Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
man Dev
velopme
ent Coop
peration
Perfo
for develo
ormance Improvem
opment acto
ment Pro
oject (PIP))
ors in the North
N and Ea
ast of Sri La
anka
20
009
9
20
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Projectt Docum
mentt
Trincom
malee
Septem
mber 2009
9
The Pe
erformance Imprrovement Projectt works with the Public
P Administra
ation in the North
h and East of Sri Lanka
and is funded byy the German Federal Ministry forr Economic Coopperation and Dev velopment (BMZ)
Ministry of
Nation Buiilding and
Estate Infrrastructure
Development
Sri La
ankan - German
G n Develo
opmentt Coope
eration
Perform
mance Im
mproveme
ent Proje
ect (PIP)
for de
evelopment actors in the Norrth and Ea
ast of Sri L
Lanka
Proje
ect Docu
ument
Trincomale
ee
Sep
ptember 2
2009
Ministry of
M
N
Nation Building annd
E
Estate Infrastructu
ure
D
Development
The Perform
mance Improvement Project wo
orks with the Pu ublic Administra
ation in the North
h and East of Sri Lanka and is funded by
e German Federral Ministry for Economic
the E Cooperation and Devvelopment (BMZ Z)
Contents
List of abbreviations ...................................................................................................................................... 2
Foreword ....................................................................................................................................................... 3
Purpose of the document ............................................................................................................................. 4
Part 1: Project details ........................................................................................................................... 5
Project summary ........................................................................................................................................... 7
Project log frame ......................................................................................................................................... 10
Part 2: Project strategy ...................................................................................................................... 13
Context ........................................................................................................................................................ 15
Background ................................................................................................................................................. 15
Relevance to development cooperation .................................................................................................... 16
Approach ..................................................................................................................................................... 17
Gender strategy .......................................................................................................................................... 19
Good governance strategy .......................................................................................................................... 19
Conflict transformation strategy................................................................................................................. 20
Part 3: Operational plan ..................................................................................................................... 21
Human Resource Development .................................................................................................................. 23
Local Government ....................................................................................................................................... 29
Community Development ........................................................................................................................... 35
Other activities ............................................................................................................................................ 41
1
List of abbreviations
ACLG Assistant Commissioner of Local Government
ADB Asian Development Bank
BMZ German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
CAP Capacity Building for Implementing Authorities at Local Level
CBO Community Based Organisation
CD Community Development
CIRM Centre for Information Resource Management
CLG Commissioner of Local Government
DFID Department for International Development, British Government
DS Divisional Secretariat, District Secretariat
EP Eastern Province
EPC Eastern Provincial Councils
FSCT Food Security and Conflict Transformation Project
GS Grama Seveka
GTZ German Technical Cooperation
HRD Human Resource development
LA Local Authorities
MDTD Management Development Training Department – EP
MDTI Management Development Training Institute – NP
MC Municipal Council
NECCDEP North East Coastal Community Development Project
NECORD North East Community Restoration and Development Project
NEPC North East Provincial Council
NGO Non Government Organisation
NP Northern Province
NPC Northern Provincial Council
OD Organisational Development
PIDT Public Information Dissemination Training
PIP Performance Improvement Project
PLA Participatory Learning in Action
PPS Provincial Planning Secretariat
PPP Peoples Planning Process
PreSTEPS General English course (Pre Skill Through English for Public Servants
PRO Public Relations Officer
PS Pradeshiya Sabha
R/ACLG Regional Assistant Commissioner of Local Government (also ACLG)
STEPS Skills Through English for Public Servants
WRDS Women’s Rural Development Society
WSPS Writing Skills for Public Servants
2
Foreword
The Performance Improvement Project (PIP) has been supporting the organisational
development of the Northern and Eastern Provincial Councils since their inception, and for
several years before, the North East Provincial Council (NEPC). The tsunami, the de‐merger of
the NEPC and the conflict have not made it an easy environment to work in, and so the
project’s achievements are all the more important.
With the support of PIP the Management Development Training Department, Eastern Province
is now a flourishing training centre with its own trainers, materials, equipment and training
programme. PIP is currently funding the extension to the Management Development Training
Institute, Northern Province, training trainers and helping establish the STEPS Institute Jaffna,
so that the North too can flourish. By 2009 more than 2,500 public servants from over 70
organisations in the Northern and Eastern Provincial Councils had benefited from courses such
as Skills Through English for Public Servants (STEPS), Induction to Public Service, Spatial
Planning, Effective Communication and Self Access Skills. In a 2008 survey 85% of senior
managers strongly agreed that PIP training courses met the real needs of their staff.
In 2005, local government was termed ‘The Sleeping Giant’. With support from PIP and other
donors for local government reform, that giant is beginning to wake up. PIP has established a
grievance redressal system in 20 local authorities in the East and an almost equal number are
planned in 2010 for the North. In 2006 PIP put in the first network at Inner Harbour Road (the
then headquarters of the NEPC) and in 2008 at Varodayanagar (the headquarters of the NPC).
In 2007 PIP pioneered the first Integrated Local Development Planning in Kinniya, getting the
Divisional Secretariat, the Urban Council and the Pradeshiya Sabha to work together on a four
year rolling plan – something that had never been done in Sri Lanka before. In 2009 work has
begun on integrated local development planning in three geographical areas in Jaffna District,
building on lessons learnt from a similar intervention in Kinniya, Eastern Province.
In this new 2009 – 2010 phase, the Office of the Chief Secretary Eastern Province and the Office
of the Chief Secretary Northern Province will continue to work hand‐in‐hand with the
Performance Improvement Project. This collaboration will ensure that project inputs and
activities continue to strengthen the two administrations in their management, planning,
communication, coordination and service delivery for vulnerable communities in the North and
East.
Mr Walter Keller, Senior Adviser, GTZ Performance Improvement Project
Mr VP Balasingham, Chief Secretary, Eastern Province
Mr A Sivasamy, Chief Secretary, Northern Province
3
Purpose of the document
The purpose of this document is to give stakeholders, intermediaries, implementing agencies and other
projects working in the same field a clear understanding of the project. It is divided into three main
parts. The first part gives an overview of the project details, for easy reference, and includes the project
log frame. The second part outlines the project strategy in terms of relevance, approach, and
management, based on the project context, history, and best practices. The third part provides
comprehensive descriptions of project activities and the operational plans for each of the three project
strands.
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Part 1: Project details
5
6
Project summary
Name GTZ Performance Improvement Project (PIP)
Donor German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Project area Good governance and conflict transformation capacity development for public
servants working in the provincial administration in the North and East of Sri
Lanka with specific reference to Human Resource Development, Local
Government Reform and Community Development.
Objectives 1. Provincial and local government staff and counterparts in the Northern and
Eastern Provinces use new skills to improve the way they work as service
providers, within their organisations and with the public (Human Resource
Development).
2. Local government in the Northern and Eastern Provinces uses improved
mechanisms of communication and planning for better service delivery and
conflict mitigation (Local Government).
