing paddy rice production has shown a loss of – 270 Frw inspite the water availability all the year-round. Maize and bush bean show respectively losses of -543 Frw/kg and -1743 Frw. Hence it is understandable why farmers in the scheme area have already abandoned maize and beans cultivation. Findings show also water fees (20,000 Frw/season) determined based on maintenance costs and farmers income. For capacity building model, more than one thousand beneficiary farmers in Ngoma 22 Irrigation Scheme need strong farmer organisation for ownership of the scheme and increased profitability. To that effect, they need continued capacity building as stated in the tripartite IMTA: administrative and financial management, record keeping, and conflicts resolution management, integrated water management, operation and maintenance of irrigation infrastructures, best agricultural practices for sustainable farmers’ organisations and commercial farming. Key recommendations include fixing minimum prices for agricultural products in relation to costs of production- or setting subsidy prices, increase yield for each crop by meeting all requirements: lime, fertilisers and improvement of irrigation technologies in order to reach automatically increased yield. Farmers should continue to leave out traditional crops and adopt profitable cash crops identified in this study (e.g maracuja and tree tomato). They should also increase the ownership spirit through IWUA and cooperatives performance. They should adopt collective marketing of their products and pay water fees per season.

Transformative social work education through a joint MSW programme: from participatory action research to policy and practice innovation in China

ABSTRACT In China, social work was reestablished in 1988. Despite the number of social work programmes increased very fast throughout the 1990s, there was a huge need for social work-trained educators. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Peking University launched the MSW (China) Programme in 2000 to create a critical mass of social work educators who would assume future leadership in social work development in mainland China. Participatory action research was employed as a methodology to explore how social work education could transform students into catalysts for social work education and social development. Purposive sampling was adopted, and seven cohorts totaling 238 graduates who graduated from the programme were the participants in this research. Data collection and analysis were carried out throughout the action research process. We found the triple capacity building model to be a good pedagogy to foster transformation among participants, and to steer the knowledge co-creation, practice innovation, policy reform, and social change through social work education. In this paper, we will provide an overview of the background, vision, and mission, as well as the teaching pedagogy of the programme and a case study to demonstrate how social work education has an impact on policy and practice innovation in China.

Biogas production and techno‐economic feasibility studies of setting up household biogas technology in Africa: A critical review

AbstractThis critical review examines the potential of household biogas technology in Africa, focusing on biogas production and techno‐economic feasibility studies. The review highlights the benefits of biogas technology, including renewable energy generation, waste management, and improved public health. A significant portion of Africa's rural population, approximately 60%, grapples with limited access to reliable power sources. The study analyzes various biogas production systems, including anaerobic digesters and biomass gasifiers, and evaluates their economic viability in different African contexts. The review identifies key factors influencing the adoption of household biogas technology, including policy and regulatory frameworks, financing mechanisms, and public awareness. Biogas production stands out as one of the promising renewable energy sources. However, it also discusses the challenges and limitations of implementing this technology on a continental scale. The study analyzes various biogas production systems, including anaerobic digesters and biomass gasifiers, and evaluates their economic viability in different African contexts. The review identifies key factors influencing the adoption of household biogas technology, including policy and regulatory frameworks, financing mechanisms, and public awareness. The study concludes by recommending strategies for scaling up biogas technology in Africa, including capacity building, technology transfer, and innovative financing models. The review aims to provide a comprehensive resource for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners working towards sustainable energy solutions in Africa.

Enhancing food access in a comprehensive cancer center area of influence through local partner capacity building.

