Local governance and social inclusion go hand-in-hand.
After conducting Training of Trainers on Personal Skills Development to Provincial Coordination Committees (PCCs) of the target provinces (Siem Reap, Kampong Speu, Kampong Cham and Ratanakiri) in Kampot in March 2026. most participants have become the Provincial Trainers for their province. These trainers are cascading practical skills in leadership, coordination, negotiation, and coordination to provincial and district officials, supporting sustainable capacity development and inclusive local governance.
During the past months, with continued support from the Australian Government, ACCESS 2 have assisted PCCs to roll out Personal Skills Development Training in the target provinces. Provincial and district participants included leaders from provincial administrations, provincial line departments, district administrations, district office of social affairs to support commune/sangkat, Strategic Implementing Partners and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities.
A Dual-Purpose Strategy for Lasting Impact
This initiative was designed with two core, interconnected objectives:
- Strengthening Practical Professional Skills: Participants built actionable tools in concept note and proposal writing, persuasion, negotiation, facilitation, case study documentation, strategic communication, and fundraising.
- Integrating GEDSI Principles: Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) concepts were embedded into every single training module, bridging the gap between technical knowledge and policy execution.
By equipping subnational leaders with persuasive negotiation tactics, proposal writing tools, and a clear understanding of GEDSI, the training directly empowers local authorities to prioritize and allocate more of their subnational social service budgets toward sustainable GEDSI initiatives.
The two-day training in each province aimed to strengthen participants’ skills in persuasion, facilitation, negotiation, proposal and case study writing, fundraising, communication, and strategic social media use. Through practical exercises, group discussions, and role plays, participants gained tools to improve coordination, document social impact, and support inclusive social programming aligned with ACCESS 2’s localisation and GEDSI’s objectives.
Through active learning, scenario discussions, and practical role-playing, participants demonstrated significant gains in technical proficiency:
- Technical pre and post-test scores surged to 91% in Kampong Cham (from 40%), 85% in Siem Reap (from 31%), 76% in Ratanakiri (from 50%) and 65% in Kampong Speu (from 45%).
Leaders and participants across the provinces highlighted the practical value of the sessions and their commitment to application:
“Our trainees are now equipped with necessary tools to enhance their performance in the workplace.” – H.E. Nak Neron, Deputy Provincial Governor of Siem Reap.
“The tools and knowledge gained through this training will help officials work more effectively and efficiently.” – H.E. Pang Dany, Deputy Provincial Governor of Kampong Cham.
“I wish to thank ACCESS 2 for providing such an important training, which coincides with the development of our budget workplan. We expect that this training will contribute to the good quality of our budget workplan documents.” H.E. Nhean Tithchenda, Deputy Provincial Governor of Ratanakiri.
“I was very impressed with all the topics presented, as every single one was directly relevant to our daily work. I am fully committed to applying these tools and learning to improve our services.” – Participant, Mr Bou Buntha, Head of the Office of Social Affairs and Social Welfare, Kampong Speu
Ms Kaping Pich, Deputy District Governor of Taveng District, Ratanakiri Province, shared:
“This training was highly valuable and provided practical skills that I can apply in my work and daily responsibilities.”
By combining core leadership skills with GEDSI advocacy, ACCESS 2 is strengthening local ownership to ensure local budgets translate into real, inclusive for communities across Cambodia.
