FIT Profile

About FIT

Foundation for International Training (FIT ) was incorporated on December 23, 1976 as a non-profit organization under the Canadian Federal Charter granted by the Ministry of Consumer and Corporate Affairs. It was granted tax-exempt status by the Ministry of National Revenue with charitable registration number 05-009-42-03-13.

FIT is an international human resources development agency whose policies emerge from an active and committed Board of Governors that comprises some of the world’s leading internationalists.

FIT is dedicated to the development of human and social capital in developing countries. Its activities are designed, planned and managed by a core staff based in Toronto, Canada and on project sites, in partnership with agencies in the host countries. FIT also draws on an extensive roster of professionals to conduct its programs.

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Our Thirty Years ...

In reflecting on more than 30 years of work, and the evolution of the Foundation for International Training (FIT ), one thing has not changed: FIT’s mission to further social and economic progress in developing countries by strengthening human capabilities. This mission remains relevant, particularly in light of global efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). As a results-oriented, capacity development organization, FIT works to assist governments, civil society and the private sector build the institutions, knowledge and skills to meet the challenges of eradicating extreme poverty, promoting gender equality and empowering women, ensuring environmental sustainability and building partnerships for development.

Since its inception, FIT has engaged in more than 600 projects in over 50 countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and the South Pacific. FIT and its partners share responsibility for project planning, design, implementation and evaluation. Our partnership strategy allows local organizations to take a proactive and ongoing role in changing and improving their own lives and the lives of others

FIT’s Board of Governors, with its impressive mixture of Canadian and international members, has helped the organization to adapt to emerging issues through its reflections and advice, while keeping its ideals and long-term directions intact. Our staff is a multilingual, multi-talented team of professionals who work in diverse fields. Associates and consultants provide technical expertise to projects in areas ranging from civil society strengthening, private sector and small and medium enterprise development to governance, human rights, public sector reform and environmental management.
Around the world, individuals, communities and entire societies are coping with global forces over which they seem to have little control. A huge need exists for strong organizations and institutions capable of assisting people and communities to overcome some of the negative consequences of the global market place and to take advantage of the opportunities opened up by the new global context. Underlying these trends is a continued need to develop social capital. FIT has built a strong organizational foundation from which to move forward into the future, predicated on our longstanding conviction that people – their institutions, skills and capabilities – are the most critical resource for development.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our many collaborators in all spheres, be they local partners, host institutions, funders, resource persons or board members, with whom we have a shared vision and commitment. With them we hope to continue to address the challenges of building human and social capital to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Governance

governance

The importance of an effective public sector is being acknowledged by the international community through a renewed interest in supporting and strengthening effective systems of governance. The unifying set of principles, goals and targets espoused in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), through which the international community aspires to address the most pressing issues of poverty and human development, has resulted in an environment that enhances the effectiveness of development assistance and international cooperation.

In this context, attention to good governance is crucial. Institutions that is transparent, accountable, and capable of achieving results are a critical requirement for nations working to meet their development goals. Each sector—public, private and voluntary— has an important role in the creation of an enabling environment for poverty reduction. In recognition of this, FIT has incorporated support for good governance, respect for human rights and the rule of law into its capacity development programs for several years.

Promoting a Culture of Good Governance: Code of Ethics - Ethiopia

In 2005, FIT began a dialogue with the Ethiopian Civil Service College (ECSC) to develop a project aimed at supporting Ethiopia’s public sector reform program through the development of a specialized course in ethics. Together, FIT and ECSC developed gender-sensitive ethics courses for civil servants, students and faculty. As well, a Code of Ethics was developed through a participatory process using an ethical climate survey to identify core values for the College. Exchange of expertise from Canada and other African nations was promoted through the creation of a seminar series on issues related to ethics, anti- corruption and the rule of law.

Regional Governance and Development – Ukraine

This is a project that strengthens governance at the regional level and is managed by the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI). FIT works with the CUI to promote models for including civil society in the shaping of regional development strategies and policies that will strengthen more open, accountable and effective government at the regional level.

Participatory Development Program (PDP) - Egypt

The PDP is designed to contribute to improved governance in Egypt by strengthening the capacities of civil society organizations to apply rights-based approaches to development and to better represent their communities. PDP works proactively to facilitate dialogue among development actors to encourage an enabling environment for a strong civil society. This has included a successful series of roundtable meetings with participation of NGOs, government officials, parliamentarians, the media and the private sector to establish common development goals and objectives in areas such as child rights, gender equality, corporate and social responsibility, services and rights for disabled people and building conditions for citizen participation and engagement. The PDP’s focus on rights-based programming approaches has also led to the development and application of models for civil society- government cooperation and collaboration.