Food insecurity, an economic and social condition of limited food access, is associated with poor diet quality-a risk factor for several common cancers. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center supports healthy food access through community-led evidence translation by actively partnering with community-based organizations (CBOs). These partnerships aim to enhance the capacity of food assistance CBOs to effectively implement evidence-based food insecurity mitigation programs in the cancer center's area of influence. This case study aims to describe the cancer center's model for local food access capacity building and detail operationalization in the context of a whole-community cancer prevention effort (Be Well Baytown) in Baytown, Texas. Elements central to the capacity building model include (i) assessment of baseline needs and capacity, (ii) empowering a community champion within a relevant CBO, (iii) mapping inter-sectoral community partnerships, collaborations, and linkages, and (iv) leveraging systems, connections, and resources to provide an enabling environment for overall food access systems growth. Through this process, Be Well Baytown enhanced the capacity of a local food pantry leading to increases in total reach, pounds of food distributed, and number of food distribution events in collaboration with intersectoral partners from 2018 to 2023. This case study highlights the model's implementation as a co-benefit community partnership strategy to maximize the impact of food security programs integrated with comprehensive cancer center prevention efforts.

Mutual capacity building model for adaptation (MCB-MA): a seven-step procedure for bidirectional learning and support during intervention adaptation

Global health reciprocal innovation emphasizes the movement of technologies or interventions between high- and low-income countries to address a shared public health problem, in contrast to unidirectional models of “development aid” or “reverse innovation”. Evidence-based interventions are frequently adapted from the setting in which they were developed and applied in a new setting, presenting an opportunity for learning and partnership across high- and low-income contexts. However, few clear procedures exist to guide researchers and implementers on how to incorporate equitable and learning-oriented approaches into intervention adaptation across settings. We integrated theories from pedagogy, implementation science, and public health with examples from experience adapting behavioral health interventions across diverse settings to develop a procedure for a bidirectional, equitable process of intervention adaptation across high- and low-income contexts. The Mutual capacity building model for adaptation (MCB-MA) is made up of seven steps: 1) Exploring: A dialogue about the scope of the proposed adaptation and situational appraisal in the new setting; 2) Developing a shared vision: Agreeing on common goals for the adaptation; 3) Formalizing: Developing agreements around resource and data sharing; 4) Sharing complementary expertise: Group originating the intervention supporting the adapting group to learn about the intervention and develop adaptations, while gleaning new strategies for intervention implementation from the adapting group; 5) Reciprocal training: Originating and adapting groups collaborate to train the individuals who will be implementing the adapted intervention; 6) Mutual feedback: Originating and adapting groups share data and feedback on the outcomes of the adapted intervention and lessons learned; and 7) Consideration of next steps: Discuss future collaborations. This evidence-informed procedure may provide researchers with specific actions to approach the often ambiguous and challenging task of equitable partnership building. These steps can be used alongside existing intervention adaptation models, which guide the adaptation of the intervention itself.

Capacity building and community of practice for women community health workers in low-resource settings: long-term evaluation of the Mobile University For Health (MUH).

Lebanon has been facing a series of crises, significantly increasing health challenges, and straining its healthcare infrastructure. This caused deficiencies in the system's ability to attend to population health needs, and it profoundly impacted vulnerable and refugee communities who face additional challenges accessing healthcare services. In response, the Global Health Institute at the American University of Beirut designed and implemented the Mobile University for Health (MUH), which promotes task-shifting through capacity building complemented by communities of practice (CoP). The program aimed to prepare vulnerable women to assume the role of community health workers (CHW) within their communities, and to promote positive health knowledge and behaviours. A mixed-methods approach was used to evaluate MUHs' three certificates (women's health, mental health and psychosocial support, and non-communicable diseases). Implementation took place between 2019 and 2022, with 83 CHWs graduating from the program. Short-term data including knowledge assessments, course evaluations, and community member feedback surveys were collected. 93 semi-structured interviews with CHWs and 14 focus group discussions with community members were conducted to evaluate the long-term impact of the capacity building and CoP components. Data revealed multiple strengths of the initiative, including increased access to education for the community, effectiveness of blended learning modality, successful planning and delivery of CoP sessions, and improved knowledge, skills, and health behaviours over time. The supplementary CoP sessions fostered trust in CHWs, increased community empowerment, and increased leadership skills among CHWs. However, some challenges persisted, including limited access to healthcare services, implementation logistical issues, difficulties with some aspects of the learning modality, and some resistance within the communities. MUH promoted and improved positive health knowledge and behaviours within targeted vulnerable populations in Lebanon. The supplementary CoP component proved instrumental in empowering CHWs and enhancing their impact within their communities. The study highlights the need for ongoing training and support for CHWs and underscores the importance of continued investment and adaptation of such initiatives through a gendered lens. This evaluation provides evidence on the successes of a capacity building model that has strong potential for scale and replication across health topics in conflict-affected contexts.

