The context
Change was organisational—and deeply human.
UNHCR Cameroon staff gathered during a period of restructuring and financial constraint. The retreat needed to acknowledge uncertainty while strengthening the solidarity, professionalism and collaboration required to continue serving the organisation’s mandate.
Pre-retreat discovery helped translate broad change-management goals into a programme grounded in what staff were carrying.
The response
Hold values, dialogue and practical teamwork together.
The programme connected organisational realignment with UNHCR values, interactive dialogue, role-play and experiential team challenges. Staff explored how change affects people and teams, practised collaboration and engaged senior management in open conversation.
The retreat design made room for both meaning and movement: understanding the season, strengthening relationships and identifying practical ways to work with greater trust and solidarity.
Immediate feedback
Relevant content, positive experience and a clear call for more time.
The retreat brought together approximately 80 staff members. Post-retreat findings are based on 17 survey responses—a 21% response rate—and should be read as immediate indicators, not representative long-term impact. The strongest improvement request was more time, with many respondents recommending at least two days.
What this shows
Change communication needs more than information.
People navigating restructuring need facts, but they also need space to process, participate and reconnect. A well-designed retreat can create that space—while honest evaluation reveals what must be strengthened next.