R4CR Learning Benchmark Training well received
Philipsburg- Twelve Round 3 grant recipients of the Resources For Community Resilience (R4CR) program completed the learning benchmark training. This learning benchmark training (LBT) forms an integral part of the R4CR program and the main aim is to offer grant recipients an opportunity to exchange experiences, achievements, challenges and lessons learned during project implementation. This creates an opportunity for them to network, learn from and guide each other, providing tools to strengthen this and future projects. It also provides the program managers with vital information to tailor R4CR to better meet the needs of participating Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). “Each LBT is unique in the sense that the program is designed taking into account the strengths, weaknesses and needs of the grant recipients” stated Jose Sommers, Training and Capacity Strengthening Manager of R4CR.
The R4CR program includes a grant scheme as funding mechanism for community and social rehabilitation initiatives on Sint Maarten and focuses on improving the capacity of local civil society organizations (CSOs) in reconstruction and resilience activities post hurricane Irma.
The thematic Learning Benchmark Training was held on October 18 and 19 at the St. Maarten Senior Citizen Recreational Center Foundation in Hope Estate. The main topics during the first evening were Project Opportunities and Challenges, Project Reporting and The Grievance Redress Mechanism. The grant recipients described opportunities and challenges they face while implementing their projects and how they are coping with them. The reporting session focused on the needs of the monthly technical and financial reports as well as the requirements of the final project report, which is due in February 2023. The final topic on the first evening was the grievance redress mechanism; which is an important tool that CSOs use during the project to record and follow up on all issues, challenges, bottlenecks and complaints.
On the second evening CSOs talked in-depth about sustainability and the evening was capped off with a CSO Market Place. Sustainability is something that affects all CSOs because they all depend on external funding and volunteers to provide services to the community. The grant recipients were encouraged to think about and describe their strategies to achieve sustainability in the near future. The CSO Market Place provided the grant recipients with the most fun during the training. It is closely linked to sustainability and the basic premise is teaching CSOs how to collaborate with each other by using each other’s products and services without using money (which is mostly in short supply). It is a modern incarnation of the old-fashioned barter trade system that was very common in “Ole St. Maarten”.
With the LBT completed, the R4CR team is now focusing on the information sessions for Round-5 financing. Interested CSOs can sign up for the information session on Wednesday October 26 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm, October 31 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm or the online ZOOM session on November 2 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm.
The R4CR program is financed by the Government of the Netherlands via the Sint Maarten Trust Fund which is administered by the World Bank, monitored by the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) and executed by VNGI. Project activities by registered CSOs can cover subject areas such as neighborhood initiatives, sports/recreation, nature/environment, culture, poverty relief, day care centers/after school programs, youth employment, skills development, psycho-social support/health/well-being and gender-based violence.
For more information about the R4CR program or an overview of all current projects please visit www.r4cr.org or the Facebook page (R4CRSXM).