RPL Management Model for Capacity Building of Village Apparatus: A Case Study on Cooperation between Surabaya State University and Bojonegoro District Government

Law Number 23 of 2014 grants regional autonomy, which means that each regional institution is authorized to manage its own policies. This includes village governments, which are regulated by Law Number 6 of 2014. Therefore, it is crucial to have competent village personnel who can provide exceptional services to the citizens. In 2021, 45,387 village heads, 43,876 village secretaries, 31,147 village-owned enterprise managers, and 7,889 professional assistants graduated from high school, according to data from the Ministry of Village, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration. This highlights the need to strengthen the education of village apparatus. One way to achieve this is through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program, which is a collaboration between the Ministry and universities such as the State University of Surabaya and the State University of Yogyakarta. This program can help improve the skills of village apparatus. However, there is a gap between the reality and the implementation of the collaboration between the Ministry and Pertindes regarding the implementation of RPL for village apparatus. In Bojonegoro Regency, for instance, only 61% of village heads had a high school educational background in 2022, according to the Office of Community Empowerment and Village Government. To address this issue, the researcher aims to understand the management of RPL in Bojonegoro Regency to improve the capacity of village apparatus. The research is based at the State University of Surabaya and Bojonegoro Regency. The study obtained primary data from interviews, literature studies, and a memorandum of understanding between the State University of Surabaya (UNESA) and the Bojonegoro Regency Government. The researcher used a knowledge management approach in program planning, which focused on six main stages in development planning. These stages included problem identification, problem diagnosis, design stage, design implementation, design testing, and solution formulation. The results of the study showed that collaboration and support from educational institutions are strategic solutions for improving village human resources. Additionally, the RPL program is relevant to the functions of higher education institutions in preparing personnel for village government administration. The implementation of RPL in Bojonegoro is in accordance with the principles of cooperation. However, there were some technical obstacles in the implementation of activities.

A mixed methods evaluation of the impact of ECHO® telementoring model for capacity building of community health workers in India

IntroductionIndia has the largest cohort of community health workers with one million Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs). ASHAs play vital role in providing health education and promoting accessible health care services in the community. Despite their potential to improve the health status of people, they remain largely underutilized because of their limited knowledge and skills. Considering this gap, Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO)® India, in collaboration with the National Health System Resource Centre (NHSRC), implemented a 15-h (over 6 months) refresher training for ASHAs using a telementoring interface. The present study intends to assess the impact of the training program for improving the knowledge and skills of ASHA workers.MethodsWe conducted a pre–post quasi-experimental study using a convergent parallel mixed-method approach. The quantitative survey (n = 490) assessed learning competence, performance, and satisfaction of the ASHAs. In addition to the above, in-depth interviews with ASHAs (n = 12) and key informant interviews with other stakeholders (n = 9) examined the experience and practical applications of the training. Inferences from the quantitative and qualitative approaches were integrated during the reporting stage and presented using an adapted Moore’s Expanded Outcomes Framework.ResultsThere was a statistically significant improvement in learning (p = 0.038) and competence (p = 0.01) after attending the training. Participants were satisfied with the opportunity provided by the teleECHO™ sessions to upgrade their knowledge. However, internet connectivity, duration and number of participants in the sessions were identified as areas that needed improvement for future training programs. An improvement in confidence to communicate more effectively with the community was reported. Positive changes in the attitudes of ASHAs towards patient and community members were also reported after attending the training. The peer-to-peer learning through case-based discussion approach helped ensure that the training was relevant to the needs and work of the ASHAs.ConclusionsThe ECHO Model ™ was found effective in improving and updating the knowledge and skills of ASHAs across different geographies in India. Efforts directed towards knowledge upgradation of ASHAs are crucial for strengthening the health system at the community level. The findings of this study can be used to guide future training programs.Trial registration The study has been registered at the Clinical Trials Registry, India (CTRI/2021/10/037189) dated 08/10/2021.

