Capacity Needs Assessment and Development of P/CVE Training Manual for Promoting Sustainable Peace, Reconciliation and Social Cohesion in Somalia (PROSPER-SOCO) Project

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Project Information

HURMA Consulting was commissioned by ANNPCAN-SOM, with funding from the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), under the PROSPER-SOCO Project to undertake a capacity needs assessment and support the development of practical training resources for promoting sustainable peace, reconciliation and social cohesion in Somalia.

The assignment combined assessment, consultation and capacity development to identify institutional, organisational and community capacity needs relevant to peacebuilding and the prevention and countering of violent extremism (P/CVE).

The assessment findings provided an evidence base for designing contextually relevant training content and facilitation resources that could strengthen the knowledge, skills and practical capacities of stakeholders working on peacebuilding, reconciliation, social cohesion and P/CVE.

Purpose of the Assignment

The assignment was designed to understand existing capacity gaps and translate the findings into practical learning and training resources that respond to the realities of fragile and conflict-affected contexts in Somalia.

The assessment and training-development process focused on strengthening stakeholders' ability to contribute to sustainable peace, reconciliation, social cohesion and prevention of violent extremism through informed, conflict-sensitive and community-oriented approaches.

Capacity Needs Assessment

HURMA applied a participatory capacity assessment approach to examine the knowledge, skills, institutional capacities and practical requirements relevant to peacebuilding, reconciliation, social cohesion and P/CVE.

The assessment considered both existing capacities and areas where additional technical support, knowledge development, practical tools and structured learning were required.

• Institutional Capacity: Examination of organisational systems, roles, structures and institutional requirements relevant to peacebuilding and P/CVE.
• Technical Knowledge and Skills: Identification of knowledge and skills required by stakeholders to effectively contribute to prevention, peacebuilding, reconciliation and social cohesion.
• Community and Stakeholder Engagement: Consideration of approaches for strengthening meaningful engagement with communities and relevant local stakeholders.
• Conflict Sensitivity: Integration of conflict-sensitive approaches into capacity development and peacebuilding interventions.
• P/CVE Capacity: Identification of capacity requirements related to preventing and countering violent extremism within the broader peacebuilding and social cohesion agenda.

P/CVE and Peacebuilding Training Manual

Based on the capacity needs identified through the assessment, HURMA developed practical training materials addressing peacebuilding, reconciliation, social cohesion and the prevention and countering of violent extremism.

The training resources were designed to move beyond theoretical knowledge by incorporating practical learning approaches, contextual examples and facilitation tools that could be applied by practitioners and local stakeholders.

The materials were developed to support structured capacity strengthening and provide facilitators with resources that can be adapted to different stakeholder groups and local contexts.

Key Thematic Areas

The capacity-building approach brought together interconnected peacebuilding and prevention themes rather than treating P/CVE as a standalone intervention.

• Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention: Understanding conflict dynamics and strengthening capacities for prevention and peaceful conflict management.
• Reconciliation and Social Cohesion: Supporting dialogue, trust-building, inclusive participation and community relationships.
• Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism: Strengthening understanding of P/CVE approaches within a broader peacebuilding and social cohesion framework.
• Community Engagement: Strengthening approaches for meaningful community participation, dialogue and locally grounded peacebuilding.
• Conflict Sensitivity and Do No Harm: Applying conflict-sensitive principles to programme design, facilitation and implementation.
• Inclusive Peacebuilding: Recognising the importance of inclusive participation and the contribution of different stakeholder groups to sustainable peace.

Participatory Methodology

HURMA used a participatory and context-sensitive approach that linked the capacity assessment directly to the development of the training materials.

• Review of relevant project and contextual information
• Stakeholder consultation and capacity needs identification
• Analysis of institutional, technical and community-level capacity requirements
• Identification and prioritisation of key learning needs
• Development of practical training content and facilitation resources
• Integration of peacebuilding, reconciliation, social cohesion and P/CVE perspectives
• Refinement of materials to ensure practical relevance and contextual applicability

Practical Capacity Development Approach

A central feature of the assignment was the translation of assessment findings into practical capacity-development resources. The approach sought to ensure that identified capacity gaps were directly reflected in the content, structure and facilitation methods of the training materials.

The training resources were therefore designed to support practical learning, reflection, discussion and application rather than relying exclusively on lecture-based instruction.

Key Deliverables

• Capacity needs assessment related to peacebuilding, reconciliation, social cohesion and P/CVE
• Identification and analysis of priority institutional and technical capacity gaps
• Capacity development recommendations informed by assessment findings
• P/CVE and peacebuilding training manual and supporting learning resources
• Practical facilitation approaches and training tools
• Context-sensitive learning content addressing sustainable peace, reconciliation and social cohesion
• Capacity-strengthening approach linking assessment findings to practical learning interventions

Contribution to Sustainable Peace and Social Cohesion

The assignment contributed to strengthening the evidence base for capacity development within Somalia's peacebuilding and P/CVE landscape.

By linking a capacity needs assessment with the development of practical training resources, the consultancy helped create a more systematic pathway from identifying capacity gaps to addressing them through structured learning and skills development.

The approach also positioned P/CVE within a broader framework of sustainable peace, reconciliation and social cohesion, recognising the importance of community engagement, conflict sensitivity and inclusive peacebuilding.

HURMA's Contribution

The consultancy supported stronger local capacity for preventing conflict, promoting reconciliation, strengthening social cohesion and addressing factors associated with violent extremism.

The combination of assessment, analysis and practical training development provided stakeholders with an evidence-informed basis for continued capacity strengthening and more effective implementation of peacebuilding and P/CVE initiatives in Somalia.