A series of training sessions for activists in development policy organizations and initiatives, as well as for anyone committed to global justice. We especially invite BIPoC, activists from migrant self-help organizations, and people in the diaspora.
Sign up by September 24, 2024!
“The content is essential for work in the field of international cooperation.”
(Direct quote from the previous training series)
The history of the colonial era has profound implications for today’s global power dynamics and economic inequalities. Many of today’s projects and NGO activities take place in countries that were shaped by colonialism. Without a critical reflection on this history, fundraising and public relations run the risk of (unconsciously) reproducing colonial patterns and power structures. Public relations and fundraising often use images and stories that paint a distorted or stereotypical picture of people and communities in the Global South. These portrayals can reinforce power imbalances by depicting the people affected as needy and passive, while the aid providers from the Global North are portrayed as saviors.
The voices of migrant and diaspora actors are indispensable to critical discourses on power-critical public relations and fundraising. We therefore aim to create a space in which the current dominant narrative on decolonization is put to the test. Migrant and diaspora actors play a special role in development policy work, in part due to their personal experiences. We aim to honor this role in our programs by occasionally working in safe spaces. Even within teams here in Germany, racism and other power dynamics are (unconsciously) reproduced. Addressing this reproduction is a comprehensive process. It begins with self-empowerment against these dynamics on the part of Black and people of color, and with self-reflection on the part of white people.
In the long term, the general structures (finances, travel, evaluation, etc.) within which this work takes place must change (we have described this in detail in our brochure *The Fairy Tale of Equality* ). Nevertheless, an individual exploration of the topic of power-critical public relations and fundraising can serve as a possible first or subsequent building block for these structural changes. It is also important to strengthen migrant self-help organizations and support people who have experienced racism within German organizations.
To support these steps, we offer a training series on critical engagement with power and racism, as well as empowering approaches to public relations and fundraising. Over the course of four webinars, participants will learn the skills necessary for a racism- and power-sensitive—or, in other words, empowering—work practice.
Target group
This webinar series is aimed at professionals and advocates in the fields of public relations and fundraising who wish to engage in critical reflection on their work. It is aimed at staff members of development policy NGOs and foundations, as well as freelance consultants and interested individuals from related fields. We especially invite BIPoC, activists from migrant self-help organizations, and members of the diaspora.
Objectives of the Webinar Series
- Building understanding: Raising awareness of the colonial structures and mechanisms at work in development policy communications and fundraising.
- Promoting Empowerment: Developing both an attitude and a language that enable one to assert oneself within white structures
- Encourage reflection: Critically examine one’s own practices and attitudes and develop new perspectives.
- Sharing Approaches for Action: Learning and testing concrete strategies and methods to make public relations and fundraising power-critical and inclusive.
Structure and Content of the Modules
1. Webinar: Basics of
Monday, September 30, 2024, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (including a 30-minute break)
- Getting to Know the Group’s Needs and Expectations
- Together, we lay the foundation for a culture in which racism and power dynamics can be openly discussed. Here, and periodically throughout the seminar, we divide the group based on experiences with racism to create safer learning spaces.
- Input: Decolonial Approaches
2. Webinar: Self-Reflection and Empowering Approaches
Thursday, October 17, 2024, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (including a 30-minute break)
- Reflecting on One’s Own Attitude and Motivation in Public Relations and Fundraising
- Specific examples and areas for improvement within one’s own field of work are identified so that they can be addressed in the following modules
3. Webinar: Developing Options for Action: What Can Power-Critical Fundraising and Public Relations Look Like?
Thursday, November 7, 2024, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (including a 30-minute break)
- Step by step, we are developing our own standards for public relations and fundraising that challenge power structures
- Between Modules 3 and 4, you will work on your project, applying the methods of power critique directly to your day-to-day work.
4. Webinar: Embracing Innovation for Future-Oriented Fundraising and Public Relations
Thursday, November 28, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (including a 30-minute break)
- Presentation of Innovative Ideas for Future-Oriented Fundraising and Public Relations
- Feedback and reflection within the group.
The training series consists of 4 sequential webinars, each with 4.5 hours of learning content. Participation in all modules is required. Please come prepared to actively participate, engage in self-reflection, and reflect on your own work. We will support this process with guidance, interactive methods, practical tools, and one-on-one consultations.
The workshop will be conducted in spoken German. However, you can also contact us in English.
Speakers: Lawrence N. Y. Oduro-Sarpong (he/him) and Murat Akan (he/him)
Coordination: Kristina Kontzi (she/her), alle glokal e.V.
The project is funded under the PFQ program to support capacity-building initiatives in development policy, with funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and Brot für die Welt.
