Capacity building

The COPA capacity building programme is aimed at building and enhancing the capacity and confidence of individuals and organizations facing potentially violent situations. The purpose is to equip them so they can analyze and transform conflict situations, manage trauma, be a resource to each other and effectively engage with complex conflicts locally, regionally and across the continent.

Over the years, over 1000 peace practitioners from many African countries have gone through various COPA capacity building trainings which include:
 Advanced Conflict Transformation course (ACT)
 Trauma Healing and Recovery trainings
 Training of Trainers (TOT)
 Making Change Happen, Challenges for Peacebuilding Practice
 Peace Building for Practitioners

For specific target groups like women, youth and students, COPA is furthermore hosting the following projects:
 Women Peace Leadership Programme
 Conflict Transformation Training (CTT)
 Peace education
For more information on these specific projects, kindly visit the Women and Youth sections of this website.

In addition, COPA has developed several tailor made trainings for partners. Trainings range from reflective courses on the latest thinking in peace building for experienced peace practitioners to workshops targeted at the grass roots level for various local partners (NGOs and CBOs). Any training designed and conducted by COPA is fully tailor made, adapted both to the specific circumstances in which the beneficiaries operate and to their current level of knowledge and experience in conflict management. Recent examples are:
 “Creating and sustaining positive change in the Karamoja cluster”, a peace building course specifically designed for peace practitioners in the Karamoja cluster, tailor made in close consultation with Practical Action and Oxfam UK
 Conflict Transformation training for community organizers, a capacity building workshop facilitated by COPA in partnership with the Community Organisation Practitioners Association of Kenya, a tailor made training larded with a lot of case studies, videos and experience sharing

The Advanced Conflict Transformation course (ACT)
1. ACT for English & Portuguese speakers
This is an intense 4 week training that covers diverse aspects of conflict transformation and peace building, with a special focus on the African continent. It also has an analysis of global events and their impact on peace and conflict situations in the continent. Through the course, COPA aims at promoting African approaches to peace building and conflict transformation. The course is offered twice every year to practitioners and policy makers working in peace building, development, aid/relief, human rights, religious organizations, United Nations, governmental bodies and NGOs.
For more information on the next ACT training, check the events calendar.
2, ACT for French speakers The 4 week training is a replica of the English ACT and targets French speaking nationals especially those from the Central region (Rwanda, Burundi and Eastern DRC). The course lays emphasis on conflict dynamics that are relevant to the Great Lakes region including insights into traditional conflict resolution methods.

Trauma Healing and Recovery
Trauma Healing and Recovery trainings are thematic trainings that are designed for organizations and individuals who operate in conflict situations among traumatized individuals or communities; and / or who are traumatized themselves. These kinds of trainings have been offered for practitioners in the Central region (covering Rwanda, Burundi and Eastern DRC) and in Kenya following the 2007/2008 political crisis and the atrocities by the Saboat Land Defence Force (SLDF) in Mount Elgon.

Training of trainers (TOT)
This is a follow up training aimed at strengthening the skills of conflict transformation trainers and facilitators who have been participating in either the English or the French ACT course.

Making Change Happen, Challenges for Peacebuilding Practice
Making Change Happen is a short course for experienced peace practitioners from all over Africa on the latest thinking of social change processes and peace building practice, in partnership with Responding to Conflict (RTC-UK).

Peace Building for Practitioners
Designed specifically for persons working in Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya, active in peace and development sectors. Specific areas of focus are Understanding conflict, Conflict transformation and Building sustainable peace.