Presented at the Triple-S Annual Review and Planning Meeting (ARAP), Fort Portal Uganda, 6th-11th May 2013

1. TRIPLE-S
LEARNING ALLIANCES
What, why, how, who?

2. WATER SERVICES THAT LAST …2
HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND ‘LEARNING’
A conscious and systematic process toward changing
behaviour, attitudes and values.
...Joint information collection, analysis, reflection and
sense making about systemic problems to understand
why things are they way they are to support
identification of appropriate solutions that have a wide
base of support.

3. WATER SERVICES THAT LAST …3
PURPOSE OF ASSESSING LA’S/MSP’S
 What ingredients are needed for a successful
Learning Alliance?
 To what extent are Learning Alliances effective
catalysts for achieving sector learning and adaptive
management / change?
 What resources are required to ensure a viable
Learning Alliance

4. WATER SERVICES THAT LAST …4
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES OF A
LEARNING ALLIANCE APPROACH
1. Feedback mechanism between different Multi Stakeholder
Platforms
2. Generate concrete evidence on WASH challenges, solutions
and innovations
3. To create a critical mass of change agents for rural water
services that last
4. Accelerate the process of generating information, joint
reflection, sense making, planning and adaption

5. WATER SERVICES THAT LAST …5
ASSESSING THE LEARNING ALLIANCE: KEY
STEPS
• Mapping the ‘system’ we understand constitutes the Learning
Alliance
• Defining ‘learning our understanding of learning
• Identifying outcomes Learning Facilitation and opportunities for
changes to way of working
• Identifying criteria for a viable Learning Alliance
• Developing an indicator framework for assessing the Learning
Alliance
• Adapting the indicator framework into a learning and coordination
model

6. WATER SERVICES THAT LAST …8
PLACEHOLDER FOR MSP / LA MAP
Joint Sector Review – Stakeholder Forum
Inter District Meeting
TSU Review
Regional Learning
Forums
District Water and
Sanitation Coordination
Committees
Sub-County Water and
Sanitation Coordination
Committees
National
Regional
District
Sub-
County
Level
NLF
CSO
WASH
Foru
m
Functio
nality
MI
S others
DPs
JTR
TSU
DWO
DWO
DWO
CAO
LC V
CSOs
TSU
HPMA
Chair
Mandatory
Key:Media
Non-
mandatory
NWSC
Dist
Health
Dept
= reporting
= info flow

7. WATER SERVICES THAT LAST …9
MULTI STAKEHOLDER PLATFORM ANALYSIS
NATIONAL LEVEL
Joint Sector Review – Stakeholder Forum
Frequency: Annual
Organizer: MWE
Rationale of the Platform
• Reflection on performance against sector performance measurement framework
•Accountability forum for MWE, Development partners, legislators & District Local
governments
Form of Platform
• Formal
Strategic Objectives/Intended Outcomes
• Identify priority actions/undertakings to improve sector performance
Type of Facilitation
• MWE led and Funded
• MWE sets the Agenda

8. WATER SERVICES THAT LAST …10
MULTI STAKEHOLDER PLATFORM ANALYSIS
NATIONAL LEVEL
Civil Society WASH Forum
Frequency : 1x annually
Organiser : CSO-led, funded by UWASNET
Rationale of the Platform
• Enable CSOs to have greater, more effective contributions to the sector
• Show casing CSOs and sharing practices
• Advocacy to National level on specific sector issues
Form of Platform
• Voluntary Membership
Strategic Objectives/Intended Outcomes
• Advocacy platform
• Messages for Joint Sector Review
• Joint analysis and exchange of experiences among members
Type of Facilitation
• UWASNET-Funded
• UWASNET Leads agenda setting

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CHALLENGE TO FACILITATION OF LA’S
 The LA facilitation function is largely ‘behind
the scenes’ – evaluating and communicating the
value of facilitation function is all the more important

10. WATER SERVICES THAT LAST …21
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Testing the Learning Alliance Criteria & Indicator Framework to
answer the following questions
1. Is the LA indicator framework effective tool for monitoring and
evaluating the learning alliance?
2. How, and to what extent, does the learning alliance approach
influence change in sector priorities, policies and practice?
3. How best can the learning alliance approach be anchored in
the sector for adapting policy, practice and encouraging
innovation?
4. What resources are required to implement a learning alliance
approach?

11. Criteria Indicator
1 Leadership is known
and owned
1.a Recognised leader
1.b Owns the leadership role
1.c Connection with Facilitation Function, regular contact
2 Facilitation is skilled
and committed
2.a Facilitation function exists
2.b facilitation position remunerated
2.c Function profile based on competencies
2.d Facilitator has required time available
2.3 (see 1.c) regular & positive connection with Alliance Leader
3 Common vision, goal
and strategy
3.a Process to agree on common vision, goal and strategy conducted
3.b written, documented vision, goal and strategy
3.c (Joint Agenda exists) Agreement on Joint Agenda
4 Joint Agenda
5 Alliance Membership 5.a relevant multi-disciplinary WASH sector expertise represented in
LA
5.b Consistent participation (with content and decision taking
power)

12. Criteria Indicator
6 Feedback mechanisms / links
between horizontal and
vertical MSPs
6.a conscious effort to engage with / invite key agents from other
levels (vertical and platforms (horizontal)
6.b active follow-up on thematic, process and joint agenda matters
across levels (horz. & vertical)
6.c Timely sharing of information (reports, document, newletters,
etc) from Platform to different levels
7 Local Champion 7.a Agencies & persons with interest
8 Communication &
documentation strategy
8.a Communication & documentation strategy, plan and financial
arrangements exist
8.b Channels to ensure upward & downward and horizontal, timely
sharing of information
8.c tailored information products to different groups
9 Joint Action & Monitoring
Plan
9.a meeting / events generate joint action plan
9.b Sharing status on progress with action plans
10 Joint sharing & reflection of
results (+/-)
10.a joint sharing & reflection of results for improved action
11 Joint resources mobilisation 11.a LA members commit resources towards activities

13. WATER SERVICES THAT LAST …32
CONCRETE ACTIVITIES TO BE DONE
1. Translating the learning alliance criteria and frame work into a
Learning & Coordination model for the sector
2. Analysis of costs required to implement and sustain the learning and
coordination model
3. Detailed documentation on the Triple-S perspective of the what, why,
who, where, when, how of the LA Approach
Completed by: 01/11/2013