Case Study by John Cornwell
Background
Kisauni Vocational Training Centre (formerly Kisauni Youth Polytechnic) was established in 1968 and currently supports over 350 students in 20 vocational and professional courses in Mombasa, Kenya. It is an important institution for local communities as it enables many young people to gain practical skills that lead to their employment or self-employment, whilst also filling a gap between secondary and tertiary education.
I was first engaged as a VSO (professional) volunteer based at Kisauni Youth Polytechnic from 2010-12, with a role in supporting Organisational Development, Human Resources Management, Capacity Development and Resource Mobilisation, amongst others.
One of the early assignments that I was asked to undertake was to facilitate a Strategic Planning process with the institution, which took place in early 2011. The process followed the five-step Participatory Strategic Planning (PSP) process designed by ICA as part of the Technology of Participation (ToP) methods. During this process, particular attention was given to a series of consultative sessions with all major stakeholders (students, staff, board members, partners and other community members, including parents). This not only demonstrated the importance of participation but also led to a greater understanding amongst these stakeholders.
These stakeholders were all represented during the main workshop process and a comprehensive five-year plan was developed. Since 2011, this process has been repeated several times (in 2017, 2021 and 2023) where I was joined by my colleagues and co-facilitators from the local Pwani Facilitators Network (PFN), Mary Bada and Elisha Mwaringa. Most recently, a Participatory Research on Organisational Sustainability (2024-25) has also been facilitated, which explored a lot of the issues currently facing the institution and which made significant use of the Focused Conversation Method, another of the ICA ToP Methods.
Impact
Over a significant period of time, three important areas of impact have been noted, several of which were particularly apparent in the findings of the recent Research project, as follows:
- Development and implementation of the Kisauni Environment Project, which ran from 2012-14, much of which was set out in the first Strategic Plan and the plan was very critical to the subsequent successful funding application to Funded by DANIDA and the Community Development Trust Fund (CDTF) in Kenya. The project provided a solar energy system that now meets more than 65% of the institution’s energy needs; improved water systems through a new borehole and large tanks for storing harvested rainwater, as well as a community water access point; greening of the institution and other schools in the area through the planting of nearly 60,000 trees; capacity development and support for 10 other “green” community initiatives; and a legacy of sustainable development within the wider Kisauni area.
- Participation and engagement from wide range of stakeholders, which has helped to ensure that a wider range of voices are being heard and that decision-making has become much more participatory. Examples of this are in the development of a student council, staff representation in various teams and committees supporting the institution, improved relationships between the staff and board, and a sense of increased engagement at all levels. All of this implies that power dynamics within the institution have improved and continue to evolve towards a more equitable institution with a greater sense of ownership by all the different stakeholders.
- Significant institutional developments have taken place over the last decade and a half. Firstly, the institution has now fully entered the Kenyan Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system, hence the new name of Kisauni VTC, meaning that it contributes to the broader Kenyan educational system as well as complying with its standards. This has come about as a result of an expansion in courses and the levels at which they are offered, increase in student numbers and improved standards in teaching, as highlighted in the recent research in which students, former students and partner organisations all rated the quality of teaching very highly. A large part of this can be attributed to improved accessibility to the institution for more students, and a growing emphasis on the importance of both gender and disability inclusion, whilst the improved environment, which was described in the research as both safe and clean, is another legacy of the Kisauni Environment Project
In the words of Abdalla Mbui, Training Officer at Kisauni VTC,
“the impact and legacy of participatory strategic planning at Kisauni has been impactful in bringing changes in communication, planning, and implementation of its objectives. Through inclusive dialogue and collaborative decision-making, this approach has strengthened stakeholder engagement, fostered innovation, and ensured that strategic goals align closely with the needs of the community.”
Abdalla Mbui, Training Officer at Kisauni VTC
Key Lessons learnt
The process has thrown up many lessons, especially the following:
- Having the “luxury” of taking a long-term approach to this intervention has been critical. It has enabled the building of strong relationships and trust with the ability for several Facilitators to also be “critical friends” to the institution as we have been called on to support and facilitate several times since the initial engagement
- Having a high level of participation and engagement through consistent representation of different stakeholders has been very important with each intervention. This has included staff members, students, former students, board members, partner organisations, local community organisations and individuals, as well as other stakeholders. To ensure that all these voices and perspectives are properly included in the Strategic Planning process has meant that the first stage of the PSP is usually quite long but it is a very worthwhile investment as it has led to a much stronger sense of ownership amongst all stakeholders, and more effective implementation as a result
- Despite being a key individual in this relationship, it has been important for me to always assume a team approach to Facilitation of the PSP and other processes, as well as being flexible with the overall approach taken rather than rigidly following a set out process. In some cases, this has meant other colleague Facilitators having to “learn on the job” but this has worked very favourably and they have learnt new skills and methods effectively and in a supportive way
In conclusion, it has been a great pleasure to know and work with the Kisauni VTC team over a period of more than 15 years. I have seen the institution and individuals within grow and develop significantly during this period; it is wonderful to observe their confidence and pride in their work and the institution as a whole. These are some of the great “benefits” of facilitation and community development work as a whole that make me feel lucky and blessed to work within this field.
For more about Kisauni VTC, please see Kisauni Vocational Training Center – Kisauni Polytechnic | Mombasa | Facebook
John is a long-standing member of ICA:UK and participated in the Volunteer Service Programme (1999)
Currently he is a ToP Lead Trainer and member of the International Working Group