Trust-based learning between peers and how to ensure quality P2P partnerships for institutional strengthening.
The Effective Institutions Platform is organising a series of Learning Events as part of its efforts to support Peer-to-Peer (P2P) approaches to facilitate institutional reform. The objective of these events is two-fold
(i) to discuss the good P2P practices with a view to solicit further insights and experiences on these methods;
(ii) to discuss the ways in which monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) can be used both to facilitate these ways of working and to track and measure results.
This first event will focus on trust-based learning between peers, including how to promote mutual learning, address power imbalances in the partnership, encourage two-way flows of information and learning, and create a sense of joint purpose between participating institutions.
The importance of trust in peer learning is emerging as a major theme in the ongoing discussion, and in a survey among EIP members engaged in P2P learning, members highlighted the centrality of trust and trust-building over time as essential to success. Trust-based learning often relies on a sense of mutuality – a two-way flow of information and learning around a clearly defined agenda of mutual interest.
Bringing together a range of actors and practitioners, the event aims to contribute to an exchange on effective ways to foster these crucial qualities. Some of the key questions to be discussed will be the following:
- How is trust and mutuality best supported in different kinds of partnerships?
- How do we ensure effective communication between peers and the co-definition of goals and objectives?
- How do we build trust and ensure mutuality in different kinds of partnerships?
- How can MEL approaches be designed and applied not only as accountability mechanisms but also as dynamic learning tools?
Insights from this event will feed into a dedicated EIP Learning Note on the theme of mutuality and trust-building. A first draft of this Learning Note is attached as background reading along with a draft agenda and the overall Stocktaking Report on evidence gathering among partners, which outlines some initial observations and lessons for identifying good approaches and practices towards monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) on peer-to-peer learning for institutional change.
The Effective Institutions Platform welcomes you to join the conversation by confirming your participation for this event by return email, latest by Friday 4 December COB.