Between mid-October and late November, the Confidence-Building Workshop Series, aimed at strengthening women’s participation and visibility within Living Labs, was held for the INCiTiS-FOOD consortium. The series was delivered through four sessions, held every other week from October 16 to November 27, and brought together people engaged in different roles across the project.
The workshops were organised by Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF), with coordination for the INCiTiS-FOOD consortium led by Christy Aikhorin, and featured Prof. Catherine Ndungo from Kenyatta University as a main presenter.
Confidence Building: Background and Objectives of the Workshops
The workshop series was developed in response to observations from the Inclusivity Team that, although women were often formally assigned as co-managers within Living Labs, they frequently remained in the background during activities and decision-making processes. In many cases, male managers were more visible in leadership roles. The team also noted recurring challenges related to limited confidence, participation, and opportunities for women to voice their perspectives within Living Lab settings.
In response, the workshop series was designed to support women in building confidence and strengthening practical skills relevant to their roles. Across the four sessions, participants engaged with a broad range of themes, including self-awareness, trust-building, public speaking, imposter syndrome, mentoring, managing discrimination, and communication and media engagement. Prof. Ndungo confirmed that all thematic areas were addressed over the course of the series, enabling participants to reflect, practise, and apply these skills within a supportive learning environment.
Presenter’s Insights from the Workshop Series
From Prof. Catherine’s perspective, the workshop series demonstrated strong interest and engagement across the INCiTiS-FOOD consortium. Each session brought together between 23 and 27 participants, reflecting a consistent level of commitment throughout the programme. Engagement was particularly high during breakout room discussions, where participants actively shared personal experiences and reflected openly on challenges related to confidence, leadership, and participation within Living Lab contexts.
In plenary sessions, instead of speaking in front of the large group, participants used the chat option. This suggested that, despite a high level of engagement, confidence barriers remain, especially when speaking in larger, multi-country and multi-language settings. These observations emphasised how important it is to create supportive spaces that gradually encourage verbal participation while respecting different comfort levels and communication styles.
The content and structure of the workshops were closely aligned with the findings of the pre-assessment. Among the various themes covered, trust-building emerged as particularly relevant and resonant for participants, highlighting its central role in collaborative work and inclusive leadership. The interactive and reflective methodology was well received, with participants appreciating the balance between discussion, practical exercises, and individual reflection. Homework assignments were also valued, as they provided opportunities to apply learning directly within participants’ professional roles.
Initial evaluation results indicate positive learning outcomes. Pre- and post-session assessments show clear learning gains, with the majority of respondents demonstrating significant improvement in their understanding of the workshop themes. While full conclusions will be drawn once additional evaluation responses are received, these early results suggest that the workshop series effectively supported participants in strengthening both confidence and practical skills.
Lessons Learned and Areas for Improvement
Building on the insights gained during the workshop series, both the trainers and the INCiTiS-FOOD team identified several opportunities to strengthen future capacity-building initiatives. While the overall response to the workshops was positive, these reflections highlight areas where further impact could be achieved.
From Prof. Catherine Ndungo’s perspective, deeper and more transformative learning would benefit from adjustments to both format and delivery. She noted that extending session durations beyond the current 90 minutes would allow for more meaningful interaction, reflection, and peer exchange. Increasing the use of breakout rooms was also identified as a key priority, as smaller group settings proved particularly effective in encouraging participation and confidence-building. Where feasible, Catherine further suggested exploring in-person workshops, acknowledging that logistical and budgetary constraints may limit this option, but recognising their potential for deeper engagement and long-term impact.
Furthermore, Christy Aikhorin reflected on the positive feedback received from participants and highlited that having external trainers supported a safe and open learning environment. At the same time, she pointed to a broader, systemic challenge within consortium dynamics. In larger consortium meetings, often involving around 30 participants, African women were observed to speak less frequently, while discussions tended to be dominated by male participants or European partners. This pattern mirrors the confidence and visibility challenges addressed during the workshop series.
In response, several practical approaches were suggested to foster more inclusive participation. These include creating smaller, intentional groups for technical or thematic discussions, as well as recognising and amplifying written contributions, such as chat messages, where many women feel more comfortable expressing their views. Christy also proposed sharing key workshop insights and findings with consortium leadership to support more inclusive meeting practices at a structural level.
Looking ahead, one concrete next step under consideration is inviting Prof. Catherine Ndungo to deliver a short presentation to the INCiTiS-FOOD consortium early next year. This would provide an opportunity to extend the impact of the workshop series beyond participants and reinforce key messages around confidence and inclusion within the INCiTiS-FOOD project.
Planned Follow-Up Actions
Looking ahead, both the trainers and the INCiTiS-FOOD coordination team expressed strong appreciation for the collaboration and the mutual learning that emerged throughout the workshop series. As a next step, Prof. Catherine Ndungo will continue finalising the workshop report, including a detailed breakdown of participant engagement. In parallel, Christy Aikhorin will coordinate the preparation of participation certificates and communicate the relevant procedures directly to workshop participants.
Building on this momentum, a follow-up blog post is expected to be published soon, featuring participants’ own insights, reflections, and impressions of the workshop series. Follow the INCiTiS-FOOD newsroom to stay informed about upcoming updates and future learning initiatives.
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