A two-and-a-half day training skills workshop on knowledge brokerage was successfully conducted in Gizo, Western Province from 20 - 22 February 2024. The training skills workshop benefited members of the Western Province Network for Sustainable Environment (WPNSE).
Recently, there has been growing recognition of the critical role of individuals and organisations that fulfill a ‘bringing role’ between producers and users of information and knowledge. They are referred to as knowledge brokers.[1] Within the climate change context in the Pacific Islands region, the overall vision of knowledge brokerage is that Pacific Governments and stakeholders receive timely and robust information in user-friendly formats for low emission and climate resilient development[2].
Participants were empowered with increased awareness and understanding of the term “knowledge brokerage” and some of the available tools that can be used including systems thinking, causal loop analysis, governance mapping and participatory Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL).
“The training helped me to understand what knowledge brokerage is and how I can apply it to my work,” commented Ms. Jully Joanita Kalamana, Environmental Officer, Environmental Department of the Western Provincial Government; WPNSE Secretary; Vice Chairlady of Gizo Plastic Wise.
Ms Kalamana added that “as a knowledge broker, before going out to the community to advocate, we need to understand the information and message we want to share with the communities. It must be in a format that our people can understand and value, and take ownership of even after we leave.”
“This training has added new knowledge so that I can better do my work with various stakeholders in my various capacities in the provincial Government, Plastic Wise Gizo and Western Province Network for Sustainable Environment,” said Ms Kalamana who is a champion for environmental work in Western Province.
Prior to the start of the training, a courtesy call was made to the Premier of Western Province, Honourable Billy Veo and Provincial Secretary, Mr Patrick To’iraena. The Western Provincial Government acknowledged the capacity building initiative for WPNSE.
The team also took the opportunity to support the Australia Awards Solomon Islands in facilitating a hybrid information session on the scholarship applications for studies commencing 2025 before the start of the knowledge brokerage training.
The event was a joint initiative between the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) through its Climate Change Division, Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC), Australia Pacific Climate Alumni Network (APCAN) and WPNSE.
Materials for the Knowledge Brokerage workshop were adapted from the Knowledge Brokerage Support Program (KBSP) Manuals Vol I (Foundation Modules) and Vol II (Knowledge Broker Tools). These manuals were developed in partnership by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), the Australia Pacific Climate Partnership (APCP), PCCC, and the SPREP.
[1] Pringle, Partick et al. (2021) Scaling up Knowledge Brokerage: Connecting people, science and decision-making.
[2] Pacific Climate Change Centre Knowledge Brokerage Partnership Framework. 2023.