Learning Oxfam laboratories “learning by doing” Introducing our regional laboratories The ‘labs’ have tried out different ways of unpacking and trying to make the Oxfam 2020 vision a reality… These are regions which at the beginning of
reasons: • In Southern Africa, there is an opportunity to build off innovative ideas already in motion
• They are all modelling and teaching Oxfam 2020 about what it takes to create network of country programs and an increasing • They are testing how
•
Director and how best it makes sense to needs to do so fairly quickly – now within the
• They aim to give
• recognised that the 2020 decisions can provide impetus to address the pre-existing need to transform Oxfam’s program and operating
ensuring relevance by creating governance •
These regions were keen to continue their journey within the framework of Oxfam 2020 and in turn use their experiences to inform and shape Oxfam
• to make better use of confederation shared • The job descriptions for these roles are under
progress but build on these regions’ momentum to co-create and learn as Oxfam 2020 was being
•
2021 Cross cutting
Learning Oxfam laboratories “learning by doing” Spotlight on LAC Lab Lab facts • Our lab includes 14 countries •
•
Brazil • Our 12 other countries span from one end of the human development spectrum:
• involved in different ways and in different spaces – we see this process as a
•
top lessons being learnt this region is quite also develop things which can be really useful to the confederation both in terms of program development and new ways of operating as It is important to challenge ourselves and ask if
wonderful but it also means we can’t divert attention from our responsibility to the people we serve and our partners to not lose track
but we tend to stick to our business as usual techniques or we embed inequality in our Information should be openly available but our communication to staff – which means looking at our operational model and how we shift this beyond our typical ways
has to be a conversation – when you start conversing you become aware of how many great ideas are out there but you are aware of
For LAC as
2021 Cross cutting
Learning Oxfam laboratories “learning by doing” Spotlight on LAC Lab top lessons being learnt that not everything is exciting in LAC: • • Strategic collective vision • Committed teams participating • months old • Resources and support is being provided to the region to help us deal with the change
• Accountability at all levels • Changing our culture and way of doing things •
given the mandate to explore and test new things but we now know that every decision as propositional as possible but also have to acknowledge that the organization is much
• • HR By Francoise Vanni, PGG Chair LAC
Spotlight on Pacific Lab Lab facts • Our lab includes 4 countries and a cluster of small island states •
development levels are typically some of the •
• The region’s countries face a tough development challenges, it is geographically disperse and even though we don’t have a huge programme footprint, the development
previously in place •
2021 Cross cutting
Learning Oxfam laboratories “learning by doing” Spotlight on Pacific Lab top lessons being learnt
This is a process for Oxfam to grow internally, but the whole thing has to revolve around creating something that helps us to enhance our impact –we try to keep this at the forefront of This is not a static strategy but one which will evolve as we learn, as the external environment changes and as we understand what Oxfam’s best contribution could be and how to organize ourselves to deliver this
This is an iterative design process which is constantly building on our learning and vice removed from Oxfam International processes, we are perhaps less connected than LAC of
The stakeholder model will take us from
to design is a structure where programs in the Global South can mobilize and draw on collective resources and expertise that sit
programs to an interdependent network of Oxfams that enables locally-grounded programs to chart the future of Oxfam’s work baggage clearly in the past and we envision
2021 Cross cutting
Learning Oxfam laboratories “learning by doing” Spotlight on Southern Africa Lab lab facts • • Oxfam Connect was initiated in August 2013 by the SAF PGG in response to OI
• • Forums for members across and outside region to actively contribute and •
• Oxfam Connect is an agreement by the
Adams) is responsible for leading the
locational programme development team
Southern Africa in relation to Oxfam
• The immediate deliverable is higher quality, cost effective technical support to
Southern Africa Programme Governance Group, with matrix management by the
multi-country programmes within a united
unite all the Oxfams, pool resources, to leverage greater restricted funding that can
• programmes, aligned to the OISP and
•
extractives, governance, inequality, markets, resilience, gender) will allow Oxfam to • Oxfam Connect is comprised of: • •
over the tasks currently carried out by the
•
top lessons being learnt The original idea was that each multito front load with un-restricted and do cost is to separate the Connector role from Connector is building a network of technical assistance to support and 2021 Cross cutting
Learning Oxfam laboratories “learning by doing” Spotlight on Southern Africa Lab top lessons being learnt Important to have a RACI chart for each program that outlines who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed in
• Put together a 3 month rolling • Set up a joint online calendar where we
highlighted lack of clarity of who signs off at
• Create a box (online) where we put all • Create a ‘decisions’ and ‘issues’ log for PGG/Connect -what have we agreed when, what are issues still being
Business support necessary for tasks like: • staff involved in supporting SAF, with a
general lessons
, as other parts of the system don’t understand, agree, or are not briefed or prepared on different ways of working, or PGG members have not had time to fully
This happens even when there and staff to giving the new entity support and high level strategic, independent support and this must be supported in the 2020 change
example, becomes critical, (this links to the This and frameworks, it takes very long to agree
2021 Cross cutting
Learning Oxfam laboratories “learning by doing� Spotlight on Southern Africa Lab general lessons
It is very
up as an integral part of the Oxfam Country
These regional positions (global posts) are senior and therefore require competitive remuneration to
-
rooting trust and trust building into the change
By PGG Southern Africa
2021 Cross cutting