Peer-to-peer exchange of knowledge and experience Workshop discussion paper This discussion paper is meant to serve as a guide for reflexion and discussion during the workshop “Peer-to-peer exchange of knowledge and experience”, which will be part of the consultation between CNV Internationaal and it’s partner organisations from 21-24 of November 2012.

1. Introduction In the collaboration with its partner organisations, CNV Internationaal attaches great value to increasing the capacity of and strengthening these partner organisations. To this end the CNV supports its partner organisations in various ways, including provision of knowledge, expertise and/or training on issues such as negotiation, services to members, lobbying and themes relating to strengthening the organisation (e.g. leadership and self-financing). One important resource in this context is the peer-to-peer approach. This approach is based on sharing knowledge, expertise and best practices between the CNV (federations) and partner organisations (North-South exchange), between partner organisations (SouthSouth) or in some cases between partner organisations and other (trade union) organisations. The peer-to-peer exchange of knowledge and expertise can be realised in various ways. CNV Internationaal has (up to now) applied the following methods: 1.

Through physical exchange: trade unions visit each other in order to acquire knowledge and experience relating to a specific issue. See below for a number of concrete examples of such exchanges.

2.

Through the intranet page for partner organisations on the CNV Internationaal website. The intranet page contains various types of documents in English, French and Spanish, such as a manual for selffinancing, a study on domestic work, guidelines for preventing sexual harassment, a manual for member administration, various policy documents (e.g. on the informal economy and social dialogue) and the CNV code of conduct for the use of social media. All partner organisations have access to this intranet page.

The strength of the peer-to-peer approach lies in the fact that exchange takes place between comparable organisations, in this case trade union organisations. The information, knowledge and expertise transferred in this context is derived from the real-world activities of a trade union organisation and thus in most cases will provide a good fit to the reality of the learning organisation. This aspect becomes even more important in the case of South-South exchanges because time and again one finds similarities in the context and problematic issues of the trade union organisations in question.

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Here are some examples of exchanges that took place during the current (20092012) programme: •

The partner organisations in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama and Guatemala did not have sufficient knowledge of and experience in incorporating informal economy workers into the social security system. Therefore, an exchange with a knowledgeable partner organisation on this subject was organised. The partner organisation in Honduras was selected because they had been successful in accessing social security systems for workers in the informal economy. The partner organisation in Honduras shared its knowledge and experience concerning the strategies that were used with the other organisations.

•

The partner organisation in Macedonia indicated in 2010 that they had a need for capacity development in the area of skills and knowledge regarding negotiation with the employers and regarding individual and collective representation of members. Prompted by this situation, an exchange took place between the partner organisation in Macedonia and CNV Professionals (a federation affiliated to the CNV) in 2010. Two professional negotiators of CNV Professionals trained representatives of the partner organisation in agenda setting, communication techniques, feedback to members, etc.

•

At the request of the partner organisation CLC in Cambodia, an exchange took place with the KTCU in South Korea. The most important issues addressed here were strengthening leadership capacities in trade union work, increasing knowledge of the possibilities for improving the administrative structure of CLC’s own organisation (procedures, policy, instruments) and increasing knowledge of how to improve services to activists and members.

•

Prior to the PME training, a North-South exchange took place between CATS El Salvador and CGT Colombia and CNV Vakcentrale, CNV Vakmensen and CNV Onderwijs. See Appendix 1 on page 3 for the programme of this exchange.

2. Problems and key questions Just as in the previous VMP programme (Trade Union Co-Financing Programme) conducted in the period 2009-2012, the exchange of knowledge and expertise through peer-to-peer exchange plays a key role in the new VMP programme. Various successful exchanges took place during the current programme. However, we have found that partner organisations make little use of the possibilities for exchange with fellow organisations, especially the option of South-South (S-S) exchanges. CNV Internationaal believes that this form of knowledge transfer can be highly effective in view of the similarities in the context and problems of Southern partner organisations and can thus make an important contribution to achieving the targets of the 2013-2016 programme. This is why we aim to develop mechanisms for S-S exchanges that are better geared to the wishes and needs of partner organisations, thus stimulating partner organisations to make greater use of the possibilities for S-S exchange in the new programme.

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During the workshop “Peer-to-peer exchanges” we would like, together with you, to examine what obstacles there are to S-S exchanges. And even more importantly, how we can remove these obstacles. In addition, we want to investigate what mechanisms for exchange exist. The questions to be addressed here are:

4. Questions for reflexion and discussion 1.

How do the partner organisations view S-S exchanges?

2.

What could be reasons for partner organisations not making use of the possibility of S-S exchanges?

3.

Which forms of S-S exchanges exist and which are most attractive to the partner organisations?

4.

How can you identify the learning needs of organisations?

5.

How can you match up organisations with each other?

6.

What are good guidelines for S-S and N-S exchanges?

7.

How can you provide follow-up for an S-S or N-S exchange?

8.

How can you monitor the results of an S-S or N-S exchange?

9.

How can you demonstrate the use of S-S and N-S exchanges to other partner organisations?

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APPENDIX 1 – Programme for North-South exchange CNV Internationaal: Programme for exchange between the partner organisations CGT (Colombia) and CATS (El Salvador) with CNV Vakcentrale, CNV Vakmensen and CNV Onderwijs. Wednesday 17/11/2010 Location: Arienszaal Person responsible at CNV Internationaal: Marionne Lips 9:00-9.05 Welcome 9:05-9:30 CNV: general information Jan Ridder 9.30–10.00: Jaap Smit, brief introduction to CGT and CATS 10.00-11:00 Services to freelancers CNV Vakcentrale 11:00 to 12:00 Management of information on collective bargaining agreements: the ‘CAO journal’ and the NOL website.

CNV Vakmensen Lunch from 12:00 to 1300 13:00 to 14:00 Services by CNV Jongeren CNV Jongeren 14:00 to 15:30 Communication strategies – internal and external - CNV Onderwijs 15:30 to 16:00 Communication regarding CNV Vakcentrale, trade unions and members Tour of CNV Info 16:00 to 17:00 Marketing strategies and other services (insurance policies, discounts, personal assistance) CNV Vakmensen

Thursday 18/11/2010 Location: Talmazaal Person responsible at CNV Internationaal Marjolein Groenewegen 9:00 to 10:30 Members of the administration of CNV Onderwijs

Friday 19/11/2010 Person responsible at CNV Internationaal 9:00 to 11:00 Negotiating collective bargaining agreements and ICCAO CNV Vakmensen

10:30 to 11:30 Legal assistance services CNV Vakcentrale 11:30: to 13:00 Service package (including training) CNV Vakcentrale Lunch 13:00 to 14:00 14:00 to 15:30; Training services (Training Academy) CNV Onderwijs

Lunch 12:00

15:30 to 17:00 Legal services CNV Vakmensen

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