By Taís Siqueira (Local Leadership Labs Coordinator) and Joanna Makhlouf (Local Leadership Labs Assistant)
The Sounding Board (SB) played a crucial role in the inception of Local Leadership Labs (LLL) by advising on partner selection, identifying priority countries within the two regions, and sense-making the initial LLL framework. From September to December 2023, the Sounding Board (SB) met bi-weekly and provided feedback on the LLL format and approach.
Incorporating a Sounding Board composed of diverse CIVICUS constituents during the inception phase proved to be very valuable. The selection of this group was based on recommendations from CIVICUS colleagues and affiliated networks, which is an approach CIVICUS has noticed to be successful in the past (e.g., Youth Action Team). An interesting observation was that this approach helped reduce power dynamics within the group by inviting individuals to contribute on equal terms, as partners. The partnership-based approach embraced by this program (all working together to advance the local leadership agenda) fostered an open and confident exchange of ideas. The SB discussions also offered valuable insights for meaningful co-creation processes, emphasizing the need for flexibility in our agendas. Allocating extra time for unexpected and significant discussions, as well as revisiting core themes through a 'repetition approach,' emerged as key practices to foster deeper reflection and encourage thoughtful feedback contributions.
The focus of the LLL is rooted in local priorities, hence the commitment to involve in the inception phase of the initiative a Sounding Board composed of representatives from local communities, national/regional networks and other likeminded groups as a way to ensure that the validation of the initial framework of the LLL and that critical decisions are informed by those closer to the communities we serve. For example, when discussing the role of convening partners at different levels (regional, national and sub-national), the sounding board questioned the possible power dynamics of having regional conveners overseeing sub-national and national partners, something that had not occurred to us in the first place.
The SB elaborated that because regional organisations generally have more access to networks, connections and donors this could create competition between partners. Instead, the SB suggested inviting national and sub-national partners to co-create the role of regional partners counterbalancing the power dynamics and providing more opportunities for meaningful and equal partnership across all partners, which should also increase collaboration and decrease competition. It is a rather simple change to implement, yet we envision it to have significant implications for our commitment to advance local leadership, which would not have been made without the SB’s input.
The critical feedback provided regularly by SB members demonstrated their crucial role in asking probing questions and challenging assumptions about the LLL. For example, some of the SB initial input highlighted the need to address the LLL practical aspects. Accordingly, we sense-checked together the framework of the initiative, focusing on fostering greater clarity on how the LLL differs from existing initiatives, how it integrates with ongoing local work without establishing new infrastructures, the unique value it brings and its potential. We collaborated on addressing persisting confusions around terminology, fostering opportunities for joint co-creation of definitions of civil society, radical inclusivity, local leadership and development, among others.
The last round of SB feedback following our final inception meeting demonstrated a deeper understanding of the LLL initiative and greater clarity about its processes, several of which were co- created with the Sounding Board. Some SB members appreciated in their final feedback the intentional design of the program, by saying that "I totally accept that no system is perfect, but the LLL approach comes pretty close. I truly appreciate the intentionality that went into the programme design and the proficient manner in which it's being executed." Others noted that the diverse expertise of the SB members ignited valuable discussions, some of which resonated beyond our LLL space.
The input of the Sounding Board members was invaluable, not only in strengthening meaningful co- creation processes for the LLL but also shaped how we collaborated in our sessions together. The SB feedback guided the direction of our meeting series, and each meeting agenda was developed based on previous discussions and pre-communicated for modification. Key approaches that emerged from our meetings included setting time aside for unplanned yet significant discussions in addition to revisiting core themes and discussions, which proved to be crucial in fostering deeper reflection and thoughtful feedback. In line with LLL commitments to advancing local leadership and investing in partnership-based collaboration, the Sounding Board will remain integral to this project by periodically validating LLL learnings and reflections and offering candid feedback on its trajectory.
