The Future Role of Intermediaries - Update from workstream 2 (More support and funding tools for local and national responders) - May 2021

Culminating from discussions held by members of the Localisation Workstream sub-group on intermediaries, TORs for a project to develop a shared vision on the future role of intermediaries were finalized  in March. Aiming to identify key barriers as well as identify enablers, opportunities and incentives for advancing the localization agenda within intermediaries, the project was subsequently launched and contracted to the Humanitarian Advisory Group (HAG).

Earlier this month, HAG circulated a draft of their proposition paper for comments by sub-group members. The paper builds upon existing research on the role of intermediaries and draws upon behavioral science insights to create a series of change hypotheses in order to maximize the effectiveness of intermediary organizations. The research utilizes the COM–B model for behavioral change, which identifies three essential conditions that are required for a certain behavior to occur: capability, opportunity, and motivation.

The researchers have also developed a model demonstrating the interlinking components that have been shown through research to be central to the role of an effective intermediary actor.

These findings were presented at virtual ‘visioning’ workshops with different Grand Bargain stake holder groups this month, during which HAG and its partners requested participants to provide thoughts and feedback on the findings. The objectives of the workshop were: to gather insights on an ideal role for organizations acting as intermediaries; to understand what is preventing the ideal role and associated behaviors from already happening; and to understand what concrete steps might encourage or support the ideal role and behaviors. Insights from the workshops, together with the findings from dozens of interviews and other research data with be incorporated into a final report, which will be launched before the Grand Bargain Annual Meeting in June.

For more information on the future role of intermediaries project or workshop, please contact Gabriel Green at gabriel.green@ifrc.org.