Stakeholder participation training for the EU SOILCARE project

WP3: Participation TrainingMark Reed

Liz Oughton

Steven Vella

Heleen Claringbould

Why participation in SOILCARE?

• Pragmatic arguments

• Normative argument

What makes participation work?

EmpathyTrust

ContextDiversity

What makes participation work?

EmpathyTrust

ContextDiversity

How does research benefit stakeholders?

How does research benefit stakeholders?

Learning and knowledge exchange are at the heart of every benefit that arises from research

3 metaphors to illustrate

an empathetic approach

to stakeholder

engagementa word and a picture

Based on empirical findings: Analysis of interviews with 32 researchers and

stakeholders across 13 environmental management

projects

Social network analysis & interviews tracing how >70

research findings were communicated via social

networks and put into policy/practice

Analysis of 53 interviews & questionnaires with land

degradation projects across 13 countries

Meta-analysis work by Jens Newig et al.

Latest research evidence from literature

Empathy

What makes participation work?

Empathy

TrustContextDiversity

What makes participation work?

EmpathyTrust

ContextDiversity

What makes participation work?

EmpathyTrust

Context

Diversity

SOILCARE(s) for gender equality

Heleen Claringbould

www.corepage.org Consult and research on participation and gender in environmental issues

1. AIM SOILCARE

To identify, select and assess different soil improving crop systems in Europe to determine their effects on

• soil quality,

• environment,

• crop yield,

• profitability and

• sustainability,

using a range of advanced methodologies and assessment procedures forprofitable and sustainable crop production in Europe.

2. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS, WOMEN INCLUDED

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDM828TpVpY

http://www.fao.org/sofa/gender

“SOILCARE will analyze the gender aspects of the organizational structureof the project as well as project contextual issues in relation to e.g. soilimproving cropping systems and the adoption of these.”

WHY?

Gap closed in 10 year?

Economic 59% (3%)Health 96%Education 95%Politics 23%

3. WHY GENDER? LIVING WITH A GENDER GAP 2006-2016

https://www.weforum.org/reports/global-gender-gap-report-2015

World Economic Forum

Gap nearlyclosed

A closed gap means gender equality

http://www.fao.org/gender-landrights-database/data-map/statistics/en/

4. FAO MAP % FEMALE AGRICULTURAL HOLDERS EUROPE

0-9 %

10-19 %

> 40 %

20-29 %

30-39 %

5. GENDER EQUALITY IN STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS: AIM AND APPROACH

Equal treatment and opportunities (organization)

Knowledge exchange, disaggregated data (content)

Approach SOILCARE 3 questionnaires

1. Inventory partners and stakeholders2. Gender activities and data gathering3. Monitoring and evaluating

When involving stakeholders (workshop 1) consider diversity by culture, interest, influence

• gender

• size

• area

• sector

• topic

• aim

• role

Women?

How do we know?

6. DIVERSITY OF STAKEHOLDERS (ORGANIZATION)

Stakeholder an institute?

7. KNOWLEDGE OF DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS (CONTENT)

When analyzing stakeholders (Workshop 2, 3)

Listen to the knowledge:

1. Disaggregated data (M/W) about what?

Influence, interest in: ownership, decision making,

resources, income, time, soil improvement practices

Have separate women to women interviews

2. Meeting / Evaluation / Decision making

As moderator keep everyone M/W on board

3. Website / Facebook / Twitter / Whatsapp

Use communication practices

How to approach a

woman farmer?

SOILCARE(S) FOR GENDER EQUALITY

Thank You !

http://www.cuesa.org/

Stakeholder analysis

Who has a stake in SOILCARE

Individuals, groups and/or organisations that

are likely to use your research, that may be

affected positively or negatively by our

research or who may facilitate or block our

research and its impacts

Stakeholder analyisis tells us:

who is likely to be interested in our research?

who has the power to influence our research

or the uptake of your findings?

how do these parties interact?

how could we tailor our knowledge exchange so

we can all work more effectively together?

