Suporna from Khulna in Bangladesh, 2022. Photo for The Hunger Project

MCLD offers five-hour certificate trainings on the Participatory CLD Assessment Tool that delve into the characteristics and key processes of Community-led Development. These trainings are available in English, French and Spanish and open to all practitioners interested in strengthening their understanding and practice of community-led development. The trainings are conducted by diverse multi-country and multi-organizational teams. They have been designed by Gunjan Veda and Elene Cloete with inputs from practitioners from all over the world.

The Tool

The Participatory CLD Assessment Tool was developed by MCLD’s collaborative research team after extensive consultation and multiple rounds of testing. It is a learning resource that
organizations and practitioners can use to become more community-led. It enables them to assess and understand how their community development methodologies and practices compare to the broader
characteristics of CLD. The resulting outcomes can help them decide how to adjust
current practices or where to focus their efforts in developing future plans and interventions. 

The Purpose of the Training

To enable professionals and organizations to use the Participatory CLD Assessment Tool in a participatory manner in their own work. The training is designed for people interested in applying the Tool to their own programs to identify areas of strength and those that need strengthening. The simulation and in-depth discussion of dimensions of CLD will also improve the understanding of community-led development among implementors, funders and government officials.

Who Should Attend the Training?

The training is open to anyone interested in furthering their understanding of community-led development.
We recommend it for: 

  • MCLD Chapter Members
  • Practitioners, evaluators, and administrators from INGOs,
  • Practitioners, evaluators, and administrators from Civil  Society Organizations and CBOs,
  • Government representatives
  • Funder agencies committed to community-led development.
  • Students of international development

Structure and Intended Results

The Training is divided across two days. The sessions are conducted over Zoom and include a simulation with breakout groups.
Training sessions are designed to maximize collaborative learning. They are interactive and consist of both activities and discussions, along with short lectures centered around Community-Led development and Tool usage.

By the end of the training participants will:

  • Develop a nuanced understanding of CLD, its importance and characteristics
  • Be able to apply the Tool to their own programs, assessing which areas need strengthening
  • Understand the importance of carrying out the assessment in a participatory manner.

“I am grateful for the opportunity I had to interact with fellow passionate development practitioners and for the training. Indeed, it was valuable as it addresses the existing gap.”

Trisha Patience Chalulu, World Vision Malawi

“The Training was insightful, impactful and great. Have learnt a lot on the approach to have a meaningful community development programs that are sustainable.”

Yotam Ngwira, Youth Empowerment Towards Development, Western and Central Africa

“A mon tour, je voudrais exprimer ma gratitude pour la qualité de la formation que toute l’équipe nous a offerte. Je travaillerai pour une meilleure appropriation en vue de l’implementer au mieux dans les differents projets de développement que j’aurai à mettre en oeuvre.”

Christian Adideme, Benin Yali Alumni Association

Sign up for the Training

If you are a professional interested in the training sign up here and we will notify you when the next training will be held in a language of your choice and in your time zone.

If you are an organization, network, educational, or government institution and would like to organize a special group training, please write to sera@mcld.org

Photo: The Hunger Project