IFRC launched the Branch Organisational Capacity Self-Analysis program with the support of the EU

From February 26 to March 1, 2024, under the European Union (EU) funded project called “Bridging the Gap between Community Needs and Local Capacities and Capabilities of the Civil Society Actors in Azerbaijan”, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) launched the training for BOCA facilitators for the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society’s (AzRCS) staff and volunteers.

Branch Organizational Capacity Assessment (BOCA) is a self-assessment tool developed for branches of Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies to identify and assess their strengths, limitations and challenges in relation to a wide range of organisational capacities.

Various departments from the AzRCS, including volunteers, employees, trainers and senior management participated in the 3-day program. At the beginning of the seminar, the senior management of the AzRCS. Vice presidents, Gafar Askerzadeh and Aziz Gojayev, deputy secretary general, Shaban Shayev, deputy secretary general and the head of youth and volunteers, Khalida Iskandarova, gave their opening speeches about previous successful projects, the potential of the branches and their volunteer capacity, new opportunities and the collaboration between organisations regarding taking necessary steps in humanitarian field.

The main objective of the training was to enhance facilitation skills, strategic planning and consensus-building techniques to conduct BOCA process at the branch level. Following the training sessions, the selected facilitator candidates were assigned to three AzRCS branches located in Absheron, Ismayilli, and Sumgayit to conduct BOCA sessions and support branches in formulating actionable plans tailored to the specific developmental needs of each department within these branches. These initiatives were designed to enhance departmental capabilities and foster organizational growth, ensuring effective representation across all branch sectors. Leveraging the experience gained from BOCA training, selected facilitator candidates were able to identify and assess branch strengths, limitations and challenges as well as address the self-development needs of all branches of the AzRCS.

At the end of the training program, the selected facilitator candidates were presented with certificates to become an official BOCA facilitator.