R4D launches ‘The Coaching Approach’ to update technical assistance

April 23, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. — April 23, 2020 — Results for Development (R4D) has launched The Coaching Approach, an initiative to improve technical assistance and learning — and better support country-led change.

The Coaching Approach was developed in response to R4D’s conversations with country practitioners and policymakers on specific support they’re looking for, including:

  • Better access to experts who understand their country contexts; who have practical, relatable experiences with similar challenges; and who can work with them to develop home-grown solutions.
  • More investments in developing individual and institutional capacity that can be sustained even after technical support ends.

“As we are seeing in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic — we cannot do business as usual; we must do better,” said Cheryl Cashin, Ph.D., a managing director for R4D’s health practice. “Over the past two years, my colleagues and I engaged in a process to co-produce a new approach to TA with country and regional experts from around the world. This approach, which we dubbed ‘The Coaching Approach,’ builds on good practices that many of them were already carrying out in their day-to-day work supporting change in country health systems. A key feature of this approach is that we’re not creating parallel processes, structures or institutions, and we avoid ready-made solutions, models, and rigid advice.”

The approach draws mainly on country and regional experts to support country change processes, supported by global coaches and mentors as needed. The coaches bring technical expertise and evidence that are adapted to suit the country context, and they help facilitate more robust, country-led processes through learning-by-doing.

To help introduce and build momentum around this approach, R4D worked with Amref Health Africa’s eCampus team to develop a virtual orientation to the coaching approach. The orientation is a series of four e-learning modules in which coaches themselves share the principles, approaches and some tips for playing the role of coach most effectively. The first module, an introduction to the approach, is now live.

R4D is initially focusing on coaching to support health system strengthening, but the approach can be applied to supporting systems change in all sectors.

To learn more about The Coaching Approach and how it differs from traditional TA, visit: www.thecoachingapproach.org.

This work is a collaborative effort and supported by several ongoing initiatives, including the African Collaborative for Health Financing Solutions, the Health Systems Strengthening Accelerator, and the Strategic Purchasing Africa Resource Center.

### 

About Results for Development
Results for Development (R4D) is a leading non-profit global development partner. We collaborate with change agents around the world — government officials, civil society leaders and social innovators — to create strong systems that support healthy, educated people. We help our partners move from knowing their goal to knowing how to reach it. We combine global expertise in health, education and nutrition with analytic rigor, practical support for decision-making and implementation and access to peer problem-solving networks. Together with our partners, we build self-sustaining systems that serve everyone and deliver lasting results. Then we share what we learn so others can achieve results for development, too. For more information, visit our website at: www.r4d.org

Global & Regional Initiatives

R4D is a globally recognized leader for designing initiatives that connect implementers, experts and funders across countries to build knowledge and get that knowledge into practice.