3. WRDS in Batticaloa District work with local authorities and donors to
implement small scale socio‐economic plans for improved facilities, services
and livelihoods in their villages (Community Development).
Scope Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Vavuniya, Mannar and Jaffna Districts
Duration January 2009 – December 2010
Beneficiaries The conflict and tsunami affected Muslim, Tamil and Sinhalese population of the
Northern and Eastern Provinces with particular reference to vulnerable low
income groups, the public the local authorities serve, and women’s
organisations.
Intermediaries The management and technical staff of approximately 70 organisations from the
provincial and local authorities and the central line authorities at local level, their
civil society counterparts, women’s groups and community based organisations.
Executing agency The Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development
Implementing The Northern and Eastern Provincial Councils
agency
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Key stakeholders The Offices of the Chief Secretaries (CSO), Eastern Province (EP) and Northern
Province (NP)
The Commissioners and Regional Assistant Commissioners of Local Government,
(CLG and R/ACLG) EP and NP
49 local authorities, EP and NP
The Centre for Information Resource Management (CIRM) EP
The Management Development Training Department (MDTD) EP
The Management Development Training Institute ( MDTI) NP
The Ministry of Education NP
30 Women’s Rural Development Societies (WRDS), EP
Inputs Specialised short and long term consultancies in technical assistance
Training courses, workshops, planning meetings and coaching
Financing agreements with the British Council and Czech NGO People in Need
Local subsidy contracts with CIRM, MDTD and the North East Community
Restoration and Development Project (NECORD)
The supply of a limited amount of equipment for organisational development
Management The project is managed by a Senior Adviser and a Team Leader with a team of
over 40 national and international staff in three locations. Trincomalee is its main
office, and is situated within the Eastern Provincial Council’s Management
Development Training Department, which is also one of its main implementing
partners. Two sub offices exist in Batticaloa and Jaffna.
Cumulative Value Cumulative, overall project duration: 9 years 4 months from 09/2001 to 12/2010
Cumulative total budget of €10,881,000
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Current phase Date Phase Value Description
Activities Human Resource Development
• Bridging courses for Skills Through English for Public Servants (STEPS) are
developed and STEPS courses are run in different locations.
• STEPS Institute in Jaffna is set up under the NPC.
• Good Governance and conflict transformation are taught through a variety
of courses: STEPS, public information dissemination training (PIDT), effective
communication, self access skills, induction to public service, report writing.
• The training capacity of the Provincial Councils is strengthened and trainer
competencies/ accreditation established.
Local Government Reform
• New approaches to local government public committees are introduced for
content, composition and ways of working.
• Public redressal staff and systems are standardised, upgraded and
expanded.
• Public information dissemination techniques are taught to local authorities.
• Integrated local development planning is introduced in new areas.
• Information management for development profiles is supported.
Community Development
• WRDS leadership is strengthened for community development purposes.
• Advocacy events are organised to bring the Local Authorities and
communities closer together.
• Livelihood development is strengthened and new livelihood ventures
explored.
• Pre school education, facilities, staff and systems are strengthened.
Monitoring and Baseline study, 2009; Project Document (this), Impact study 2010
evaluation Quarterly reporting to stakeholders through the Provincial Council Coordination
Meetings and the Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure’s
cumulative reports
Project proposal (the ‘Offer’), annual progress reports and a final report to the
BMZ
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Project log frame
Development impact
Equitable distribution of resources and greater public participation ‐ through good governance, promotion of democracy at decentralised level, and balanced socio‐economic
development ‐ contribute to peace building in Sri Lanka.
Indirect impact
Social equity is improved by conflict sensitive, participatory public services which benefit the vulnerable and the poor.
Outcome
Management tasks and service delivery for socio‐economic development are carried out in a coordinated, participatory and conflict sensitive way at provincial and local level.
Outcome indicator 1 Outcome indicator 2 Outcome indicator 3
650 people working at provincial and local government Conflict sensitive, participatory mechanisms Plans and proposals from women’s/ community based
level apply what they have learnt about good governance (committees, redressal systems) are established and groups are reflected in at least 10 current, small scale
and conflict transformation in the work place. (Means of used in at least two local authorities. (Means of socio‐economic projects. (Means of verification:
verification: gender sensitive survey) verification: minutes, publications and agreements) agreements and local development plans)
Use of output 1 Use of output 2 Use of output 3
Provincial and local government staff and counterparts Local government uses improved mechanisms of WRDS begin to implement plans for their village
improve the way they work as service providers, within communication and planning for better service development in terms of improved facilities, services and
their organisations and with the public. delivery and conflict mitigation. livelihoods
Output 1 Output 2 Output 3
Training courses, trainers and materials for key Public committees, redressal systems, information WRDS have the confidence and skills to utilise the services
competencies in planning, management, communication, dissemination and local development planning of local authorities and other donors for community
good governance and conflict transformation are become more equitable, responsive and efficient. development
increased and made sustainable.
Activities 1 Activities 2 Activities 3
• Bridging courses for Skills Through English for Public • New approaches to local government public • WRDS leadership is strengthened for community
Servants (STEPS) are developed and STEPS courses committees are introduced for content, development purposes.
are run in different locations. composition and ways of working. • Advocacy events are organised to bring the Local
• STEPS Institute in Jaffna is set up under the NPC. • Public redressal staff and systems are Authorities and communities closer together.
• Good Governance and conflict transformation are standardised, upgraded and expanded. • Livelihood development is strengthened and new
taught through a variety of courses: STEPS, public • Public information dissemination techniques livelihood ventures explored.
information dissemination training (PIDT), effective are taught to local authorities. • Pre school education, facilities, staff and systems are
communication, self access skills, induction to public • Integrated local development planning is strengthened.
service, report writing. introduced in new areas.
• The training capacity of the Provincial Councils is • Information management for development
strengthened and trainer competencies/ profiles is supported.
accreditation established.
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Use of output 1 Use of output 2 Use of output 3
Provincial and local government staff and counterparts Local government uses improved mechanisms of WRDS begin to implement plans for their village
improve the way they work as service providers, within communication and planning for better service delivery development ‐ for improved facilities, services and
their organisations and with the public. and conflict mitigation. livelihoods.
