Facilitation of participatory strategy development processes for European Women's Lobby

Aims & objectives

To design and facilitate strategic framework development and facilitation of participatory strategy development processes with a feminist approach and movement building to support the development of The European Women’s Lobby - EWL’s next Strategic Framework.

Target group & international/intercultural composition of the group & team

The EWL has members in 26 EU Member States, three Candidate Countries (North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey), the United Kingdom and Iceland, as well as 17 European- wide organisations representing the diversity of women and girls in Europe. All members participate in strategy development processes.

Training methods used & main activities

The strategy development process embraced EWL’s feminist culture and follow EWL’s participatory, inclusiveness and constructive way of working, was build on the lessons learned and long term impact stories.
The Art of Hosting approach to leadership was used on a systemic level using personal practice, dialogue, facilitation and the co-creation of innovation to address complex challenges. Methods used: The World Café, Open Space Technology, Circle Practice and Appreciative Inquiry.

Outcomes of the activity

- Design of the strategic framework development process – Structure of the process for consultations and development of the strategic framework;
- Facilitation plan which include detailed proposal of the facilitation and engagement process for the Board meeting; Briefing document of the facilitation plan for meetings, workshops, consultations
- Meetings, workshops, and consultations facilitated both on line and in live - Facilitation of strategic framework session at the Board meeting: Consultation, Workshops and webinars with the Executive Committee and the EWL Secretariat, Facilitation of strategic framework session at the General Assembly
- Final EWL Strategic Framework draft prepared
- Relevant materials prepared for the meetings, workshops and webinars
- Evaluation, report and recommendations accepted

Your tasks and responsibilities within the team

Senior consultant and facilitator

a. Support the design of the overall process of the development of the next Strategic framework with the Secretary General of the EWL;
b. In cooperation with the EWL Secretariat, Executive Committee and Board, support the development of the participatory process to be presented to the Board for discussion and approval at its meeting in Brussels,
c. Set up and coordinate a group of members to accompany the strategic planning process;
d. Design/deliver and carry out appropriate activities for external and internal stakeholders: for example, multi-media stakeholder consultations, webinars, online surveys and workshop(s), face-to-face and telephone interviews, participatory workshops and other innovative ideas for effective participatory engagement and active learning
e. Compile and analyse draft Strategic Framework for feedback and discussion by Members and staff
f. Draft Strategic Framework
g. Prepare/facilitate the presentation and discussion at the General Assembly

I worked on this training for 25 days as a full time trainer.

Testimonial of the reference person

The work done with Martina Staznik was superb and well thought through especially during the time of the pandemic. It was not easy to develop a strategy with a methodology and ways of working that aligned with inclusion, diversity, and equity principles, and yet we succeeded in doing this.

The overall process was designed and implemented very well and it was very easy for the senior management team, and the members to actively engage in order to deliver on our agreed outcomes.