Factors Affecting the Capacity of Millennial Farmers to Maintaining Business Existence in the Agricultural Sector, East Java Indonesian

Millennial farmers are the main actors in Indonesia's future agricultural development. Therefore, these millennial farmers need to increase their capacity to survive in doing agriculture business. This study aims to describe the characteristics of millennial farmers; describe the capacity level of millennial farmers in maintaining their existence in the agriculture business; analyse factors that influence the capacity of millennial farmers in maintaining the existence in the agriculture business; and developing a Millennial Farmer Capacity Building model. The method used is the sector research method. The study results show that millennial farmers can identify opportunities in farming. They could be more vital to access quality assurance, such as certification of agricultural products to increase the added value and competitiveness. Factors significantly affecting millennial farmers' capacity are the sociocultural environment, support from private institutions, and personal characteristics. The capacity of millennial farmers also substantially affects the existence of their businesses in agriculture. The role of extension agents only significantly influences the presence of millennial farmer businesses. The capacity of millennial farmers to maintain the existence of businesses in the agricultural sector can be increased through the sociocultural environment, support from private institutions, and personal characteristics.

Partnership-building considerations for implementation science in learning health systems: a case study of the Implementation Science Collaborative in Alberta, Canada.

Implementation of health innovations is inherently collaborative, requiring trans-sectoral partnerships between implementation researchers, innovation teams, and implementation practitioners. Implementation science has been shown to improve implementation successes; however, challenges that hinder partnerships to advance implementation science continue to persist. Using a whole-system approach to assess and respond to implementation science partnership barriers may shed light on effective responses. We conducted a case study of Alberta's learning health system, using semi-structured group and individual interviews to create a nuanced understanding of the considerations required for implementation research collaborations. We interviewed 53 participants representing 21 offices in the health system, academia, professional associations, and government who regularly plan, evaluate, and/or study health system implementation initiatives in Alberta. Using the Partnership Model for Research Capacity Building, we identified current facilitators and challenges for partnerships for conducting and using implementation science, at different levels of Alberta's health-research ecosystem. Alberta's healthcare system is well set up to readily embed intervention effectiveness and efficacy research. Infrastructure was also in place to strengthen implementation practice. However, weaknesses around exchanging knowledge and skills, providing feedback and mentoring, and accommodating diversity affected the ability of both individuals and teams to build implementation science capacity. Without this capacity, teams could not participate in embedded implementation research collaborations. We report the response of the Alberta Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research SUPPORT Unit to these barriers to provide practical guidance on various program options to strengthen individual- and organization-level implementation science capacity. This study applied a whole-system approach to assess factors across Alberta's health-research ecosystem, which affect partnerships to advance implementation science. Our findings illustrated that partnership considerations go beyond interpersonal factors and include system-wide considerations. With the results, health organization leaders have (1) a method for assessing organizational capability to readily embed implementation research and (2) a catalog of potential responses to create conditions to readily engage with implementation science in their day-to-day implementation processes.