Use of output 1 indicators Use of output 2 indicators Use of output 3 indicators
• (600) public servants who have gone up at least • Advisory Committees contribute to successful • (15) WRDS submit realistic, needs based proposals
one level in English use it as a link language for service delivery in (2) local authority areas. for community development to local authorities
management and administration. (Means of (Means of verification: committee minutes, and other donors.
verification: end of course results and reports, notices) (Means of verification: documents, LA records,
questionnaire) correspondence)
• Public Relations Officers successfully resolve
• (70%) of senior managers in the provincial councils conflicts through the redressal system in (10) local • (5) WRDS submit business plans for funding / apply
affirm that their staff have improved the way they authority areas. for loans for new livelihood ventures.
work within their organisation as a result of PIP (Means of verification: complaints register and (Means of verification: correspondence and
training. (Means of verification: survey) database) documents)
• (70%) of participants who work as field staff, • Complaints analysis improves service delivery in (2)
teachers and middle managers in service ministries local authority areas. • (20) WRDS managed pre schools provide quality pre
(local government, health, education, agriculture, (Means of verification: local authority and public school education for (X) children.
rural development, social services...) affirm that survey) (Means of verification: classroom observation
they have improved the way they work with the records and teacher/material evaluations)
public as a result of PIP training. (Means of • (5) Local authorities successfully disseminate key
verification: survey) messages through public information campaigns. • (5) WRDS get local authorities and/or the Ministry
(Means of verification: campaign records, materials of Education to provide on‐going quality assurance
• The STEPS Institute in Jaffna becomes sustainable and public survey) and support for (10) pre schools.
under the NPC and provides quality assured courses (Means of verification: records of visits, meeting
on a regular basis for public servants and teachers. • Local authorities use development profiles and minutes, survey.)
(Means of verification: Management scheme, integrated local development plans for
budget allocation, course enrolment) participatory planning and service delivery in (2)
areas. (Means of verification: plans and minutes)
• Provincial council training organisations (CIRM,
MDTD, MDTI) accredit trainers and use them to • (5) local authorities qualify for service delivery small
deliver needs based training programmes. (Means grants by applying what they have learned about
of verification: trainer competency evaluations) good governance. (Means of verification: selection
records and criteria)
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Output 1 Output 2 Output 3
Training courses, trainers and materials for key Public committees, redressal systems, information WRDS have the confidence and skills to utilise the
competencies in planning, management, dissemination and local development planning become services of local authorities and other donors for
communication, good governance and conflict more equitable, responsive and efficient. community development
transformation are expanded and institutionalised
Output 1 indicators Output 2 indicators Output 3 indicators
• STEPS is successfully expanded to five levels. • (5 ) advisory committees are established and pilot • (15) WRDS establish working relations with their
• (900) participants successfully complete STEPS new ways of working with the public. local authorities.
courses and (70%) of them are able to apply
improved English skills in the workplace. • Local authorities implement upgraded complaints • (6) successful local authority public days and village
• (400) participants are able to apply the new skills in systems and analysis through (10 existing and 5 open days enable (X) people to get to know their
good governance and conflict transformation they new) public redressal systems. local authorities better.
have learnt.
• The STEPS Institute in Jaffna becomes operational • (20) Local authorities design effective public • (10) WRDS develop new business initiatives/plans.
under NPC management. information campaigns on different issues.
• (25) Provincial council trainers meet agreed • (20) WRDS produce realistic, needs based proposals
competency standards and deliver quality training • Integrated local development plans and profiles are for community development .
programmes in a variety of subjects. designed for (3) areas.
Activities 1 Activities 2 Activities 3
• Bridging courses for Skills Through English for Public • New approaches to local government public • WRDS leadership is strengthened for community
Servants (STEPS) are developed and STEPS courses committees are introduced for content, development purposes.
are run in different locations. composition and ways of working. • Advocacy events are organised to bring the Local
• The STEPS Institute in Jaffna is set up under the • Public redressal staff and system are standardised, Authorities and communities closer together.
NPC. upgraded and expanded. • Livelihood development is strengthened and new
• Good Governance and conflict transformation are • Public information dissemination techniques are livelihood ventures explored.
taught through a variety of courses: STEPS, public taught to local authorities. • Pre school education, facilities, staff and systems
information dissemination training (PIDT), effective • Integrated local development planning is are strengthened.
communication, self access skills, induction to introduced in new areas.
public service, report writing. • Information management for development profiles
• The training capacity of the Provincial Councils is is supported.
strengthened and trainer competencies /
accreditation established.
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Part 2: Project strategy
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Context
25 years of civil war, and large scale destruction of infrastructure in coastal regions due to the December
2004 tsunami, have severely impeded development in the North and East of Sri Lanka and created an
imbalance with the rest of the country. The North is now in a transitional phase after fighting ceased and
there has been no more open fighting in the Eastern Province since the end of 2007.
The biggest problem for provincial, district and local authorities at present is not a lack of funds, but the
inability to act in a coordinated, needs‐based, participatory manner in order to guarantee basic services.
Management skills and participatory approaches, which are necessary for utilising inputs in an efficient,
transparent, and conflict sensitive way, are inadequate. This results in a lack of planning and
coordination by the various development actors involved, which in turn produces gaps, duplication and
inefficiency at implementation level. Available resources are not fully utilised. Public service delivery
demonstrates considerable weakness because it does not properly take into consideration the real
needs of the people.
Background
The GTZ Performance Improvement Project (PIP) is implemented by German Technical Cooperation
(GTZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It is
a good governance conflict transformation project which operates in the conflict affected North and
East of Sri Lanka. It was set up in 2001 and is now in an extension of its second phase. The total value of
the project is €10.9m of which, in 2005, €2.1m came from the British Government’s Department for
International Development (DFID). The current phase is worth €3.8m. The project’s partner ministry is
the Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development and it also coordinates with the
Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Councils. The project’s main office is in Trincomalee with
sub offices in Batticaloa and Jaffna.
The first phase – 2001 to 2003 ‐ consisted of rehabilitation work in conjunction with the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) supported North East Community Restoration and Development
Project (NECORD). The second phase – 2003 to 2008 ‐ focussed on strengthening the North East
Provincial Council, and after the de‐merger, the Northern and Eastern Provincial Councils respectively,
by developing capacity in human resource management, organisational development, planning and
information management, and good governance. During this phase, PIP was interlinked with the
tsunami funded Capacity Building for Implementing Authorities at Local Level Project (CAP) and
expanded its work in organisational development for local government. Inputs and activities were
implemented through the project’s key stakeholders: the Chief Secretaries’ Offices, the Provincial
Planning Secretariats, the Management Development Training Department, the Centre for Information
Resource Management and the Commissioners of Local Government’s Offices.
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In the current extension phase – 2009 to 2010 ‐ the project’s mandate is to build capacity for provincial
and local government, and community based organisations so that they can work together towards
sustainable development in a participatory and conflict mitigating way. The project’s main stakeholders
are key offices in the Northern and Eastern Provincial Councils, local authorities, selected divisional
secretariats and Women’s Rural Development Societies. The project’s implementing partners at
government level are the Management Development Training Department and the Centre for
Information Resource Management and at international level, British Council Sri Lanka and People In
Need.
The rationale for the extension was to support the conflict and tsunami affected populations in a
transitional situation in the Northern Province, and in a conflict emerging situation in the Eastern
Province, by building on best practices and lessons learnt from previous GTZ projects. This included
expanding and making sustainable the STEPS programme from PIP, the public grievance redressal
system and integrated local level development planning from CAP, local government reform from PIP
and CAP, and Participatory Learning in Action/WRDS strengthening from the Food Security and Conflict
Transformation (FSCT) project.
