In this section we summarise Cecilia’s expertise and areas where she provides advice and support:
En esta sección, detallamos la expertise y áreas de trabajo en las que Cecilia puede brindar asesoramiento y apoyo:
Themes
Human Rights and Conflict Transformation- transitions to peace
Partnering with Global South Actors: legitimacy and effectiveness
Community leadership, security and bottom-up governance
Youth mobilisation, inclusion and active participation
Activism and decentralisation towards impact
BRICS and Global South engagement in governance and development/ peacebuilding
International Cooperation. Global aid and peace policies. Influencing donors’ agenda
Innovation supporting effectiveness
Arts for social transformation and intercultural communication
Planning, Monitoring, evaluation and learning
Action-research: participatory programming and policy influencing
Complex Processes
Dialogue among divided groups: Promoting joint collaboration towards increased equity, inclusion and political impact
National, regional and global consultations: design and support of consultative processes to affect policy-making and cultural change
Creating, implementing and evaluating bottom-up governance and participatory initiatives addressing root causes
Management of complex and multi-stakeholders initiatives
Scaling-up start-up projects
Analysis and inclusion of local actors and cultures into programming as a means to ensure just and sustainable impact
Building strong and horizontal partnerships at global-local levels
Planning and learning in complexity and crisis contexts
Integrating action- research and creativity into global-local programmes
Supporting visionary leadership
Generating and sustaining organisational change initiatives
Streamlining processes, systems, skills and capabilities in order to enhance effectiveness
Capacity Building of diverse actors/ teams
Sound mutual accountability processes.
Methods
Systemic and reflective analysis well integrated into project-cycle (action-reflection)
Holistic conflict analysis and participatory mapping
Scenario, operational and strategic planning in contexts of uncertainty and crisis
Participatory approach to planning, evaluation and learning (action-research, theory of change, rapid-learning, joint analysis, etc.)
Transformative mediation and multi-cultural mentoring
Dialogical Team-building
Organisational, governance and capabilities assessments
Quantitative methods: surveys (closed and open-ended questions), SPSS, quantitative analysis, visual presentation of data.
Qualitative methods: stories of change/ storytelling, appreciate inquiry, river of change, theatre of the oppressed, interactive dynamics for group reflection, focus groups, in-depth interviews, mapping and matrixes and other creative tools.
Capacity to undertake sound analysis also using specific software.
Inspiration
A Wealth of Experience
Cecilia has worked with renowned organisations including Amnesty International, Oxfam, BRICS Policy Center (Global South Unit for Mediation), Synergos, Conciliation Resources, Subir al Sur and SES Foundation.
Devising and facilitating complex processes involving multiple stakeholders
Philippines: facilitating planning and learning session involving representatives from armed group, youth, women, business, indigenous people and donors, all supporting the implementation of the peace agreement between the government and the MNLF (Mindanao, Philippines).
Latino- America: facilitating regional processes -involving all Amnesty offices, Directors and Board Members- and aiming at increased joint regional impact.
Participatory design, implementation and learning from complex programmes
Some examples include: “Navegar.Sur” Programme (funded by the Interamerican Development Bank), Escuela Latino America de Actoria Social Juvenil (funded by AVINA, Ashoka, Nokia), Decentralisation of Amnesty International decision-making and regional human rights work (funded by millions of individual members), “Derechos Direitos” Programme (funded by the European Union), learning strategy from Conciliation Resources’ multi-country programme on governance in conflict contexts (DFID, UK).
Research, Evaluation and Learning
Baseline Report Oxfam, ECSN-BRICSAM programme; shared ideas to integrate findings into project cycle and innovative learning approach including ToC and process tracing (7 countries)
Governance and Transparency Fund, DFID-KPMG Learning Strategy, Most Significant Results case studies (4 regions/ 10 countries-contexts)
National Participatory Research on youth, equality and empowerment involving dozens of grassroots organisations (more than 10 states)
Creation and piloting- training in the use of tools and methodologies
Piloting and improving the use of the “Governance Assessment tool” to measure board’s effectiveness at country level. Amnesty International
Partners Peacebuilding and Organisational Capabilities Learning Tool. Conciliation Resources.
Organisational change and Partnership building
Use of diverse tools and approaches to create and sustain organisational development processes aiming at increasing effectiveness and learning.
Created strong consortiums and partnership agreements with representation of diverse countries and regions.
Accompaniment of new leaders and start-ups projects
As founder of an NGO and trained mediator and mentor, I can accompany other leaders.
Devising replicable participatory methodologies to increase equity and inclusion: starting-up, piloting and replicating models regionally.
Participatory and Creative Conflict, power and Context Analysis
Multiple examples in every process/ programme I led or supported; emphasis of sound integration with action-learning and decision-making cycle.
Tailored trainings/ courses
Theory of Changes and participatory planning (including agreement logical framework’s indicators and evaluation methods)
Course on creative tools for peacebuilding programming and Global South engagement in international peacebuilding, Global South Unit for Mediation, BRICS Policy Center