C-PET Workshop

In September 2015, Access Bank and the CSR-in-Action entered an agreement to develop capacity for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria; to train at least 1000 CSOs by 2016.

CSOs have been widely recognised as the essential ‘third’ sector due to the positive influence their operations have on the state and the market. They are, therefore seen as an increasingly important agent for promoting elements of good governance including transparency, effectiveness, openness, responsiveness and accountability.

CSOs have been active in Nigeria since the 1930s and have since then grown into an increasing number of over 800 CSOs (as recorded by the Nigerian Network of NGOs (NNNGO)). The role of CSOs in sustainable development cannot be overemphasised. Unfortunately, CSO operations have been plagued with recurrent challenges, which indicate that some CSOs are incapacitated to achieve these goals. Based on research into this key sector, some recurrent challenges identified were: planning, implementation, financing, monitoring, and professional writing & communication.

Our partnership is, therefore, a tripartite approach to achieve the following through various capacity development initiatives. Our partnership aims:

  1. To provide affordable and relevant capacity building training to CSOs
  2. To inspire and drive professional ethics in the business operations of CSOs, thereby driving sustainability in social investment projects
  3. To create new solutions to the prevalent challenges faced by private organisations in seeking partnerships with CSOs.

So far, ten workshops have been held and has witnessed participation from over 528 persons from Civil Society Organisations on various far-reaching initiatives with diverse partners from world-class firms, including PwC, Total and Nigerian Breweries. The training is free and available to registered CSOs and NGOs in Nigeria.

The C-PET training is proudly sponsored by 

Access Bank Logo

Past Workshops

Finance, Budgeting and Bookkeeping

The training, held on 13 November, 2015, focused on providing the basic skills in financial management that every Civil Society Organisation (CSO) needs not just to manage funds, but to actually improve records and gain access to funding. The course was facilitated by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) with 38 participants in attendance.

Report, Proposal and Grant Writing

Resulting from the high preference for developing competency in report, proposal and grant writing, this training was designed to clearly articulate to participants how to put their best foot forward and take advantage of the opportunities they have ample capabilities for.

Brand and Communication Management

The 3rd in the series of trainings – and the 2nd in 2016 – the Brand and communication Management training held on Friday, 18th November, 2016, to educate the representatives of the CSOs on the technical skills required to build its brand for value creation and to enhance corporate and communication.

Entrepreneurship for Non-profits

The Entrepreneurship for Non-profits: Developing a Sustainability Mindset training held on Thursday, 15th December, 2016, after three successful workshops in the series as follows: Finance, Budgeting and Bookkeeping for Non-profit Organisations; Report, Proposal and Grant Writing; and Brand and Communication Management.

Resource Mobilisation

Stakeholder and Community Engagement

This report reflects outcomes from the Community and Stakeholder Engagement training for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs); the 6th in the series of trainings for CSOs fully sponsored by Access Bank Plc and driven by CSR-in-Action through its College of Sustainable Citizenship.

Collaboration - Organising a Successful Community Outreach

The 7th C-PET training held at Access Bank Head Office, Victoria Island Lagos. The theme of the workshop was ‘Collaboration: Organising an Effective Community Outreach’. It featured 30 participants from different civil society organisations and different parts of the country. There were two sessions and two facilitators to anchor each session.

Digital Media - Organising a Successful Digital Fundraising and Social Media

Governance and Decision Making

The ninth C-PET training themed ‘Governance and Decision-Making’ featured 58 participants from different Civil Society Organisations from different parts of the country. There were two sessions and two facilitators to anchor each session.

Mobilising Women for Change

In recognition of the vital role that women play in building not just the  home front but also the nation as a whole, the 10th C-PET workshop focused on empowering CSOs with knowledge on how women can be mobilised to promote sustainable and long lasting change in society.

Managing Your Non-Profit Finances and Business Continuity

Very often NGOs work effortlessly towards implementing projects that cater to the need of
deprived people and in this process do not pay enough attention to financial control thereby making them vulnerable to financial losses. In the absence of proper backup plans and funds, NGOs are unable to cope with funding crisis.

Testimonials