The new project strategy and operational plan was conceived as a result of a feasibility mission from GTZ
head quarters Germany, a series of planning and scoping workshops with the project’s key stakeholders
in the Provincial Councils chaired by the Chief Secretaries, and the findings and recommendations of an
extensive baseline study. (See, ‘Performance Improvement Project Baseline Study Report 2009’.)
Relevance to development cooperation
The project has relevance to Sri Lankan‐German government development cooperation and to the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
PIP’s work in capacity development for good governance, conflict sensitivity and participatory
approaches at local level supports local government reform in Sri Lanka as follows:
• the 2007 – 2010 Eastern Province Development Plan
• the Local Government Reforms circulars No. 2, 4 and 10 (2007)
• the National Policy Declaration for Local Government (2007)
• the Citizens' Charter, adopted in 2008, which emphasises public participation as a crucial
prerequisite for sustainable, democratic development.
In addition the project contributes to the Millennium Development Goals. It promotes
• women’s organisations which contributes to Goal 3 of the MDGs (Promote gender equality and
empower women)
• good governance which contributes to MDG Target 16 (Develop and implement strategies for
decent and productive work for youth)
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In terms of the BMZ Programme for Action 2015 development policy, the PIP extension strengthens
• Objective 9: Ensuring the participation of the poor in social, political and economic life and
strengthening good governance
• Objective 1: Boosting the economy and enhancing the active participation of the poor
• Objective 10: Resolving conflicts peacefully and fostering human security and disarmament
It also takes into account the German Federal Government's, “Action Plan for Civilian Crisis Prevention,
Conflict Resolution and Post‐Conflict Peace‐Building’”(2004) and, “Crisis Prevention, Conflict
Management and Peace‐building” (2005).
Approach
Sustainability
The project will use the extension period to secure sustainability through key stakeholder management
and ownership. For its continuing outputs – the STEPS programme, the redressal system, and integrated
local development planning – this means expansion, standardisation and institutionalisation. For new
interventions in the 2009‐2010 period – leading to outputs that strengthen local government public
committees, public information dissemination, local authority service delivery, WRDS livelihoods,
community development and pre‐school education – this means implementation from the start through
the Chief Secretaries’ Offices, with the clear provision of management, technical expertise and counter‐
parting from the stakeholder’s side .
Coverage
There will be a two pronged approach to the project’s ‘intermediaries’ – staff from the provincial, local
and central line authorities and their civil society counterparts working at local level. Firstly, the project
will build capacity in general communication and good governance skills for a large number of change
agents from these organisations. Secondly, the project will focus on specific skills for specific areas for a
more limited number of people. This will include, for example, advocacy skills for community based
organisations in Batticaloa district, integrated local development planning skills for Jaffna local
authorities. In this way the project will increase its impact by providing wider coverage for general skills
and more in‐depth coverage for specific skills. It will also meet the Provincial Council’s expectations,
both in terms of numbers, and in terms of quality pilots with ‘roll out’ potential.
Flexibility
Building on lessons learnt, the project will promote flexibility for sustainability in a generalised service.
This means not relying overmuch on the personality or skills of specific senior managers as they are
likely to be transferred at any moment and replaced with others who are not familiar with the work of
the Performance Improvement Project. Such an approach requires stamina, and the ability to ‘start
anew’ with each replaced manager, but it is essential to sustainability. To this end, inputs, activities and
outputs will be channelled through a variety of key stakeholders and intermediaries. In addition, new
systems and processes will be clearly documented and disseminated in the form of guidelines,
handbooks, trainer’s notes, publishing rights and operating manuals.
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Coordination of provincial and central government
Coordination between the provincial and central line authorities working at local level will remain a
constant. Activities and outputs will focus on getting these different lines of government to cooperate,
plan, pool resources and streamline roles and responsibilities as much as possible. Not an easy task,
given the imbalance of power between the two, the project will endeavour to create a variety of
opportunities where, in particular the Divisional Secretariats and the Pradeshiya Sabhas work together.
Such opportunities include
• promoting integrated local development planning where socio economic profiles and four year
development plans cut across traditional compartmentalisation to include Divisional Secretariats
and the Local Authorities, line ministries, and project donors
• putting government staff on training courses where they are mixed by ability, not organisation
• streamlining the roles and responsibilities of divisional secretariat and local authority front line
officers at community development level (Rural Development Officers, Community
Development Officers, Social Service Officers etc.) to avoid duplication and gaps
• getting central line authorities to refer the public to provincial line services where appropriate –
for example encouraging the public to use the local authority public redressal system to address
grievances rather than going to the police.
However, the project will remain firmly rooted in the devolved structures of government, as it has
always been, in order to promote democracy and strengthen the 13th Amendment in practical ways, and
reduce recentralisation in the North and East. This message will also be communicated to other donors
and other GTZ projects to persuade them to coordinate their project implementation, wherever
possible, through the provincial structures in order to strengthen democracy.
Facts and figures
In line with a GTZ annual target for 2009, the project will pursue results based monitoring and reporting
with an emphasis on facts and figures. To this end, the ‘Performance Improvement Project Baseline
Study Report 2009’ was conducted and published and will be followed up with a similar impact study at
the end of the project. Data gleaned from the study has already been used to make recommendations
to key stakeholders, develop indicators (Part 1, Project log frame, above) and inform the operational
plans (Part 3, Operational plan, below). Likewise progress reports to the Provincial Councils, the Ministry
of Nation Building and Infrastructure Development and the BMZ will follow this approach.
Quality Assurance
In all aspects, the project will strive to assure the highest quality in its inputs, activities and outputs. A
greater emphasis will be put on the design of actual activities and how they link together to create a
changed environment, not just changed individuals. This in turn means getting senior managers to buy
into new ways of working and to make active use of new skills accrued by their staff. It also means more
work place oriented training, as seen in the design of Public Information Dissemination Training, and
more exacting criteria for certification and accreditation, as seen in the plans for a competency based
certified and accredited trainer system.
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Gender strategy
GTZ works with women and men as equals as a matter of course. This leads to the need for redressing
the balance of power between men and women in the organisations and communities which PIP
supports. The project’s gender strategy is to strengthen the number of women and the significance of the
role they play so that women’s political and socio‐economic participation in government and in civil society
is strengthened in the long run. This will be done through
• ensuring numbers of men and women on training courses are commensurate with government
statistics of men and women in those jobs
• making senior management aware of the fact that at lower management level 60% of jobs are
held by women but by senior management level the number has been halved to 30% and
getting senior management to work on ways to increase the number of women at the top
• ensuring more senior women managers and administrators, with specific reference to school
principals, heads of departments and administrative officers, become involved as change agents
for good governance and conflict transformation by promoting places for them on STEPS
courses
• running training courses at local level so that women with families have equal opportunity to
attend
• ensuring more women are represented on local government advisory committees in the North
and East and that they have the right skills to represent the concerns of women in their
communities
• strengthening women’s groups and ‘voice’ in 32 villages through 30 Women’s Rural
Development Societies (WRDS) with advocacy, leadership and proposal writing training for
community development, and establishing working relations between them and local
authorities and donors
• strengthening pre school education for girls and boys and through that promoting positive
gender role models for children as well as project management experience for women in WRDS.
