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Developing Indonesian capacity in water and sanitation: lessons learned and the constraints associated with challenging convention
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Developing Indonesian capacity in water and sanitation: lessons learned and the constraints associated with challenging convention

D. Boyd, R. Phillips and G. Ho
The International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability, Vol.4(1), pp.129-138
2008
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Abstract

This paper critically examines a project aimed at improving Indonesian capacity in water and sanitation through a process of institutional strengthening. Funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) this involved the partnering of Murdoch University’s Environmental Technology Centre (ETC), Australia and Merdeka University’s Institute for Environmental Management and Technology (IEMT), Indonesia. Through a series of collaborative activities, the project sought to develop the capacity of IEMT staff to be better able to provide services and training to local government, NGOs, industry and academia on water and sanitation. The project comprised of three phases designed to 1) understand IEMT’s existing capacity; 2) identify the needs and priorities of IEMT’s stakeholders; and, 3) to further develop IEMT’s capacity through the joint implementation of a training-of-trainers workshop. Each of the phases was delivered with some success. However, by means of participant observation, interviews with project members and stakeholders as well as subsequent qualitative analysis the activities were critiqued identifying a number of areas of concern. Foremost, it was concluded that the training-of-trainers model was not appropriate in this context due to inconsistencies with good practice guidelines for capacity building and learning theory. Further, it was established that while the needs were assessed the extent to which they informed decision making was limited. It is suggested that these challenges are not uncommon in capacity building projects of a similar nature. This is due to the fact that the approach employed is often strongly influenced by the experience and expectations of the project members. And, that there is a lack of appropriate training models for use in capacity development from which to draw experience. As such, the resulting training is often the replication of a familiar approach that may do little to develop the capacity of the target audience.

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