Third Iris Network Regional Social Academy is finished

2020-10-30

The Third Iris Network Regional Social Academy has successfully completed – three days, 36 participants, exchange of experiences, and shared know-how for the benefit of all participants and their organizations.

We talked about the application of agile methods in management, as well as the structural changes that this way of management brings.

Trainers from the Third Iris Network Academy guided the participants through the sessions:

• Impact Focused Strategy
• Agile Project Management; Agile Methodologies
• Combining traditional top-down and agile bottom-up approach
• Planning, Tracking, and Monitoring 
• Ensuring Delivery of Value and Quality in Agile Projects; Risk Management
• Budgeting agile projects and budget management
• Leading an Agile Team
• Managing Stakeholder Engagement
• Agile Project Management Tools and Technologies
• Leading the Agile Organisation
• Measuring & Managing Impact
• Communicating Impact Effectively

Representatives of organizations from five countries – members of the Iris Network had the opportunity to discuss the transition from traditional project management to agile methodology, hear the experiences of others, and increase their knowledge on the issue.

Academy aroused many discussions with several messages for the future:

• We are not here just to deliver service, but to produce systematic change by maximizing our impact
• Stakeholders have rights, but also responsibilities in an agile environment. We have to work to involve them much stronger in the process
• We are organizations that have a say in designing financial instruments to achieve the change we want to see.
• We are practicing openness to learn and adjust, mastering the art of letting go of old
• Celebrate your many successes to become more motivated, it empowers your organization. Simplicity is an important part of the agile approach, do not be afraid to fail, embrace failures

In the coming period, the Iris Network will strive to apply the transferred knowledge and thus improve the functioning of the only regional network in the Western Balkans of CSOs providers of social services.

Under the framework of IRIS Networking CSOs for protection sensitive migration management, the project is funded by European Commission and implemented through joined forces of 6 NGOs from 5WB countries: IDC Serbia, ASB South East Europe, SOS Podgorica, LIR Civil Society from B&H, ARSIS Albania and La Strada North Macedonia.