Good governance strategy
PIP is primarily a good governance project and works on governance in three specific ways.
Firstly, it integrates good governance in all project systems and processes so that aspects of good
governance are constantly demonstrated in practice. For example, all training courses are equitable in
terms of ethnicity and gender, transparent in the way participants are selected and certified,
participatory and responsive in the way courses are delivered and effective and efficient through quality
assurance of materials, trainers, and assessments.
Secondly, it teaches good governance as a skill and a subject through a variety of courses. These include
Introduction to Public Service, Skills Trough English for Public Servants, Writing Skills for Public Servants,
Public Information Dissemination Training, Guidelines for Integrated Local Development Planning and an
introduction to good governance for Councillors which will be developed in 2010. Collectively these
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training courses provide a well rounded understanding and practical application of good governance
skills in the workplace.
Thirdly, it supports the implementation of local government reform as determined by the Government’s
own good governance strategy ‐ the Local Government Reforms circulars No. 2, 4 and 10 (2007), the
National Policy Declaration for Local Government (2007) and the Citizens' Charter, adopted in 2008. (See
‘Project Relevance to Development Cooperation’ above.) In this regard, PIP helps local government
• improve channels of communication, accountability and transparency with the public by
developing and disseminating effective leaflets on a variety of subjects from building regulations
to the prevention of dengue
• carry out participatory needs analysis and planning with the public by producing socio‐
economic profiles and embarking on integrated local development planning
• increase the public voice in local authorities by promoting public grievance redressal, advisory
committees and new links with WRDS
• increase their own responsiveness to the public with improved service delivery.
Conflict transformation strategy
Good governance, democratisation at the decentralised level, conflict resolution and balanced, socio‐
economic development are seen as crucial for long‐term, peace building results. The project promotes
conflict transformation strategies with its key stakeholders and targeted intermediaries so that civic
alternatives to violent conflict become the norm. Specifically, the project
• teaches key stakeholders and intermediaries a series of conflict resolution skills through its one‐
week module on Conflict in the STEPS course which includes learning to address and resolve
conflict at family, neighbour, work and ethnic level
• ensures capacity development at community level that empowers vulnerable groups without
antagonising existing village elites (see Community development conflict sensitivity, Part 3
below).
In addition, the project strongly supports the teaching and learning of English as a conflict
transformation tool. English is used as a link language, a ‘connector’ where national languages have
traditionally become social or ethnic ‘dividers’. It links ethnic groups at several levels. Internationally it
links the country to the outside world. At the end of a protracted and impoverishing civil war, all groups
have a strong need to communicate with foreign governments and to be heard in the international
forum. At provincial level it links the civil service, local government, NGOs, bank funded projects and
other development actors working in the conflict affected and mainly Tamil speaking areas of the North
and East with the Sinhala speaking central government. At classroom level it links individuals from
different walks of life who would not normally sit and study together. Here it becomes a common
denominator that connects people by ability and need, not a subject that divides people by seniority or
gender or ethnicity or religion. It builds trust and helps participants form informal networks which in
turn contribute to inter‐ethnic communication and constructive working relationships.
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Part 3: Operational plan
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Human Resource Development
Objective
Provincial and local government staff and counterparts improve the way they work as service providers,
within their organisations and with the public.
Contribution to achieving the project outcome
650 people working at provincial and local government level apply what they have learnt about good
governance and conflict transformation in the work place.
Recommendations from the baseline study
• Training should continue to be delivered based on needs identified during the 2005 ‐ 2008 phase
of the project, placement tests conducted between 2006 and 2009, and project partners’
expressed requirements for 2009‐2010.
• Priority to General English (Pre STEPS) and Skills Through English for Public Servants (STEPS)
courses should continue to be given and bridging courses developed to accommodate the
greatest needs in English amongst public servants.
• Training courses should be related to the development of practical skills in the work place, and
include on‐the‐job components and follow‐up. Participants should be certified after work place
components are complete.
• Senior managers should become more aware of the skills their staff gain on training courses and
ensure staff utilise their new skills in the workplace on a regular basis.
• The pool of qualified Provincial Council trainers should be increased and quality assured based
on an agreed list of trainer competencies.
• Project partners and PIP should make a conscious effort to involve more women senior
managers and administrators in capacity development. They should support more promotion of
women to senior management level.
• The local government redressal system training materials should be updated and authentic
examples from the field integrated in them.
Approach
The HRD approach is to provide quality assured, sustainable courses and training systems based on real
needs, delivered in a participatory way, and followed up in the workplace, for large number of staff
across the provincial councils. Before any course, attention is paid to researching course subjects in
depth, integrating authentic materials and situations to make training relevant, and developing
comprehensive trainer’s notes and participant’s worksheets so that courses are not ‘owned’ by
particular trainers. At the delivery stage, attention is paid to piloting and revising courses several times
in all three languages, training trainers so they master the content and deliver the courses effectively.
After the course is over, attention is paid to assessment, feeding collective comments from course
evaluations back into the design, and developing course administration tools so that programmes can be
‘rolled out’ to cater efficiently for a large number of participants.
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Description of activities
Skills Through English for Public Servants (STEPS)
The Skills Through English for Public Servants (STEPS) programme is a suite of content and language
integrated courses at five levels : General English 1 (or Pre STEPS 1), General English 2 (or Pre STEPS 2),
Skills Through English for Public Servants (STEPS), Writing Skills for Public Servants 1 (WSPS 1:
Correspondence) and Writing Skills for Public Servants (WSPS 2: Reports). It caters for language learners
from elementary level to lower advanced and is delivered by skilled trainers from the British Council.
Courses are four weeks intensive, and run in Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Jaffna in 2009‐10 and
Vavuniya as soon as the situation permits in 2010. The STEPS suite will build capacity for 950 public
servants in 2009‐2010 bringing the cumulative total since 2006 to over 2,000 potential ‘change agents’.
They are drawn from over 70 organisations of the project’s key stakeholders and intermediaries in the
Provincial Councils, their civil society counterparts, selected Divisional Secretariats and the Ministry of
Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development. Specifically, participants improve their English
language skills for the workplace and in the process learn presentation skills, critical thinking,
information management, teambuilding and interpersonal skills. They are mixed by language level not
organisation and this creates coordination between sectors.
In 2009 the ‘bridging’ courses, Pre STEPS 2 and WSPS 1, will be designed and piloted. This is because a
large number of participants in previous years failed to make the jump between Pre STEPS to STEPS and
between STEPS to WSPS – not through any fault of their own ‐ but simply because the gap between the
levels was too great. Pre STEPS 2 will be based on the English Language textbook, ‘Language in Use’.
