Launching a TREE programme

This section guides you through the first steps in launching a TREE program, considering both whether it’s the right approach for a situation, and bringing together the people and organizations you will need to develop it in detail. If this step is skipped, you run the risk of developing a training program that has no real grounding in the community or country, lacks the support of stakeholders, and may not be able to achieve its objectives. Note that the TREE methodology can also be used to develop effective short term or crisis specific interventions, where a full TREE is not suitable.

TREE is a community-based approach. It is grounded in the participation and involvement of women and men in their communities at all stages of planning and implementation. It is structured to encourage the participation and involvement of local and national level institutions and organizations in planning, delivery and ongoing oversight. The TREE method defines training needs in terms of locally identified economic opportunities and the needs of intended beneficiaries. TREE programs operate in areas with limited potential for formal wage employment, so a major emphasis is on identifying and creating realistic employment and self-employment opportunities and securing the support needed to achieve that. TREE programs promote decent work and equal opportunities.

Most importantly, TREE is intended to be fully owned by national and local actors. ILO’s role is to introduce the method, build capacity and demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach. By sharing knowledge and expertise from past experience, the ILO can help adapt the method to fit local needs and ensure that local stakeholders and partners are able to use the approach to develop further TREE-type programs.

Developing a TREE program involves four main steps:

Preliminary socio-economic/context assessment of the potential for a TREE program in terms of:

  • Relevant potential target group(s) and geographic areas
  • Enabling political and policy context
  • Potential for national and donor-based financing

Identifying stakeholders and partners.

  • Stakeholders are individuals and groups who have an interest in the issue.
  • Partners are formal and informal institutions and organizations that could potentially deliver parts of a program or related services
  • Awareness-raising as an iterative process

Selection and capacity building for partner organizations

  • Building interest and engagement of potential partners
  • Selecting and developing capacity for partners

Establishing TREE management and governance

  • National and local advisory committees
  • Staff management and structure
  • Selection of TREE programme areas