High

Low

Influence

Context setters - highly influential, but have little interest. Try and work closely as they could have a significant impact

Key players – must work closely with these to affect change

Crowd – little interest or influence so may not be worth prioritising, but be aware their interest or influence may change with time

Subjects – may be affected but lack power. Can become influential by forming alliances with others. Often includes marginalised groups you may wish to empower

Level of Interest High

Look at worked example…

Contact

• Liz Oughton: elizabeth.oughton@newcastle.ac.uk

• Mark Reed: mark.reed@newcastle.ac.uk

Centre for Rural Economy, School of Agriculture, Food & Rural Development, Newcastle University

Matrix ranking and scoring

Discussion of the trial options

Ranking of the trial options

Discussion, scoring and shortlisting trial options

New soil improving cropping systems or techniques identified in previous stakeholder workshops with further inputs from WP2

Structured discussion of trial options noting the criteria used to judge each

Choosing the criteria for judging the suitability of the new cropping system

Criteria may fall within these categories for example• Economic or financial• Ecological• Social or cultural• Effectiveness in achieving objective of soil improvement• …and so on

Discuss in groups to include the complete range of ideas

Group similar ideas together

Score ideas to select if too many

The matrix of options showing the criteria rankings for each

Trial option

TO 1 TO 2 TO 3 TO 4 TO 5 TO 6

Criteria

C1

C2

C3

C4

C5

Scoring and selecting

Trial option

TO 1 TO 2 TO 3 TO 4 TO 5 TO 6

Criteria

C1

C2

C3

C4

C5

Facilitationskills

Facilitation = assisting progress, making easy

Benefits

• Open outcome• More active discussion• Clarity• More people have a say• No organisation or individual is in

control• May produce a helpful and

supportive atmosphere

Obstacles

• Interpersonal behaviour• Personal or positional power• Feelings• Egos• Poor communication skills• Lack of information

• Structural and cultural obstacles• Competition, perceived or actual• Organisational power• Adversarial culture• Different interpretations of data

Interpersonal facilitation skills

• Impartial and approachable• Build rapport in group and maintain

positive dynamics• Handling dominating or offensive

individuals• Encourage questioning of personal or

entrenched positions• Encourage reticent/shy individuals• Be open to personal feedback

Practical skills 1

• Active listening• Allow clarification• Let people know that their opinions are valued• Help people to get beyond ‘facts’• Encourage people to take responsibility for

problems and to look for solutions• Give energy and momentum• Ensure all have an opportunity to input

• Record the discussion if participants agree• Write clearly• Manage paper• Have an assistant to make notes and support

you

Practical skills 2

• Ask the right questions• Open questions What? Where? Which? When?

How?...• Closed questions are answered by yes or no

• Value silence – don’t be afraid of it• Be prepared to park questions or replies• Reframe a question if necessary – ask it again

in a different way

Provide feedback

• Encourage – as you would in conversation, smile, nod maintain eye contact

• Encourage ask for more information• Confirm you have the correct

understanding• Validate and affirm

Things to avoid• Advising• Judging or labelling• Analysing/diagnosing• Hostility• Minimising responses or being

patronising• Ordering or threatening• Leading questions to get an

answer that you want• Looking bored or defensive• Fidgeting

Enjoy yourselfRelax

You will learn a lot

Your group will all enjoy it because someone is listening to them and

valuing them and their views

Identity & Roles

Power& influence

1. We are typically more conscious of the parts of our identify that are different to those around us

• e.g. if you are from a different country, older/married etc.

2. We use different parts of who we are in

different situations e.g. when we are in

different groups of people

• We often do this without thinking about it

• We are not changing our identity – we’re just

drawing on different parts of ourselves to adopt

different roles

3. This has implications for group dynamics

• Groups take on their own identity – as a

facilitator be aware of different identities within

the group.

• For example:

– an individual you interview may act differently and say

very different things in a group

– and they may do and say different things again if you

put them in a another group

4. In conflicts, people slip into rehearsed

opposing roles that prevent them listening or

learning

Dealing with Conflict

Avoiding conflict

• Can building a relationship of mutual

understanding help avoid conflict?

• How can you build this connection of empathy

(from Mark’s introduction) and understanding with

those who might not have the same views, ideas,

etc. as you? (So – what are the do’s and don’ts?)

