Leon Walcott is a project manager with over ten years of experience in international development. Leon has led multi-donor projects on social justice and inclusion issues including disabilities and youth participation. He specializes in developing and implementing advocacy strategies, and building capacities in policy & media campaigning, strategy planning, negotiation, project implementation and M&E. Leon holds a BA from the University of Guyana. Having a deep understanding of, and practical experience in, inclusive development, Leon is driven by a strong learning environment, innovative collaborations and results-oriented projects. His specialities include: Strategy Development for Advocacy, Fund Development & Organization Strengthening, Partnership Development & Management, Monitoring & Evaluation, Policy Analysis & Development, Behaviour Change Communication, Mainstreaming gender, disability and youth issues, Organization Diagnosis and Change Management, Donor & Grant Management. Issue-Specific Experience in: Economic inclusion, gender, CSO participation & governance, disability rights, sexual& reproductive health & rights (SRHR), youth participation, child protection, indigenous peoples and socio-cultural rights.
Leon has designed and conducted training and coaching program for NGOs/CBOs on disability and youth on rights-based advocacy, strategy planning, negotiation, media communication, project management, M&E and organization effectiveness; Provided technical and project management support, and monitoring and evaluation for community-led advocacy (It’s About Ability Project 2009 – 2011); Elevated disability rights as a national development issue with advocacy materials; and developed research framework for baseline research on disability matters – mentored students studying for the Degree in Social Work at the University of Guyana.
Leon was recently (2014) Appointed Justice of the Peace and Commissioner of Oaths to Affidavits and Member of the Appraisal Committee of the National Commission on Disability, overseeing the approval and disbursement of a G$20 million disability grant. He previously held numerous project management positions on projects funded by USAID/Guyana as well as lecturing posts.