Can community and educational interventions designed from the ground-up promote social and emotional learning? Experimental and quasi-experimental impacts of a country-wide Portuguese initiative

IntroductionSocial and emotional learning (SEL) is a powerful predictor of several outcomes throughout life, such as relationships, citizenship behavior, academic and job performance, and mental and physical health. The Portuguese Gulbenkian Academies for Knowledge supported the implementation and rigorous impact assessment of community and educational interventions aiming to promote SEL in participants 0 and 25 years of age.MethodsThis paper presents a secondary-data analysis of the experimental and quasi-experimental impacts of 40 Academies on the OECD Survey of Social and Emotional Skills. Eight Academies (N = 4,460 participants) implemented an experimental approach, while 32 Academies (N = 14,274 participants) employed a quasi-experimental approach.ResultsWe found experimental and quasi-experimental evidence of significant positive results of the Academies for various skills, and consistent impacts from the perspective of child/youth participants and teachers, particularly for Curiosity and Assertiveness. Effect sizes were small.DiscussionThe impact evaluation of the Gulbenkian Academies for Knowledge has the potential to support considerable changes in the field of SEL interventions, nationally and internationally, by informing discussion of evidence-based SEL interventions, and offering a sustainable model of capacity building with long-lasting effect on practices of SEL professionals.

Designing a Capacity-Building Organizational Model with a Grounded Theory Approach (Case Study: Municipalities of West Azerbaijan Province)

Objective: The purpose of this research is to design a capacity-building organizational model in the municipalities of West Azerbaijan Province. Methodology: This study was conducted using a qualitative research strategy, employing grounded theory and the Strauss and Corbin paradigm model, aiming to provide a comprehensive model for capacity building in municipal organizations. In this regard, semi-structured interviews were conducted using theoretical sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. In this study, data reached theoretical saturation after conducting 11 interviews. However, to ensure sufficiency, five additional interviews were conducted. Participants in the study were selected from university professors and individuals with management experience in municipal organizations. Data were collected during April to July 2022, with the permission of the participants recorded. The data were then transcribed and, after several readings, analyzed using MAXQDA10 software. After performing the three stages of open, axial, and selective coding, the final model was obtained by the researcher. Findings: The findings include the capacity-building organization as the central category, causal conditions (capacity-building manager and structure), contextual factors (capacity-building employees), intervening conditions (capacity-building culture), strategies (capacity-building policy), and consequences (outcomes for the organization, individual, and group) within the framework of the paradigm model. Conclusion: Each of these conditions and factors are composed of variables and categories that contribute to achieving the ultimate goal of the capacity-building organization in the municipalities.

Capacity Building Workshop to Improve Mosque Accessibility For Disabled Muslims in Muhmmadiyah of Bantul, Yogyakarta

Abstract. This article aims to investigate the capacity building of the Muhammadiyah mosque administrators in Bantul, Yogyakarta, to provide accessibility for Muslim disabled persons who are willing to participate in religious teaching. As a minority group, persons with disabilities in Yogyakarta struggle to find a mosque's friendly facilities for them. Meanwhile, the mosque administrators have little attention to accommodating disabled Muslims. The reason why administrators' awareness of taking care of disabilities remains low is insufficient capacity. Despite being knowledgeable in Islam, they have been inexperienced in dealing with disabled Muslim fellows. Therefore, they have neither allocated nor prioritized a budget to serve disabled people. As a result, few mosques are ready to deal with disability issues. The proper model of capacity building that develops cognition, affection, and behavior is necessary for those who organize the Muhamamdiyah's mosques in Bantul. This article finds that the participatory model is quite effective.