China Migrant Labour Occupational Health and Safety Project

The MLOHS project is designed to strengthen the capacities of municipal authorities in Chongqing, China to better protect the rights of migrant workers, with a focus on Occupational Health and Safety (OHS). Through integrated training and technical assistance FIT and its partners, Equitas and Saint Mary’s University, are assisting Chongqing to realise improved coordination among the various departments that have responsibility for labour rights, health and migrant workers’ issues and to strengthen OHS inspection and enforcement services. As well, the project is undertaking studies among plants in targeted sectors in order to create practical models and guidelines for meeting international OHS standards. Using these models as a basis for learning, FIT works directly with employers and workers to generate better understanding and awareness of migrant workers’ rights and OHS standards. Building a “tri-partite” model, through which government, labour representatives and employers work together to review policy, regulatory and compliance issues, the MLOHS Project is building a system through which migrant workers themselves will participate in the decision making process.

Baltic Initiatives Program

The Baltic Initiatives Program (BIP) was a decentralized CIDA fund established to build the capacities of local institutions in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to manage the transition to democratic governance and market-based economies. FIT administered the BIP and provided technical support to Canadian organizations delivering “people-to- people” initiatives with their Baltic- country partners. The BIP supported several projects that introduced Baltic government departments and agencies to approaches to policy making, service delivery and public administration that address the needs of citizens within a democratic system, such as: the establishment of an Ethics Office by the Government of Latvia; the strengthening of local governance through improved regional planning and development, citizen engagement and reform of municipal administration; and the introduction of more “citizen friendly” service delivery models such as community policing, increased parental and community participation in education, and community-based health care services.

Child Rights Project – Sri Lanka

This project promotes child rights by developing capacities among NGOs and government duty-bearers to apply rights-based approaches to child protection. The project promotes the participation rights of children through training for adult partners and support to children- led organizations. In keeping with the rights-based approach, CRP is also facilitating the development of effective networking between NGO and government partners to promote coordinated approaches from all duty-bearers. The CRP has reached over 7,000 children in especially difficult circumstances, including school drop outs, working children, abused and neglected children and those affected by the armed conflict. These children now experience the empowerment that comes with having a voice in decision making on issues that affect them.

Enhancing Civil Society Project - Jamaica

In keeping with the Government of Jamaica’s vision to promote social cohesion, this project utilized participatory approaches to decentralization and good governance. Working with both community based organizations (CBOs) and local government authorities, the Project promoted platforms for increased community engagement. A series of capacity building initiatives with local authorities resulted in strategies for community participation in the municipal planning process and, in one pilot municipality, formalization of the process through the development and implementation of participatory planning tools.

Capacity Building

capacityBuilding The focus of FIT’s work is to address people’s vulnerabilities in whichever form they exist—be it poverty, the lack of human rights or lack of access to markets. Capacity building contributes by reducing these vulnerabilities; when people have knowledge, skills and the ability to work through strong organizations and institutions they become empowered to direct their own development and change lives.

For over 30 years, FIT has worked with our overseas partners to build the institutional frameworks, public policies, and organizational and individual capacities needed to enable people to participate in the development process and bring about real change. Our projects address the programming, management and strategic capacity building needs of individual organizations and institutions. With these partners, we have created opportunities to share new knowledge and skills to promote broader connections—with local communities, civil society, government institutions, the private sector and the international community. By developing capacities with our partners, we work to remove the barriers—conceptual or systemic—between people and their abilities to envision and create change.

Small and Medium Enterprise Development in Upper Egypt (SMEDUP)

This project, funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Egyptian Social Fund for Development (SFD), institutionalized a system for provision of credit and non-financial services to micro-, small- and medium-sized (SME) business owners in Egypt. At the core of the project was the development and strengthening of institutional capacities of Egyptian organizations - El Mobadara, a national-level support organization; and three Regional Enterprise Development Centres (REDECs) – dedicated to servicing the needs of small entrepreneurs to assist the Government of Egypt achieve its job creation objectives. Capacity building support included the development of these organizations with effective strategic management capabilities, administrative and financial management systems, governance structures, monitoring and evaluation systems and networking capabilities. Long after the completion of the project, these four organizations continue to work as dynamic development actors in Egypt serving the needs of over 15,000 people annually.

Program to Promote Collaboration between Government and Non-Governmental Organizations – Asia

As a follow-up to the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), FIT worked with local governmental and non-governmental organizations in nine Asian countries to design and hold a series of national level workshops. The aim of this process was to bring together stakeholders from all sectors—public, non-governmental and private—in order to explore their roles, responsibilities and strategies for achieving national goals within the framework of the ICPD Program of Action. The project was supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which also played an active role in the design and planning of the workshops through its national offices.

