3.1 Cascading Training Methodology The training workshops are implemented and facilitated by trainers who have been trained at national and provincial levels. The CIVNET training programmes are facilitated by the Head Office staff. At Provincial level similar training workshops are held over a two day period and are facilitated by Co-ordinators and Provincial Trainers. These trainers in turn train local trainers who implement their own training programmes at ward level. The training at ward level is facilitated by local trainers. They are monitored and assisted by Provincial Trainers. This implementation model for training is commonly used by grassroots organisations and even although it has a far reach and is effective in providing mass education with not much financial cost because generally volunteers are used, the managing, co-ordinating and reporting on these events are highly problematic. The national office staff spends a great deal of time ensuring that the training programmes are efficiently and effectively implemented. A great deal of energy has gone into ensuring that the Project Assistants have the necessary skills and capabilities to oversee and manage the Facilitators and administer the provincial offices. CIVNET also convenes National workshops to review the training programmes held during the year, to evaluate and review the continued relevance and appropriateness of the training materials, plan future workshops and provide an opportunity for trainers to debrief after their training experiences. These are very useful initiatives that support trainers and staff and assist them to be more effective in their provincial and ward training workshops. CIVNET has facilitated capacity building initiatives for their national staff, the Regional Co-ordinators as well as the Project Assistants. These have been found to be very useful and is perceived by staff to be a further investment by CIVNET and the donor ie Sida in the Programme. It is unfortunate however that there have been incidents of financial accounting difficulties that the organisation has experienced over the years. This has resulted in additional pressure on the Executive Director and the Finance and Administration Manager. In addition to his organisational responsibilities such as strategic planning for the sustainability of CIVNET, managing the impact of the “brain drain” on the ability of the organisation to effectively continue providing quality training programmes, monitoring the impact of the training workshops on the community members and their ability to achieve their objectives, networking and fulfilling his obligations to CIVNET’s network partners, the Executive Director has to ensure that the financial reporting from the wards is in keeping with the good accounting principles and practices that CIVNET espouses to. 4. Organogram CIVNET has a traditional non governmental, not for profit, Trust structure. This includes a Board of Trustees9 that is nominated by the Network member organisations. It might be useful to encourage newer and younger members from the member organisations to participate in the decision making and strategising of the CIVNET Board of Trustees in order to build their capacity to sit on Boards, as well as ensure that the Board also reflects new ideas. The current staffing structure, as outlined in the Organogram, is highly appropriate for a mass based civic education training organisation.10 However once funds have been secured it is essential that the Finance and Administration Manager focus on financial reporting and institutional management rather than doubling up as a curriculum writer, course facilitator and trainer. It is very important that these 9 10 Annexure 1 Annexure 2 THE CIVIC EDUCATION NETWORK TRUST (CIVNET)) IN ZIMBABWE – Sida EVALUATION 2008:51 11