Capacity Building Model Strategy for Developing Lecturer Integrity and Competency in Efforts to Fulfill International Standards

This research aims to obtain a lecturer development model to increase the global competitiveness of higher education in the aspects of integrity and competency based on international (global) standards. World Class University (WCU) as a reference for ranking, recognition and assessment of universities on a world scale. In other words, universities are ranked by institutions that have an international reputation. This mixed method research with two quantitative and qualitative stages targeted 650 UPI lecturers who had doctoral qualifications. Next, a sample of 10% or 65 people from the population was taken. This research uses mixed methods with two quantitative and qualitative stages. The data collection stages were carried out first, Preparation for field studies, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was carried out to analyze policy issues for developing the integrity and competence of international standard lecturers, Surveys, interviews and filling out questionnaires, documentation studies within the scope of the Indonesian University of Education (UPI) and finally carried out Analysis of Survey Results Data using descriptive statistical techniques and qualitative data classification techniques. The research results show that integrity, competence and performance are very important components and variables in developing human resources for UPI lecturers to achieve World Class Universities (WCU). The influence between variables according to SEM shows that the direct variable integrity on competence is only 0.458, the influence of integrity on performance is 0.446 and the influence of competence on performance is 0.460. or it can be concluded that everything is in a moderate position.

Network Model of Lower Level Bureaucracy Capacity Building in Community Empowerment Policy Case Study of Street Vendors (PKL) Policy Implementation in South Sulawesi Province

From the results of research on the Lower-Level Bureaucratic Capacity Building Network Model in Community Empowerment Policy: Case Study of Implementation of Limam Foot Vendor (PKL) Policy in South Sulawesi Province. Aims to find out effective implementation strategies so that street vendors can participate in world development, especially specifically in the province of South Sulawesi, precisely in the city of Makassar, the focus in this study includes (a). integrated human resource development in implementing street vendor empowerment policies, (b). partial strengthening of the organization in implementing PKL empowerment policies (c).institutions that are integrated in the collaborative implementation of street vendor empowerment policies. The method of the research results is to use qualitative methods that are case study strategic surveys. The data collection techniques used are in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation. The results of the study show that the development of empowerment coaching.

إجراءات تطبيق عمليات ضمان وضبط الجودة في الجامعات اليمنية من وجهة نظر القيادات الاكاديمية وأعضاء هيئة التدريس

This study displays the Yemen experience in the field of quality assurance and academic accreditation for post secondary institutions to build on when constructing quality assurance and academic accreditation for general education. It aims at identifying the implementation level of postsecondary institutions of evaluation activities required for quality assurance and academic accreditation through the opinions of those who are in charge of this process and others involved in it. It also aims at identifying needs that help in applying quality assurance in post-secondary institutions in Yemen Arabia، hurdles faced، and proposing suitable solutions at the individual، institutional، and system levels. The two researchers have applied a questionnaire at purposeful sample consisting of those who are in charge of evaluation and quality assurance activates and those interested in it at their universities. Interviews were also conducted to specify the practicing level of evaluation for individuals، programs، and institutions، and its barriers. Results showed that there are differences amongst the universities in regard to implementing evaluation and tools for quality assurance and accreditation purposes. The main implementation barriers were the lack of sufficient knowledge and training. The researchers stressed the necessity of adopting capacity building model to assess training needs for individuals، programs، and institutions. This model can be used to design graded and detailed training programs that fit each university، and the implementation and monitoring of it should happen at each university site.

Developmental State Capacity for Youth Empowerment in South Africa’s Informal Trading: Challenges and Prospects

This article adopts a phenomenological qualitative desktop research that seeks to examine the prospects and challenges faced by the South African state in implementing the National Development Plan (NDP) within the framework of the developmental state model for youths capacity building in informal trading. The unprecedented increase in unemployment rate among youths in South Africa started in the aftermath of the 1994 democratisation; and, the Covid-19 pandemic worsedned the situation. South Africa has not filfilled the promises of addressing poverty, inequality and unemployment. According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the first quarter of 2022, the unemployment rate was 63.9% for those aged 15-24 and 42.1% for those aged 25-34 years, while the official national rate stood at 34.5%. In developing countries, state resources and formal employment opportunities have continued to shrink due to inflation, the scourge of HIV/AIDS and Covid-19's harmful effects on the socio-economic livelihood of the citizens, especially the youths. The assumption underlying the escalation of the situation is the lack of commitment by government to building an ethical and capable developmental state. Over decades, a democratic South Africa concentrated on developing and adopting the NDP and establishing a developmental state model in 2012 hoping to build capacity for youth development, among other goals. The triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment, especially among the youths, continued to intensify despite the overwhelming investment and mobilisation of the NDP. The article concludes that the democratic state faces challenges that reduce prospects of implementing the developmental state and the NDP for youth capacity building in informal trading. It recommends that a proper analysis is necessary in order to ensure relevance and appropriateness of initiatives to the country’s socio-economic and political contexts. Keywords: Democracy, Developmental State, Informal Trading, Youth Empowerment and South Africa