These workshops used the Future Search Conference methodology, designed to facilitate the sharing of diverse perspectives and assist participants from different backgrounds, experience and sectors establish common ground and understanding of the issue. In each country where workshops were held—Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Thailand, Philippines, Viet Nam and Papua New Guinea—a National Plan of Action was completed, which included commitments from all participants to undertake specific actions in the areas of policy and programming in order to achieve national population and development goals.

Capacity Development Project - Bangladesh

FIT and its partner, PRIP Trust, worked together to enhance and strengthen its programs, particularly in the areas of training, institutional development, management information systems and financial information systems. As a result of the project, PRIP was able to strengthen its effectiveness as a capacity development organization, assisting a growing number of Bangladeshi organizations realize increased impact in their work. This project established a solid foundation for the continued development of PRIP as a supporter of the civil society sector in Bangladesh.

Agriculture Sector Policy and Planning – Uganda

FIT designed and delivered training in Agricultural Policy and Planning for the Agricultural Secretariat (AGSEC) of the Bank of Uganda, in cooperation with Makerere University. Through a series of workshops delivered over the course of two years, senior AGSEC staff gained important skills to enable improved analysis of the economic situation in Uganda, knowledge of the role of agriculture within the economy and ability to address institutional and structural constraints faced by planners.

Participatory Development Program - Egypt

The Participatory Development Program (PDP) was launched by CIDA to provide a mechanism to assist civil society organ-izations to strengthen their capacities in order to become even more effective development partners in Egypt. PDP supports civil society organizations to create plans that set priorities and goals for capacity development, and assists these partners to access the training and technical assistance they need to realize their capacity development plans. This support emphasizes skills needed to promote participation; apply rights-based programming approaches; address gender equality and child rights issues; and engage in effective partnership with government to address shared development priorities.

Community Education Technical Assistance Project - Egypt

FIT, in collaboration with the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto (OISE/UofT) and the Faculty of Education at Queen’s University, worked with both the Egyptian Ministry of Education (MOE) and UNICEF to institutionalize education innovation in Egypt. FIT provided capacity development support to officials within the MOE to increase commitment to community participation through parent councils and, as a result, the government of Egypt passed new legislation for parent council and NGO participation in schools. As well, FIT designed and delivered training and technical assistance to help MOE officials plan for, support and monitor implementation of innovative approaches in the classroom.

Anhui Management Development Centre (AMDC) – China

The Anhui Management Development Centre (AMDC) was created to serve as the focal point for a province-wide network for industrial management training in Anhui. FIT provided institutional development support to AMDC from the outset, and played a lead role in the training and development of AMDC faculty and staff in areas such as organizational development, education and skills training, accounting, production management, international trade and investment, and financial management. As a result of the project, AMDC developed into a vibrant service organization providing management training and consulting services to over 20,000 industries in Anhui Province. The establishment of the Centre enabled FIT and AMDC to forge a solid and long-lasting relationship which continues to this day.

Rural Poor Program – Bangladesh

The goal of Bangladesh’s Rural Poor Program was to support sustainable livelihoods among landless men and women. As part of this effort, FIT set up a resident technical assistance team to work with the Bangladesh Rural Development Board (BRDB) to strengthen its capacity to promote the formation of rural cooperatives and provide practical skills training for co-op leaders and members. This team provided training and coaching to BRDB staff to increase their ability to mobilize communities, use bottom-up planning approaches, and support entrepreneurial and skill development for income-generating activities in rural communities.

Public Enterprise Management Training – Global – 15 Countries

Fifteen management training institutions in Africa and Asia came together in this initiative to develop and field test a Public Sector Management Training Program. FIT trainers and curriculum development experts worked with their local colleagues to develop a ten-day course that examined the relationship between government and public enterprises, and provided effective techniques for planning, managing, and monitoring enterprise performance. The materials developed through the project were compiled into a training manual and incorporated into an hour-long video: “Perspectives in Public Enterprise Management.”

Capacity Strengthening for the Graduate School of Management – Romania

FIT, in partnership with the Graduate School of Management (GSM), addressed the need to develop skilled managers in Romania by institutionalizing a post- graduate management program within the Academy of Economic Studies— Bucharest. Assistance was provided to the School in the development of its internal management systems, and development of strategic and business plans aimed at charting a feasible course toward long-term sustainability. During the final year of the project, efforts were concentrated on consolidating and strengthening project achievements with a special focus on institutional issues such as governance and organizational effectiveness.

Training of Trainers – Kenya

This project served to strengthen training capacities among a wide range of Kenyan government institutions including the Kenya Institute of Education, the Kenya External Trade Authority, the Kenya Institute of Management and the Kenya Ministry of Health. With its partners, FIT designed and delivered training of trainers in areas such as: conducting training needs assessments; defining goals and designing programs to achieve training objectives; training administration; delivery methods; and training evaluation. The project resulted in the development of capacities within the participating institutions to design and develop high-quality training solutions through the creation of specialized training units and training resource centres.

