The Organisational Strengthening Implementation Hub, supporting the Biodiversity Human Capital Development Strategy for 2010 to 2030, invites you to a workshop, as part of auditing process to better understand the nature and scope of out our current monitoring, evaluation, reporting and learning practices. The aim of this audit is to inform the development of (i) an evaluation framework for the Strategy; and (ii) an accredited, applied learning programme to strengthening practices and capacities in the sector.

Led by the South African National Biodiversity Institute and supported by the Lewis Foundation, the 20-year Biodiversity Human Capital Development Strategy was launched in 2010, to address a skills crisis and facilitate transformation. The Strategy aims at attracting, enabling access, supporting development and retention of key skills in the sector, while simultaneously creating enabling macro conditions for sustainable skills development. A sector wide, partnership initiative, a variety of stakeholders participate in and contribute to different objectives of the strategy. A mid-term review in 2020, showed that some gains were made in the first ten years of implementation, mostly focused on new entrants into the sector and workplace. A key finding, however is the 'absence of shared monitoring, evaluation and reporting' (Mid-term Review Synthesis Report, p. 7).

The Organisational Strengthening Hub is one of six implementation hubs convened to lead actions towards the Strategy objectives over the next six years. The other five include one each for co-ordination, advocacy, skills intelligence, pathways to employment and livelihoods, and education and training. Three priorities identified for the Organisational Strengthening Implementation Hub include (i) strengthening monitoring, evaluation, reporting and learning of skills development initiatives broadly and those contributing towards the strategy; (ii) strengthening organisations to better support skills development, within and beyond the human resource function through for example mentoring, skills audits, training, amongst others; and (iii) supporting pre- and in-service leadership development.

To initiate, guide and address these priorities, the workshop will reintroduce an Organisational Strengthening Network, previously convened as the Human Resource Development (HRD) Network. And complemented by a sector wide survey, it will also map out current monitoring, evaluation, reporting and learning practices to strengthen and improve these through the remaining term of the strategy. Join us in strengthening these critical monitoring, evaluation, reporting and learning processes and practices that support skills development in and for the sector.