Sparking Connection, Creativity & Collaboration at the IDRC Climate-Resilient Animal Fund Inception Event
- Inclusive Innovation
- Sep 9
- 3 min read
At Inclusive Innovation, we believe powerful workshops are more than well-run meetings — they’re invitations to connect, imagine, and co-create. This was brought to life in our Inception Workshop for the Climate-Resilient Animal Fund (RECAF), in collaboration with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
Held virtually over two days in June 2025, these workshops marked the first time project teams from the RECAF initiative came together to formally collaborate. Our collective goal was to build connection and clarity around the program moving forward via:
Establishing a shared understanding of the RECAF initiative
Exploring cross-cutting themes like Gender, Equity & Social Inclusion (GESI) and Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL)
Fostering a collaborative culture that would support longterm, meaningful peer-learning
Impact at a Glance
The combination of intentional structure, creative facilitation, and multilingual inclusion created a rare kind of virtual energy. What emerged was more than a well-executed virtual event — it was a space that felt alive.
Participants stayed engaged, felt truly welcomed, and were gently challenged to stretch their thinking. Many stayed beyond the scheduled time, signaling real investment and momentum for what’s ahead.
“The engagement across these two days was outstanding thanks to the expert facilitation from the Inclusive Innovation team, participants were transported from the usual virtual event space to something that felt truly collaborative and meaningful.” - RECAF Organiser
Grounded in Intention
We co-designed the agenda with IDRC’s staff, ensuring it reflected both the initiative’s priorities and participant experience. Though projects within the initiative had been onboarded, they hadn’t yet met — this was the perfect opportunity to lay the foundation for a strong, connected network for the future.
We intentionally invited everyone involved in each of the projects, knowing it might bring high numbers. That choice was deliberate: to model a culture of inclusivity, curiosity, and open collaboration from the start.
“It was great to have this virtual workshop, it gave us the impression of being face-to-face. It was very well organized. Congratulations to the RECAF team and facilitators.” - Anon Participant
A Multilingual, Inclusive Experience
Live interpretation, bilingual facilitation, and even live-translated sticky notes via DeepL ensured language wasn’t a barrier to participation. French-speaking-only breakout rooms and bilingual opening remarks from IDRC’s staff sent a clear message: everyone belongs here.
Presentation templates were designed to keep things creative but structured — giving presenters and interpreters time to prepare while helping manage the flow of the agenda.
Creative, Interactive Design
Workshops with us don’t sit still. Through creative virtual tools like Stormz and activities like the “Postcards From The Future”, participants were invited to think beyond the usual frameworks. While some moments stretched more academically oriented participants, they ultimately rose to the challenge — and the group’s energy stayed high throughout.
Congratulations to the organizing committee for having captured our attention during the training session, especially with regard to the map of the future, which could indirectly help us better orient our work. - Anon Participant
Breaks included dance interludes, body stretches, and real-time agenda shifts to meet the needs of the group. On Day 2, many participants even chose to stay late — a clear sign of commitment and engagement.
Real Outcomes, Lasting Value
This wasn’t just a feel-good networking session. It was a truly collaborative workshop that led to tangible outcomes. These included:
Concrete outputs: Stormz boards and Postcard insights have already fed directly into MEL frameworks and strategic planning.
Clarified priorities: Several project teams began coordinating around technical and reporting needs during the workshop itself.
Creative momentum: Participants left with clear next steps — and new ways of thinking about inclusion, private sector engagement, and cross-learning.
What I remember most is the importance of promoting a learning culture - where monitoring, evaluation and learning, as well as a gender and social inclusion approach, are not seen as constraints or obligations to be avoided, but as essential levers for improving our work at many levels at IDRC and in your projects! Thank you so much!
Why It Worked
The RECAF workshop succeeded because it was:
Inclusive by design
Interactive and imaginative in delivery
Intentional and invested in every detail
Invitational — welcoming people as they are
If you're launching a program or initiative and want to start strong, we're here to help you build the kind of workshop that people want to stay late for.