‘Sitting there and listening was one of the most important lessons I had to learn’: critical capacity building in youth participatory action research

ABSTRACT This work builds upon critical youth studies’ concern with capacity building in engaging young people as active agents for social change. This article analyses critical capacity building processes among young women engaged in youth participatory action research (YPAR) that sought to co-design a community sport programme in Melbourne, Australia. Participants included the first author, four young women (second to the fifth author), and a critical friend (sixth author). The experience of engaging young women in YPAR foregrounded significant capacity building such as: (a) learning to genuinely listen to young people in order to plan for change; (b) finding creative and flexible ways to build relationships; (c) learning to negotiate the messiness and uncertainty in the research process; and (d) improving problem-solving skills in order to listen and respond to young people in their community. This paper concludes by articulating how YPAR can potentialise the development of critical capacity building in youth studies, nurturing skills and knowledge linked with social justice, activism, and democracy, instead of instrumentalist and technocratic capacity-building models that focus on training and predefined practical skills.

Collaborative capacity-building for collective evaluation: a case study with informal science education centers

ABSTRACT This paper reports on the results of a research-practice partnership that included a U.S. university research team and a state-funded grants program that supports informal science education. The goal of the 2-year partnership was to develop an empirically-tested model for collaboration and capacity-building (CCB) in support of collective evaluation. The model was implemented with 23 informal science education (ISE) organizations across one U.S. state. A comparison of pre and post-surveys indicate that the goals of the CCB model were attained. Participants reported an (1) increased perception of a common agenda, (2) increased capacity for conducting evaluation, and (3) increased peer-peer engagement. Participants also highlighted ongoing barriers to collective evaluation and suggested specific supports to overcome these barriers. This collaborative capacity-building model, although tested with ISE providers, is generalizable to other collective evaluation efforts.

Influence of Innovation Platform-based Learning on Farm- level Milk Losses among Smallholder Dairy Farmers in Mogotio Sub-county in Baringo County, Kenya

Smallholder dairy farmers make up to 80% of total dairy producers and produce 56% of total milk in Kenya. Income from milk is the main source of their annual recurrent revenue. The critical point in the milk supply chain where improvements can contribute to increased income is through the reduction of farm-level milk losses. An innovation platform-based capacity building programme is a programme that brings together all relevant actors to assist in addressing the gaps left by the conventional government extension services when minimising farm level milk loss among smallholder dairy farmers in Mogotio sub-county. This study used a tailor-made capacity building model at Mogotio innovation platform on proper milking techniques that would make milk production economical. The study assessed the current milking practices of suckling, non-weaning and overall milk production during the lactation time through interactive learning sessions in the platform. The study was conducted in Mogotio Ward of Mogotio sub-county in Baringo County, Kenya. The target population consisted of 840 accessible smallholder dairy farmers and a purposive sample of 120 dairy farmers were involved in the baseline survey. A group of 30 farmers was selected to participate in focus group discussions. Farmers were selected for the end of project survey to determine the influence of the innovation-based capacity building programme. The interactive learning in the study assisted in broadening the knowledge base of farmers leading to improved milking techniques, high yields, more income, improved food security and hence improved livelihoods. The results from this study helped in enhancing capacity of smallholder dairy farmers and may inform policy in the dairy sector.