WSPS I – a writing for letters, memos, minutes and emails course ‐ will be more tailor made for the
specific needs of administrators in the civil service. Designed by the PIP Materials Design Consultant, it
will become the writing skills course of choice, and WSPS 2 will cater to a smaller group of more senior
managers who need to write proposals, concept papers and reports.
STEPS Institute, Jaffna
In direct response to the Northern Province’s request to sustain STEPS in the North after the end of the
project, PIP will support the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Provincial Public Administration to
establish the STEPS Institute, Jaffna within the premises of J/Canagaratnam M.M.V. (Stanley College).
This will include
• renovating and equipping the building
• getting the management scheme and the budget approved, and ensuring funds are allocated for
2010 in the September 2009 budget
• developing a STEPS database in Access and a STEPS administration handbook
• appointing permanent staff and the management committee according to the management
scheme
• training the staff how to use the STEPS management and administration systems as well as its
methodology
• running enough courses in the new premises with the British Council before the end of the
project so that all become familiar with systems, roles, responsibilities and NPC management
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• coaching the Management Committee on how to select contracts and get value for money from
the British Council or similar service providers
• management coaching in eliciting and coordinating finances and inputs from other donors in the
future for the continuance of STEPS.
A sustainable pool of trainers
There is a good number of experienced staff with specific technical skills who have the potential to
enhance their training skills. However they are unable to deliver training in a learner centred, task
based, participatory way, and as a result, training is ineffective and skills are not passed on to
participants. Because of this lack of home‐grown trainers, with specific reference to technical skills, the
training departments and training units of the provincial councils still depend on outside resource
persons. PIP will therefore support the NPC and EPC in increasing the pool of trainers and creating a
network of trainers so that the different districts are covered. This will be done by
• running the Methodology Course for 60 senior and middle management staff in three batches
in 2009 – 10. The training will give participants skills in methodology so that they can conduct
effective training sessions for public servants in their own subject.
• institutionalising the Methodology Course in MDTD and CIRM so that it can be run
independently of PIP by provincial council staff in three languages. This will involve training of
methodology trainers, materials development of participants’ worksheets and trainer’s notes,
and a system of on‐the‐job certification.
• establishing trainer certification and a trainer accreditation system. This will involve training
senior management to understand, recognise in action, and use trainer competencies to certify
resource persons and working with them to establish and use criteria for trainer accreditation .
Public Information Dissemination Training (PIDT)
As shown by the PIP Baseline Study Report, 2009, local government communication with the public is
often one‐sided and messages tend to emphasise what the public must do for the local authority rather
than what the local authority can do for the public. Therefore, the aim of PIDT is to develop local
government staff capacity in disseminating information about local services to the public in a more
responsive, effective and participatory way. It targets Community Development Officers and Public
Relation Officers in the Local authorities. The first part of the training covers effective communication,
problem identification, target group analysis, setting objectives, choice of media, face to face
communication, and developing posters and brochures. In the follow up, participants bring the
campaigns and materials they have designed to get feedback from the rest of the group and in a further
follow up information campaigns are evaluated as to their effectiveness. Developing PIDT will involve
development of the participant’s worksheets and trainer’s notes and resources in English, Tamil and
Sinhala, training of trainers in Tamil and Sinhala, and a series of pilot courses in order to refine and
authenticate the materials.
Effective Communication Workshops
This series of 1 ‐ 3 day workshops carries on from the success the training had in 2007 – 2008. Delivered
in Tamil and Sinhala, the workshops cover effective communication, effective writing, telephone skills,
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report writing, effective meeting skills, negotiation skills, public relation, team work and time
management. They target middle and senior management staff with specific reference to the 19% of
staff who do not qualify for STEPS (see PIP Baseline Study Report 2009) because they offer many of the
skills taught on the STEPS programme, but in mother tongue. In 2009 – 2010 the Effective
Communication workshops will be expanded by running them as a regular staple at MDTD, EPC as well
as in Batticaloa, Ampara and Jaffna.
Good governance
This course will be developed in 2010 and will target local authority chairmen, councillors and
secretaries. It will include a short introduction to the precepts of good governance and its practical
applications through the use of Sri Lankan case studies and experience. Materials will be developed and
trainers trained. In addition, capacity in good governance will be developed through the other training
programmes – conceptually through STEPS and in very practical ways through PIDT and Public Redressal
training (see ‘Establishing and strengthening local authority public redressal systems’ in the Local
Government description of activities below).
Monitoring and evaluating the use of practical skills in the work place
This activity will target senior managers and coach them to make better use in the workplace of the
skills and knowledge their staff have accrued on PIP supported training courses. There will be an initial
awareness raising workshop and a series of follow ups, starting in October 2009 at Provincial and District
level.
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Human resource development operational plan
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28
Local Government
Objective
Local government in the Northern and Eastern Provinces uses improved mechanisms of communication
and planning for better service delivery and conflict mitigation.
Contribution to achieving the project outcome
Conflict sensitive, participatory mechanisms such as committees and redressal systems are established
and used in at least two local authorities.
Recommendations from the baseline study
• The project’s support for local government reforms should be done through the CLG, ACLG,
Secretaries, elected councillors and civil society groups.
• A feasibility study should be carried out prior to any larger engagement in strengthening
standing and advisory committees. This study should also form the basis for any decisions on
whether to strengthen existing committees or support the formation of new ones.
• Balanced appointments of committee members should be made taking into consideration
gender, age, ethnicity, transparency, non‐elected status and sector specific criteria.
• Quality assurance of how the committees function should be provided through effective
communication training for committee members.
• The redressal system should be standardised and improved and local authorities should use the
new system to improve the way they register, analyse and follow up complaints. Existing PIP
public relations and redressal training for local authorities should be revised accordingly.
• Analysis of high frequency complaints in the redressal system and utilisation of the Public
Information Dissemination Training (PIDT) should lead to improved public awareness and service
delivery.
• The role of public relations officers in local authorities should be strengthened, so that they can
provide front desk services, organize public information dissemination and run the redressal
system effectively.
• Two‐way communication between the public and the local authorities should be improved with
more emphasis on face to face communication and outreach to the community through, for
example, open days and mobile services.
• Models of good service delivery that benefit the poor should be duplicated.
• Advocacy from community based civil society groups as a bottom‐up means of strengthening
channels of communication between the people and their local authorities should be
encouraged.
Approach
The Local Government approach directly supports the Local Government Reforms circulars No. 2, 4 and
10 (2007), and the National Policy Declaration for Local Government (2007). In addition, activities are
intended to uphold the universals of good governance: improving channels of communication,
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accountability and transparency with the public, practising participatory needs analysis and planning
with the public, increasing public voice in local authorities and by extension increasing local authority
responsiveness and improved service delivery. In terms of sustainability, all work in this area will be
explicitly channelled through Offices of the Chief Secretaries and the Commissioners of Local
Government. Success will be measured not just by what the local authorities think but by what the local
public say.
