Capacity development plays a key role in Country Programmes and cuts across all activities to establish locally owned, sustainable development. The primary vehicle for this is a series of collaboration agreements with local information and communication technology (ICT) and media training institutions, based in IICD’s focal countries. Together, we enhance the individual and organisational capacities of project partners. Only with the right knowledge and skills can project partners develop and run their ICT-projects independently.

Capacity development is one of IICD’s seven guiding principles. The approach ensures IICD and its partners to produce sustainable results that meet the needs of the local people. Within existing institutes, the capacity development activities contribute greatly to the process of integrating projects and programmes. It also facilitates long-term sustainability of projects and programmes, and where appropriate feeding into forming national or sector ICT policies.

Training partners

In each of our focal countries we work primarily with two or three local training institutions; the so-called National Training Partners. They are established and well-equipped training institutions that have a professed interest in supporting the advancement of ICT for Development (ICT4D) initiatives in their countries. IICD provides support to these training partners to enable them to (continue) delivering capacity development activities appropriate to the needs of project partners and its end users.

Training activities

Identifying capacity shortcomings is essential within a Country Programme. The rapid pace of changes in technology itself, and the changing application possibilities of ICT, is a major challenge for organisations involved in ICT4D. IICD and the training partners work towards enhancing individual’s basic user skills (such as using desktop publishing skills, or searching on the Internet), as well as technical skills (such as designing websites or maintaining hardware). Alongside this, users need appropriate soft skills, such as ICT project management or the ability to facilitate an online network.  Read more >>

Institutional support

As projects and programmes mature, capacity development activities focus more on institutions, and less on individuals. In the case of projects, the emphasis moves from supporting projects on their own to enabling the incorporation of projects within institutions and sectors. When Country Programmes are reaching maturity, local project partners start to take on responsibility for managing their own capacity development activities. Read more >>

Joint initiatives

IICD is a partner in iTrainOnline – a joint initiative of seven organisations with exceptional expertise in computer and Internet training in the South.  In seeking to overcome skills gaps in development, it connects people and know-how with the needs of ICT learners and trainers. The iTrainOnline website contains links to content on basic skills, strategic use, web design, multimedia and more.

Another form of collaboration is the iTrainers community. This is a community of trainers working in IICD’s Country Programmes. They have accumulated valuable experience, and are at the forefront of implementing ICT4D training. Their experience, and that of their peers, is laying the foundations for developing or adapting policy in this field. Their work also helps international organisations to identify the areas requiring further assistance.