General PLP Sustainability Platform Roll-Out Session for ACT-CSOs Partners in Rivers State held on the 22nd day of January, 2023 by 10:30am in Novotel Hotel & Resorts, Port Harcourt. The meeting was funded by the European Union Agents for Citizens Driven Transformation (EUACT). The Agents for Citizens Driven Transformation ACT programme aimed to contribute to more inclusive, effective, accountable and gender responsive development in Nigeria through enhancing the credibility and role of civil society organizations as drivers of change for sustainable development. ACT with funding from the EU has provided capacity strengthening support for CSOs, Networks and Coalitions to improve their institutional mechanism – internal, external and programmatic mechanism. Centre for Human Rights, Health, Ethnic Harmony and Livelihood Development (CHHELD) being one of ACT-CSOs has benefitted tremendously from trainings and peer learning sessions organized by the EU-ACT.
The Peer Learning Session for ACT-CSOs have been in existence since 2022, however it is pertinent to proffer solutions to the challenges affecting the PLP from achieving its goal and objective of strengthening organizational capacity, thus, there is a need for a sustainability plan which will ensure the PLP sessions are being organized by ACT-CSOs with or without the support of the EU-ACT programme. These concerns led to the organization of Reflection Sessions by the 4 peer learning groups of ACT-CSOs in Rivers State, and the Roll-out Session which comprised all partners was organized to discuss challenges affecting the PLP model, recommendations and sustainability plans. Part of the sustainability plan include the adoption of the Virtual Peer Learning Hub (VPLH).
The EU-ACT State Focal Person, Mr. Temple Oraeki made a presentation on the Virtual Professional Learning Hub (VPLH). The VPLH serves as a robust tool to enhance organizational engagement in activities aimed at fostering growth and improvement. Functioning as an online platform, it enables Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to convene and exchange ideas. Various examples of such platforms include WhatsApp, Telegram, Webex, Google Classroom, Pronto, 360 Learning, Microsoft Teams, Kahoot, Slack, etc.
Participants during Roll-out session were broken into existing groups to discuss on the need to establish a VPLH, who will be part of the VPLH, which platform will be adopted, reasons for adoption/selecting of the platform and possible limitations/challenges. Some of the contributions include:
Reasons for establishing a VPLH
a. For convenience
b. Poor attendance to meetings will be reduced.
c. No cost of transportation
d. The vision of PLP will be sustained and objectives achieved.
f. Meetings can be recorded easily for subsequent step-down trainings.
Participants in VPLH
a. Executive Directors, staffs and volunteers
b. Members of the PLP group.
c. Interested members from other PLP groups
VPLH platforms to be adopted
a. Google Meet
b. WhatsApp
c. Kahoot
d. Zoom
Reasons for adopting/selecting VPLH
a. Accessibility and ease of use
b. Cost effective
c. Time allotment
4. Pre and post testing
POSSIBLE LIMITAIONS, CHALLENGES AND MITIGATIONS
LIMITATION
a. Poor network
b. Tendency to be distracted
c. Meeting running beyond expected time
d. Power failure
e. Background Interference
MITIGATIONS
a. Switch application/service provider
b. Make conversation during PLP session engaging and interactive
c. Keep to allotted time
d. Charge device and have a power bank before meeting
e. Ensure you are in a serene environment
The Roll-out Session which had ACT-CSO partners came to an end with each group making resolutions and action plans to sustain the PLP model in each group. The PLP model has contributed to the growth of CSOs in Rivers State.