What is a Fredskorpset South-South programme?

Fredskorpset-South-South Programme is one of the four programme lines within Fredskorpset. With this programme your institution/organisation/agency can exchange personnel or members within the age group of 22 to 35 years old. The exchange enables people with similar professional backgrounds or interests to learn from each other and contribute to competency building and raised awareness.

The Fredskorpset-South-South Programme contains the same main objectives and values as Fredskorpset; that exchange across borders contributes to greater equality, reciprocity, openness and solidarity between people.

Partner networks 

South-South Programmes in a Fredskorpset context means the exchange of participants in partner networks between two or more countries which appear on the current DAC list of developing countries. The partners in the network elect between them a primary partner in the south, that acts on behalf of the network and carries its duties and responsibilities vis-à-vis Fredskorpset. The primary partner can act both as a facilitating or recruiting partner. 

The responsibility for formulating objectives for the exchanges, and for their planning and implementation rests with the partners themselves. Fredskorpset will assist the partners in achieving these objectives by providing guidance and funding.

The South-South Programmes - all with primary partner in the south, are coordinated and managed by the regional representative in Asia and Africa. 

Why South-South Programme?

There are many good reasons to promote South-South exchange: 

• Norway-limited capacities

There is a lack of partners in Norway in relation to the interest from the South. Norway is a small country of 4,5 mill. people with a limited number of potential partners. South-South Programmes make it possible to meet the great demand for exchange that cannot be satisfied in Norway.

• Professional relevance

For a number of sectors, topics and positions it will be difficult to find good and relevant partners in Norway in relation to the needs of the South. It is not easy for organisations in Africa who want to exchange operational staff within sectors such as hiv/aids, street children and agricultural development, to find good and relevant partners in Norway. It is professionally often more appropriate to exchange within one’s own region.

• Easy adaptation 

It is often easier for a participant to adapt to the work- and life-style of a neighbouring country or a country in the region, than to Norway. For first-time visitors from most countries in the South, a year in Norway has its challenges as regards f. ex. social norms, climate and language. This may in itself give a valuable cultural experience to the participants which should not be disregarded, but which may limit the professional outcome of the exchange if the partners are not highly focused and follow up closely throughout their stay.

• Influence

South-South exchange gives partners in the South decisive influence over the programme and thereby strengthens genuine networks in the South on their own premises. All resources are channelled to the South and the effects of the input are overwhelmingly to be found there. 

Frequently asked questions 

How are South-South Programmes developed?

In order to establish a successful collaboration the planning process is essential. The interested partner has to identify the collaboration partner and establish mutual interest. The preferred model is to build on established networks where the partners know each other to some extent where there is a natural primary partner.

Once a decision has been made, Fredskorpset’s regional representative takes an instrumental role in leading the South-South networks through the planning phases. Through the application for a pilot study one is given means to organize an initial workshop where all the partners in the network come together in one of the countries in the South to discuss the idea of the exchange.

The main purpose of the workshop is to meet and work out an application for a partnership agreement which serves as an application for a collaboration agreement with Fredskorpset. Then the participants will be recruited and the exchange can take place.

What is the sequence of events in a Fredskorpset South-South Programme?

    * Idea
    * Meeting(s) with Fredskorpset
    * Application for a pilot study
    * Acceptance/disbursements of funds
    * Planning trips/meetings between partners
    * Drafting of partnership agreement
    * Application for collaboration agreement
    * New meeting(s) with Fredskorpset
    * Acceptance/signing of collaboration agreement
    * Selection of participants
    * Signing of participants agreement
    * Partner meeting with Fredskorpset
    * Receiving and sending out own participants
    * Preparatory course for participants
    * Monitoring
    * Partnership meeting
    * International Advisory Council Meeting
    * Network meetings
    * Participants coming home
    * Debriefing
    * Follow-up work
    * Networking
    * Accounting
    * Audit
    * Report
    * Evaluation

How can we apply for a feasibility study?

There is no particular formats or deadlines for application. A short presentation of the network from one of its members, expressing the potentials for exchange will do. Genuine networks in the South may contact Fredskorpset’s regional representatives in Africa or Asia. 

Even if a “waiting list” may occur of partner networks, programmes are not approved on a first come/first served basis. There are considerations to be made as to regions, countries, professional diversity etc., as well as to current Norwegian development policies. Fredskorpset has to make strategic choices. Another major decisive factor for start-up of South-South Programmes is Fredskorpset’s annual budget as decided by the Norwegian Parliament.

Can South-South Programmes be part of North-South Programmes?

Programmes may consist of both a North-South and South-South component and participants travelling between several countries.

South-South exchanges as part of a North-South programme may be initiated through the Norwegian partner in the network by direct communication to Fredskorpset’s secretariat in Oslo.

Can South-South Programmes have a Norwegian facilitator?

The institutions exchanging in the South may have a facilitator institution in Norway which does not itself recruit or receive participants in the programme. The Norwegian institution will then select a primary partner in the South to Fredskorpset on behalf of the network.

It should be avoided that a South-partner approaches Fredskorpset for assistance to find a Norwegian or South facilitating or recruiting partner, and/or wants to visit Norway or another country to look around for one. It has proven to be a highly resource-intensive type of exercise, and Fredskorpset cannot take an active part in such a search process. Fredskorpset will generally not involve itself in finding partners for others based on request, neither in Norway nor in other countries.