Description of activities
Reforming and strengthening advisory committees of local authorities
This project activity supports the local government reform recommendation in establishing a non‐
political advisory committee for each local authority. The aim is to get advisory committees to assist
their respective local authorities in deciding development policies, and distributing resources, taking
into account people's needs. As such, the advisory committee will function as a communication channel
between the local authority and the people and as a means of keeping activities that affect the public
transparent. Project work in this area will include
• the development of criteria for the composition, duties, functions and proceedings of the
committee
• capacity development for members of the committee (meeting skills, minute taking and
participatory approaches)
• awareness raising for the local authority’s citizens about the committee system and how they
can use it
• quality assurance once the committees are up and running to ensure real issues are being dealt
with.
Establishing and strengthening local authority public redressal systems
This activity focuses on strengthening the existing redressal system as well as replicating it in new local
authorities. In 2008, the project supported the Commissioner of Local Government (CLG) to develop
standardised guidelines for local authorities to implement the redressal system. Selected community
development officers were trained to monitor and report the performance of the system to their
Assistant Commissioners of Local Government (ACLGs) and CLG on a regular basis. In the 2009 – 2010
phase, activities will follow the recommendations of the Baseline Study. These will include:
• standardising and improving the redressal system in the way complaints are registered, analysed
and followed up
• revising existing PIP public relations and redressal system training materials and training of
trainers accordingly
• establishing redressal systems in selected local authorities which don’t yet have them
• training public relations officers to analyse high frequency complaints in the redressal system
and use the results as a needs analysis for improving service delivery
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• utilising Public Information Dissemination Training (PIDT) to promote the redressal system and
ensuing improved service delivery
• training public relations and community development officers in mediation skills so that they
can help resolve the large number of neighbour‐to‐neighbour disputes lodged for redressal
• strengthening the role of public relations officers in their local authorities in terms of better
front desk services and effective communication with the public.
Establishing integrated local development planning (ILDP)
The project supports the introduction of integrated local development planning (as described by the
local government reform recommendation). Integrated local development planning is a process through
which local authorities work in close cooperation with divisional secretariats, sector institutions and
other stakeholders to prepare a four‐year rolling plan for their geographical area of jurisdiction. This
involves a strategic, multi sector, participatory approach. The project will pilot ILDP in three local
authorities in the Northern Province (Jaffna). At the same time it will develop the capacity of the Office
of the Commissioner of Local Government and the Provincial Planning Secretariat to replicate the
approach for other local authorities in the future. Activities will include
• developing training for introducing the ILDP guidelines ( materials development, training of
trainers) and getting the trainers to deliver the training to local authority staff
• helping convene planning groups, getting them to meet on a regular basis and ensuring the
output is relevant and on‐track
• helping planning groups put together a development profile
• helping planning groups develop the four year rolling plan, including advising on technical
planning issues and project formulation as required.
Supporting public information dissemination
As the PIP Baseline Study Report 2009 shows, there is a need to improve channels of communication
between the local authorities and their citizens. Messages tend to be one‐sided, inaccessible and not
service oriented. Therefore the project will promote a more systematic approach for the authorities to
identify and prioritise issues, and appropriate tools and messages for public information campaigns.
Training designed by the project (see Public information Dissemination Training in the HRD section
above) will be rolled out to most local authorities in the project’s scope. Through the training,
information campaigns will be designed, implemented and evaluated. These will range from developing
leaflets for building regulations to health campaigns on prevention of dengue. As the topics vary, so will
the communication tools. Local authorities will gain experience in leaflet and poster development as
well as in face‐to‐face presentation skills and public speaking.
Designing a local government profile
The aim of this activity is to develop a Local Government Profile for Trincomalee which can be used as a
model for different districts in future. The Local Government Profile is, in fact, an information
management tool which will be used at the local, district and provincial level to collect, store and
analyse data on local government services and administration. It takes the form of an MS Access
database with extended data input forms in electronic and hardcopy format. As a tool it will significantly
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enhance the ability of the Offices of the Assistant Commissioner of Local Government (ACLG) and
Commissioner of Local Government (CLG) to monitor the capacity of local authorities in particular
aspects of their functions. It will be used to make decisions about capital investments in local authorities
(donor supported, provincial or national) and capacity development needs regardless of existing
funding.
Supporting local authorities’ service delivery
The aim of this activity is to encourage local authorities to apply for small development grants from the
provincial Commissioners of Local Government (CLGs), funded by PIP, having met the required good
governance competencies stipulated in the award. This will encourage local authorities to use several
good governance tools put at their disposal through the project, and in so doing, give the project’s key
stakeholders a way of measuring the application of good governance skills accrued. The good
governance criteria will encourage local authorities to expedite the implementation of local government
reforms, in particular establishing advisory committees, preparing mid‐term development plans, setting
up public redressal systems and utilising public information dissemination training to communicate
effectively with the public. In this way, direct support for improvement of service delivery will be linked
to reforms targeting principles of good government. The small grants scheme will be for improvement of
public services, not office or organisational development.
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Local government operational plan
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34
Community Development
Objective
WRDS in Batticaloa District work with local authorities and donors to implement small scale socio
economic plans for improved facilities, services and livelihoods in their villages.
Contribution to achieving the project outcome
Plans and proposals from women’s/ community based groups are reflected in at least 10 current, small
scale socio‐economic projects.
Recommendations from the baseline study
• Women from vulnerable communities should receive confidence building training and active
accompaniment to meet officials and establish a working relationship with them.
• Local authorities need to learn how to promote their services more effectively and at the same
time the WRDS need to learn how to advocate for support more effectively.
• WRDS and community centres should be encouraged to work together since they are all from
the same village.
• Local authorities should reassess the effectiveness of their Citizen’s Charters and explore new
ways of providing more accountable, accessible, effective, participatory, face to face means of
communication with the public at village level.
• More outreach could be done through using local authority sub‐offices, providing mobile‐
services, open‐days, and by sending Community Development Officers (CDOs) on bi‐weekly
visits.
• The redressal system could be set up in the four WRDS‐local authority areas that don’t yet have
it, or where there is too much dependency on the police.
• Grama Sevakas could be encouraged to refer individuals and community based organisations
with grievance needs to the local authority redressal system.
• Central line authority field officers working at village level (Rural Development, Samurdhi and
Social Services Officers) and local authority field officers (Community Development Officers)
should coordinate their roles more.
Approach
The Community Development approach is to continue to empower the 30 WRDS that PIP works with in
Batticaloa District and to link them more to their local authorities in a mutual strengthening process.
This means focussing less on livelihoods development per se and more on community development in
terms of small scale infrastructure projects and better service provision. It means helping establish
channels of communication between WRDS and local authorities and eventually working relations that
can act as pathways for larger numbers of families to gain access to local officials and services. It also
means encouraging local authorities to develop and promote outreach mechanisms to connect pro‐
actively with WRDS.