Early warning signs of conflict

• First, be aware of your own feelings!!

• Early signs of conflict you can detect in yourself?

Early warning signs of conflict

• Early signs of conflict you can detect in yourself?

• Anxiety, dread, frustration, anger

• Irrational thoughts e.g. “they don’t like me”, “it is

going to fail”

• Behaving out of character e.g. nervous checking

of things, working faster (or the other way round –

depending on your own character)

• Exhibiting high or low power characteristics that

are out of role e.g. becoming bossy or submissive

Early warning signs of conflict

• Early signs of conflict you can detect in others?

i.e. Not in yourself but those around you…

Early warning signs of conflict

• Early signs of conflict you can detect in others?

• Cold, distant, withdrawn

• Withholding back, no sharing of ideas

• Closing body language – that is a change of

behaviour e.g. From being friendly suddenly

becoming quiet and distant

Early warning signs of conflict

• Early signs of conflict you can detect in others?

• Silence, becoming passive (i.e. non-active,

indifferent, non-participative)… OR the

opposite:

• Argumentative, not agreeing, blaming

• Moralising, intellectualising

Power & influence

Group discussion

• How can you identify those in a group with more

or less power?

• What signs can you look for in yourself or others

to identify high or low rank?

How much power do you possess?

There are four types of power you can possess:

1. situational

2. social

3. personal

4. transpersonal

Situational Power

• Role in formal hierarchy

• Seniority

• Expertise or experience

• Access to decision makers

Social Power

• Race or ethnicity

• Gender/ orientation

• Age

• Class

• Profession

• Wealth

• Education level

• Health/physical ability

• Social network

• Marital status/ children

• Appearance or

attractiveness

• Religious affiliation

• Title (e.g. Dr)

Personal Power

• Self awareness

• Self confident and

assertive

• Charisma

• Strength of character

• Emotional maturity

• Ability to empathise

• Ability to survive

adversity

• Life experience

• Ability to communicate

and influence others

• Integrity and honesty

• Creativity

• Positive and honest

estimation of your

worth and abilities

• Easy to get on with, so

can build networks

• Build others up

Transpersonal Power

(Now this is the kind of power we rarely think of

as “Power”, and some may argue that these

may actually make you weaker….)

• Connection to something larger than yourself

• Spirituality or faith (not religion)

• Ability to move beyond or forgive past hurts

• Freedom from fear

• Service to an unselfish vision

You may not be able to change your situational

power if you’re at the bottom of the

organisation’s hierarchy

But you may be able to increase your power in

other ways, especially your personal and

transpersonal power.

What power do you already possess, and how

can you increase your power?

Appreciative Enquiry

• Turns problem-solving on its head

• Focus on rediscovering and reorganising the

good rather than problem solving

• Process of sharing success stories from the past

and present, asking positive questions in pairs

• Conceive and plan the future on the basis of the

successes and strengths that are identified

• Can include everyone in change/future planning

Appreciative Enquiry

• Pair up with someone

• Ask them to tell you a story about one of their

greatest successes

• Get them to tell you right from the start, with a

beginning, middle and end, like a story

• Prompt them to tell you why they were so

pleased, how they felt and draw out the positives

Appreciative Enquiry

• How do you feel?!

At the end of the day you have to be aware of your

own feelings and how they affect your own way of

dealing with others and potential conflict (or, we

could say, the probable conflict that will arise in

any decision-making process…

Every Decision is a mixture of knowledge,

experience, values that change as your

knowledge increases, the relationships you have

with the others making the decisions, the

influence you have within this group and the

power dynamics that are continuously changing,

sometimes without realising, sometimes very

obvious and in your face… with the atmosphere

so tense you can see it and feel it…

Because even with all the information, knowledge

etc. that you can have at your disposal, decisions

are always subjective, in one way or another.

We all tend to forget that we, as part of the project,

are stakeholders too – We are working on the

project, we want that it is a success, that our

research is taken seriously… etc. And we can

become very defensive of our work, especially if it

is not accepted by somebody we perceive or think

has less knowledge, expertise or “power” than us!