Participant Training Human and Institutional Capacity Development & Participant Training  | | Mr. Hysin Shamata of Kavaja, Albania points out a garbage mound that will soon be covered in grass to maintain an attractive countryside view. This technique for solid waste management is just one approach learned as a result of a recent third-country training program undertaken in Hungary. | Participant Training and human capacity development are key components of most USAID activities. Without them, USAID projects have limited impact and sustainability. Each year, USAID supports the training of over one million host country individuals. Programs are mostly short-term (technical training, study visits, leadership development, public diplomacy) but also some long-term programs (academic degree studies, non-degree research or leadership programs) take place in the United States, the home country, or in a third country. In 2009, the number of individuals trained was over 2,350,000, including 3,684 who were trained in the U.S. Participants are drawn from the public or private sector and may be mid- and high-level managers, local leaders, teachers and education administrators, technicians, and NGO staff. All training helps individuals acquire new skills, knowledge, and attitudes critical to the achievement of Mission goals.
Participants typically are drawn from organizations with which the USAID Mission is partnered in a development project. In these situations, training may be one element of a coordinated human and institutional capacity development program that focuses not on the transfer of skills and knowledge and improved job performance of the individual but on increased output or productivity in the partner organization. To this end, training to address skill and knowledge gaps is just one tool, along with interventions to deal with other performance barriers, such as dysfunctional organizational structure, unsupportive work atmosphere, or lack of necessary tools and incentives. Success of training and other capacity development interventions is measured by improvement in overall organizational performance and output, not the number of individuals trained. The Human and Institutional Capacity Development Handbook [PDF: 883KB] was developed by the Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade to help USAID integrate human and institutional capacity development into its development assistance programs. It provides information on the evolution of the approach, implementation guidance, and tools for implementing human and institutional capacity development initiatives.
Training policies and procedures are found in USAID’s Automated Directive System (ADS), ADS Chapter 253 Training for Development [PDF: 294KB]. Bringing participants to the United States involves additional planning and procedural steps with regard to acquiring the J-1 visa, required of all training and exchange visitors. See also:
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