While the term "capacity building" is a new flavor of 2021, it simply means developing the resources you have so that you can be effective and responsive to the needs and demands of the organization and its stakeholders.
However, the idea of developing the skills, abilities, resources (including people), and processes so that an institution or agency can not only survive but adapt AND thrive, should not be novel but the norm. But we all know it isn't the norm.
Capacity building is one of the inner layers of the strategic planning onion - you cannot know what you need to develop if you do not think it needs to be developed. Further, while many focus on the revenue generating, cost-cutting, financial capacity, few consider the development of their human capital.
Let us consider the small institution with limited resources - cross training and professional development of the RIGHT staff would mitigate turnover and even downsizing as well as support an environment where the staff is part of change; not just being carried along by it.
Accrediting agencies and quality assurance entities face similar issues and maybe even more so since their “bottom line” should not be about money. It should be about quality and that quality is impacted by the competence and knowledge of the staff and the level of service provided to all stakeholders. If staff members are unaware of the strategic plan or uninformed on the core accreditation/quality assurance functions, then?
The state or federal bodies should not be exempt from the idea of building capacity but…let’s keep the heads in the sand. #capacitybuilding #accreditation #accreditors #institutions #accountability #truth
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