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How will you learn?

In a relaxed, creative and comfortable atmosphere, you and your training team colleagues will learn and work interactively. There is little lecturing but a lot of practicing new skills; exchanging experiences; designing projects; and, drawing conclusions about what you should introduce to your NGO. In roughly 5 days, full of work and exictement, you will acquire knowledge, inspiration, and make many new friends. The workshop will be an unforgettable experience which helps to improve your performance and enriches your life.

What will you learn?

1. NGO Basics

A workshop for those who want to learn about the concept of 'NGO.' It touches important topics such as the role of the Civil Society, the reasons for the existence of a NGO, and the impact it wants to achieve. You practice good goal setting skills and learn what 'good governance' means and how to put it in practice.

This class will give you the tools to advance your NGO. An introductory course on the fundamentals of the NGO sector. Focus on goal setting, structure and governance.

Course Description and NGO Basics 5 Day Training Agenda (pdf file)

2. Fundraising and Resource Mobilization

This workshop focuses on mobilization of local resources rather than on donations from abroad. You understand why it is so essential to get local support and how to identify your future supporters. You practice how to 'sell' your NGO and its services to the public with a special focus on the business sector. You will also understand why your service should be special and unique.

Focus on moving your NGO towards financial self-reliance and strategies to build the capacity of your nonprofit organization for resource mobilization.

Fundraising and Resource Mobilization 5 Day Training Agenda (pdf file)

3. Leadership in NGOs

A workshop for those who already lead or want to lead a NGO. You will learn different essential leadership skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, and goal-setting, and the tools you may use to do so. You will also understand that different stages of team development need a different style of leadership. We highlight the importance of having a good vision and a clear mission for the future of your NGO. Good governance is another meaningful topic for your agenda.

Learn how to develop a high-performance team. This training session will focus on how to manage effectively using effective communication to motivate and coach.

Leadship in NGOs 5 Day Training Agenda (pdf file)

4. Project Design and Management

This workshop is meaningful for NGOs who are involved in project development and implementation. It focuses on developing projects aimed to serve the needs of a group of beneficiaries. You will be made familiar with methods of needs analysis, with identifying problems and later objectives and with designing a project that will be later implemented. The workshop highlights the importance of participating your stakeholders in all stages of the project and its later evaluation.

Deliver successful projects on time and within budget. VTC project management courses include: identifying needs, defining scope; developing work breakdown structures and budgets; working effectively with your project team

Course Description and Project Design and Management 5 Day Training Agenda (pdf file)

5. Strategic Planning for NGOs

Already experienced NGOs might consider establishingt a 5 year development plan. Strategic Planning methods will help you to identify the most critical issues in your NGO, address them by the right set of objectives and design a strategic plan that can be broken down to annual working packages. You learn also how to involve your stakeholders in order to get support and motivate your people.

Establish a 5-years survival and organizational development strategy for your NGO.

Strategic Planning for NGOs 5 Day Training Agenda (pdf file)

6. Effective Campaigning for NGOs

The 5-days training is aimed to build up capacities, especially for environmental and advocacy organizations, in effective campaigning and communication. Starting from case studies of well-tried campaigns such as the CLEAR campaign in England, followed by real campaign situations introduced by the trainees, campaigners will be made familiar with topics such as “when a campaign is the appropriate tool to achieve your goals?”, “how to identify goals, objectives, and indicators to measure progress? – what is your strategy”, “how to win it? – about tactical steps, key players, “how to move the players in the desired direction?”, “how to communicate/sell it?” – convince by communication (key messages). Another component of the campaign tool box is to make it realistic and winnable (SMART goals) by identifying or mobilizing resources necessary to achieve the goal. Tools to be imparted are amongst others: the Playing field method, SMART goal setting, SWOT analysis, critical issue analysis and decision making tools, and AIDA principle for effective communication. Briefings are focused on topics such as “how to make an impact”, “how to lobby successfully” etc.

Effective Campaigning Training Agenda (pdf file)

What do you gain?

After attending our workshops and havign introduced your new skills and experiences to your friends and colleagues, you and your NGO will:

- Know exactly why your NGO is needed, what it wants to achieve and in which way it will achieve it

- Set the right goals for the development of your NGO and its services and mobilize support

- Establish a professional governance system what raises trust and credibility of beneficiaries, donor organizations and authorities

- Be able to design a 5 year organizational development strategy for your NGO

- Better manage and motivate your staff and volunteers based on the understanding that your NGO is just your people

- Design projects aimed to serve best your group of beneficiaries

- Have a well-working toolbox for tasks such as planning, problem-solving, decision-making

- Really make a difference