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Description of activities
Promoting advocacy
The project seeks to promote advocacy at both WRDS and local authority level. At WRDS level it will help
women members become aware of what services are available and from whom (DS, LA and NGO), how
to gain access to service providers, and how to develop skills in lobbying them for community
development, including at WRDS village events. At local authority level, it will help chairmen and staff
(especially Public Relations and Community Development Officers) disseminate information about local
authority services more effectively, including through Pradeshiya Sabha ‘open days’, public information
campaigns, more regular village visits and the provision of mobile services. (See also references to PIDT
in the HRD and Local Government sections above.) Through this process it is intended that local
authorities will become aware of the importance of being more responsive to community and WRDS
needs and of coordinating with NGO and DS inputs in the same area.
Promoting conflict sensitivity
The project supports activities at village level in a conflict sensitive manner. All interventions are
intended to ‘Do No Harm’ and so the project will take special care to create win‐win situations where
possible conflicts might otherwise arise. To this end, the project will ensure capacity development that
empowers leaders who represent the more vulnerable groups in the village (the PLA leaders from the
former FSCT project) so that they are not undermined by existing village elites. At the same time,
existing village leaders (office bearers form longer established WRDS) will be included in all training and
decision making. In addition the project will make the WRDS and public officers from the central and
provincial government lines aware of the danger of competing for control over the activities of the
WRDS. As described in the 2009 Baseline Study, one way to do this will be to get Grama Sevekas in the
WRDS villages to refer grievances presented by WRDS to the local authority’s grievance redressal
system. Another way will be to train Rural Development and Community Development Officers on the
same courses and use this as a stepping off point to getting them to coordinate their roles at village level
where there are areas of overlap.
Participatory Learning in Action (PLA)
Related to ‘Promoting conflict sensitivity ‘ above and carrying forward the original concept of
Participatory Learning in Action (PLA), the project will help create opportunities for PLA and non PLA
members from existing WRDS to share experience about livelihood development, accessing local
authorities, and proposal writing (see other activities below). These sharing activities will be promoted
at divisional level on a monthly basis, between divisions on a quarterly basis and at district level on a six‐
monthly basis. At the monthly divisional level meeting the project will also support clear communication
between WRDS members and their respective Rural Development Officers. There will be a gradual hand
over of the role of facilitator from the project to the Rural Development Officers so that sharing
experience, as a regular occurrence in the future, can become sustainable.
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Proposal writing for WRDS
In order for WRDS to utilise their local authorities as service providers and as a referral service for other
local donors, WRDS need skills in identifying their small scale infrastructure needs and for writing
proposals effectively enough to elicit real funding. The project will therefore support the WRDS to
• Refine existing village plans and do community data collection/needs analyses where necessary.
• Follow a 4 day workshop with a 1 ‐ 2 day follow up from CIRM on proposal writing for WRDS so
that women can target their specific requests to local donors and local authorities.
• Map out who is supporting village development in their area – in terms of government and non
government actors and donors.
• Follow a simple, community level presentation skills course so that they can effectively lobby for
their needs, present their proposals, and get funding.
Supporting livelihood activities
The project will continue to enhance WRDS livelihood opportunities, which used to be one of the main
focuses of the former FSCT project. It will be important for PLA members feel that the more individually
rewarding project interventions for personal and financial development are not being supplanted by
more community rewarding project interventions, but that they all work together. The project will
therefore:
• carry out a livelihoods stock‐taking and feasibility study in the 30 WRDS
• get WRDS members to share skills and learn from on‐going livelihoods projects that work
• assess livelihoods training needs and organise training accordingly, including business creativity
and marketing techniques
• support WRDS members with access to markets and product promotion.
Provision of pre school education
Through the Czech NGO People In Need (PIN), the project supports ‘Collaborating on Pre School
Education’, a sub project that ensures
• local authorities, WRDS and parents’ committees collaborate on pre school education as a joint
responsibility in terms of understanding the value of pre school education, school construction,
school maintenance, supply and payment of teachers, and maintaining teaching standards
through the Ministry of Education
• local authorities and WRDS draft proposals for funding pre school buildings and equipment
• women (including from WRDS) are selected as pre school teachers and trained in pre school
education (a 3‐month course with in‐school teaching practice based on People In Need’s
Ministry of Education approved pre‐school manual)
• local authorities renovate or construct 7 pre schools, add play parks and equip them with
suitable furniture and teaching materials.
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Community development operational plan
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Other activities
Several other project activities are underway which are described here separately. They are either
legacy activities from the 2005 – 2008 phase, or they are the project’s response to specific requests from
key stakeholders.
Description of activities
Extending MDTI (Common Hall) at the Northern Provincial Council
In direct response to the Northern Province’s request to improve its facilities for capacity building
programmes, PIP will support the extension of the Management Development Training Institute, MDTI,
formerly known as the common hall, at the NPC's Varodayanagar headquarters, Trincomalee.
Renovating the Organisational Development Unit at the ACLG Office, Vavuniya
The Organisational Development Unit was established at the ACLG Office Vavuniya in 2007. It manages
OD activities and training for local authorities in the Northern Province. In 2009 PIP will support the
renovation of 250 square meters on two floors of the ACLG Office so that it can upgrade the OD Unit’s
facilities including administration space and upgraded training facilities.
Providing office equipment to project partners
PIP will continue, although on a smaller scale than in the previous phase, to support its partners in
providing office equipment including furniture and various information and communication technology
items. The aim is to facilitate efficient management service delivery and better communications through
automated office systems.
Supporting NECCDEP with the People’s Planning Process (PPP)
Since 2006 PIP has supported the North East Coastal Community Development Project (NECCDEP) in the
development of its People’s Planning Process (PPP), a planning approach based on the principles of the
Sustainable Livelihood Approach and the process of appreciative inquiry. The activities consisted of a
series of workshops involving approximately 20 staff from NECCDEP and other governmental planning
departments. The participants successfully applied PPP in over 40 communities. In 2009 PIP will support
the final validation workshop in order to review the suitability of the guidelines, the final modification
and eventual publication of the guidelines and the concept document.
Supporting NECORD’s community development activities
The first phase of PIP – 2001 to 2003 – consisted of rehabilitation work in conjunction with the ADB
supported NECORD Project. Although the focus of PIP has changed since then, support for NECORD has
remained constant. In 2009 ‐ 2010 PIP will remain responsible for remunerating community
development officers who monitor the Revolving Livelihood Funds which is a main component of
NECORD. In addition it will continue to finance the regular project newsletter and diary.
Supporting CIRM’s community development resource book
The project will support the finalisation of the Community Development Resource Book which is being
produced by CIRM. It describes approaches, summarizes lessons learnt and recommends good practices
for community development.
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Other activities operational plan
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Published by
Performance Improvement Project (PIP)
Management Development Training Department
Farm Road, Uppuveli, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
Tel/Fax: 026 222 4014, 026 4595342‐3
Email: info@pip.lk
Author
PIP Professional Staff