NGO Capacity Building Program - Palestine

This partnership between the Continuing Education Department of BirZeit University, Bisan Center for Research and Development and Shu’un al Mara Women’s Affairs Centre was established to design and deliver training to Palestinian NGOs. By the close of the Program, the organizations had succeeded in designing and delivering an accredited Diploma Program in NGO Management. FIT also assisted the partners to build their capacities to provide organizational development services to NGOs, fostering critical self-assessment of their work and supporting their application of new approaches with a view to strengthening their capacities as change agents.

Pro-Poor Economic Development

Effective pro-poor economic development programs create the conditions that expand opportunities for individuals, families and communities, reducing poverty by expanding employment and income generation opportunities. One way of achieving this is through micro, small and medium enterprise (SME) development programs.

FIT has been involved in the SME sector for over 20 years. Our approach emphasizes the role of mediating agencies and institutionalizing systems to ensure that SME development activities are integrated with the needs of the local community. Like all development approaches, SME programs contain a number of risks. Approaches that emphasize micro-credit, without considering the needs and challenges faced by borrowers, risk expanding indebtedness among those least able to repay loans. Similarly, encouraging new businesses without an understanding of the local context and community issues can result in the development of privileged classes among the poor, breaking down social cohesion and community. Income is just one measure of poverty; it is a mistake to assume that raising income levels alone will result in sustainable human development.

FIT’s programs focus on building sustainable capacities for economic reform by supporting regional consultations, developing comprehensive work plans related to local training needs, and providing management skills training to address systemic constraints and achieve program reforms.

Women’s Initiatives Fund (WIF) - Egypt

The Women’s Initiative Fund (WIF) was designed to provide opportunities for low income women in the Governorates of Qena and Aswan to engage in economic activities and increase family incomes. Working with the Ministry of Social Affairs (MOSA), the project established a credit fund and developed loan tracking and management systems. FIT also designed and implemented approaches to providing business support services to assist first-time women entrepreneurs, including feasibility studies and business planning. As a result of this project, 114 women and their families received credit and technical support to start-up new small businesses, and an additional 3,500 women gained access to micro-credit to support income generating activities. In 2001, WIF was honoured with CIDA’s Award for “Gender Equality Achievement” in recognition of WIF’s significant accomplishments in improving opportunities for women in Upper Egypt.

Small and Medium Enterprise Development for Upper Egypt (SMEDUP)

Through SMEDUP, FIT supported first-time entrepreneurs to start small- and medium-sized businesses and create employment opportunities in some of the most impoverished communities in Egypt. In addition to access to credit, SMEDUP clients received business development advice and services from pre-feasibility and start-up to ongoing business management and growth. The project reinforced the role of private sector development in improving quality of life for communities by emphasizing issues such as environmental protection, worker safety, compensation and working conditions, and adherence to social protection and insurance requirements. Over the life of the Project, SMEDUP created over 1,400 new small and medium enterprises, providing employment for approximately 5,500 Egyptian women and men.

Small Enterprise Development: Institution Building and Training - Caribbean

Through a project funded by CIDA and designed in cooperation with the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) Secretariat, FIT provided comprehensive training and technical assistance to National Development Foundations (NDFs) in ten CARICOM-member countries to institutionalize systems for SME development. In addition to capacity development support to the NDFs in the areas of policy development and programming, project management and networking, FIT worked with other regional and national small business development organizations to strengthen their capacities to provide high-quality support to first-time entrepreneurs. The project resulted in the emergence of a vibrant network of business support services that work to support the long-term success of local small businesses and economic development.

Capacity Building for Management of Privatization - Africa

FIT, in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat, co-sponsored a regional consultation on Capacity Building for Management of Privatization. The consultation brought together senior officials from privatization agencies, directors of management development institutes, and chief executive officers from parastatal and newly privatized enterprises from Ghana, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Participants identified systematic constraints they face in their work as privatization managers and addressed the comprehensive inventory of essential skills for successful reform programs. One of the key outcomes of the consultation was the formation of a Regional Advisory Committee on Capacity Building for Management of Privatization.

General Management Training – Guyana

FIT designed and delivered a general management training program for senior executives of various Guyanese enterprises in conjunction with Management Services Ltd., Guyana Stores Ltd., Guystac Trading Group II, and the Guyana Management Development Training Centre. This program included on-site consultation and support as well as training in areas such as diagnosing management problems, formulating objectives, planning, organizing, directing and financial control. A training of trainers for human resource development consultants was also developed in order to institutionalize best practice within participating enterprises.