E2A launches a new community of practice on systematic approaches to scaling up best practices

E2A—which includes ExpandNet as a partner—and the Implementing Best Practices (IBP) Consortium have officially launched a new community of practice (CoP) entitled Systematic Approaches for Sustainable Scale-up of Best Practices in Family Planning/Reproductive Health (FP/RH). 

Through shared learning among its members, the CoP aims to expand the application of proven, systematic approaches for scale-up that can help reach FP/RH goals set by global frameworks including FP2020, A Promise Renewed and the Millennium Development Goals.

The CoP provides a venue for country, regional and global exchanges—among policymakers, program managers, researchers, donors and technical assistance organizations—that facilitate learning about how best practices can be scaled up to improve access to and the quality of FP/RH services, with attention to reproductive rights and choice.

Hosted on the Knowledge Gateway, this CoP will:

• Offer members the opportunity to share their experiences with applying systematic approaches to scale-up through webinars, events and online discussions.

• Post information about recent literature on scaling up.

• Announce relevant events and conferences focusing on scaling up.

• Occasionally host in-person events.

Scaling-up experiences shared through the CoP will be drawn from FP/RH interventions, including those intended to strengthen service delivery, generate demand, improve quality, address gender inequities, meet the needs of young people and men, and advance reproductive rights. 

“[The CoP] connects different ‘islands of success’ by exchanging experiences through a virtual platform,” said Bethany O’Connor, a research associate with the Futures Group, during the first announcement of the CoP at an IBP meeting on June 12. 

“USAID has a strong interest in increasing the use of evidence-based best practices…” said Patricia MacDonald, senior technical advisor for USAID’s Office of Population and Reproductive Health. She added that the CoP can advance understanding about scaling up by “capturing the learning that is happening in the field and strengthening the involvement of in-country counterparts.”

“This is an appropriate time for this [CoP],” said Nana Dagadu, program officer for monitoring and evaluation at Georgetown University’s Institute for Reproductive Health. “It is beneficial to have a space to openly share successes and challenges and to facilitate dissemination of information more broadly than we can do on our own.”

Ms. O’Connor, Ms. MacDonald and Ms. Dagadu all serve on the CoP’s resource team, a group of 15 health professionals with expertise in approaches to scaling up best practices. The resource team guides and shapes activities, develops content for online and face-to-face meetings, mobilizes membership, and advocates for systematic approaches to scale-up. 

To join the CoP, please visit: http://knowledge-gateway.org/global/scale-up/. Once you request membership, you will receive an email within 24 hours, which will allow you to confirm your membership request. 

For more information, please contact Salwa Bitar, E2A’s senior advisor for global alliances, at [email protected]. 

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