The paralegals attend seminars during the year as an important aspect of their continuing education. These not only help to update their legal knowledge and skills but also provide opportunities to share experiences and best practices. The LRF Monitoring and Evaluation Officer and the lawyers had identified gaps and weaknesses in programme implementation and paralegal skills and knowledge during their routine monitoring and the seminars were crafted to address these deficiencies. The 31 paralegals were trained on effective facilitation skills, approaches to community educational outreaches, including conversation cafes, and results-based reporting. The seminars were deemed very informative and helpful in providing new knowledge, although the participants felt they needed more exposure to results-based reporting. Lawyers’ Workshop (2) The annual workshop attended by eighteen lawyers and programme staff was held in November 2015 and focused on writing skills, court advocacy and results-based reporting. The Legal Programmes Director made a presentation on the dynamic environment in which the LRF was operating and the emphasis on ‘value for money’, results and impact, making it critical to streamline, re-engineer and prioritise programming. The session on courtroom advocacy was a practical session. The lawyers had been presented with a case the day before and appeared before a ‘judge’, Mr Tafadzwa Mugabe, either as the applicant or the respondent. Mr Mugabe observed that some of the lawyers needed more exposure in the High Court but in general he was impressed with the submissions made. Administrators’ Workshop (2) Centre Managers, Centre Administrators and all finance staff attended the annual Administrators Workshop on 17 March 2016. Topics covered during this refresher workshop included communication, a review of audit reports, budgeting, fixed asset accounting, financial management, and a review of policy manuals. Also covered was donor reporting, VAT accounting and the operational challenges faced by finance and administration staff. Strategic Retreat (2) Trustees and management staff met for a strategic planning session in June 2016. An environmental analysis was carried out looking at the political, economic, legal and social contexts. This was then used to inform discussions around cost-effective management and resource mobilisation, and an action plan was drafted. Job Grading Consultancy (2) The LRF last carried out a job grading exercise in 2006 and it was deemed important to reevaluate the job grades and structure to iron out anomalies that had developed. The process was started in 2015 but lack of funds prevented it from being concluded until 2016. The consultants trained a job evaluation committee composed of representative staff members which then sat over two days and graded all jobs. The report was circulated and staff were given an opportunity to appeal their grade before the process was finalised. Evaluation (2) 42