In the rapidly changing context of Myanmar, organisations face changes strategically as well as through phases of growth or decline, or mergers and acquisitions. There is growing demand of professionals capable of providing organisations with facilitation and guidance through times of transition. Process facilitators are practitioners who help organisations either externally or internally to create successful strategies for change. They apply advanced research methods, behavioral science approaches, and working closely with leaders who practices for the day-to-day and strategic needs of an organisation.
In addition to organisational development (OD) support that MEC directly provides the partners, MEC took an approach which is more strategic, more sustainable and more practical to achieve OD of the partner organisations. From June 2015 to February 2016, MEC developed and implemented a training course for internal organisational change facilitators. The course was delivered over a nine-month course period and prepared change facilitators to be able to initiate, mobilise, and facilitate the changes in each of their organisations.
The original objectives of the programme were that, by completing nine months of work, mentoring and training, course participants would:
- Work well as a reflective process facilitators
- Gain knowledge and ability in the key areas of expertise required for sound process facilitation, and OD
- Demonstrate skills and knowledge in consulting, process and change management, and change intervention methodologies.
The principal form of the four workshops was highly participatory and based in practice, skills development and reflection. Click for more information about Module One in June 2015 and Module Two in September 2015. Modules Three and Four took place in December 2015 and February 2016, and you can see photos from the last two modules below.
Reading materials were specially developed in Myanmar language using very strong and relevant theoretical references on this particular subject and the field of OD, consultation and facilitation. All the materials were provided before and during the workshops in a participant workbook so that participants would have been able to study and refer anytime of their application during and after the programme.
Workshops were conducted at a challenging, practitioner level of proficiency, and work oriented throughout the real life case studies for their individual organisations. In addition, professional coaching support was available to the participants to be able to work on their case studies as well as in their own practice between workshops.
18 participants from 15 organisations participated in the course. Unfortunately, seven participants from six organisations could not complete the course due to the intensive nature and time commitment required.
At the end of the nine-month course period, participants showed a highly significant increase in knowledge of organisational change processes and they also had a high level of skills, behavior and positive attitude change. Four organisations (Eden School, KMSS Pathein, S4SK and KBC) showed good progress in facilitating change in their organisations and interest to continue with OD.
Workbooks developed for the course will be available for download soon.
myanmareducationconsortium.org 