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Description
This project is intended for strengthening the competences of employees and leaders of the NGO sector and for supporting the cooperation among them.
The main objective of the project is strengthening small and middle size NGOs that work with vulnerable target groups. We plan to strengthen the skills in management and to support development of common and specific competences of the professionals working there. The main target groups are the workers and leaders of those NGOs.
We plan to reach following outcomes:
- stronger skills and sustainability of civil society: development in management skills of the NGOs working with vulnerable target groups, increasing quality of their work.
Indicators: 13 NGOs will regularly inform society about their activities.
6 organizations will evaluate their management procedures and develop effective schemes of management procedures.
- activities to develop NGO abilities and skills: there will be offered a long-term qualification development program for leaders, employees, who work directly with vulnerable groups, volunteers. During this program we plan to raise common and specific professional competences through trainings, supervision, internships, mentoring programs.
Indicators: 16 organizations will participate in the long-term qualification development program.
24 highest and medium chain leaders and 54 employees, working with vulnerable groups will participate in the long-term qualification development program.
Summary of project results
The project was aimed at strengthening the competencies of NGO employees and managers and promoting their mutual cooperation. When working in the NGO field, the following main problems are encountered:
- insufficient abilities of NGOs to represent the interests of groups of vulnerable persons in the process of public policy decision-making.
- insufficient leadership and management skills of NGO managers in developing long-term strategies, organizational goals, conducting negotiations with service developers.
- lack of employee cooperation and representation competences.
- insufficient cooperation between NGOs working with vulnerable persons operating in the same territory
- lack of dissemination of information about implemented NGO innovations
22 capacity building activities were implemented. 11 activities were dedicated to the heads of organizations and their departments and to the development of organizations (strategic sessions were held in 8 organizations, consultations on external and internal communication issues). Another 11 capacity building activities were also aimed at staff and volunteers. At the end of the project, a Conference was held, in which 80 participants took part out of 108 registered participants. The participants were from a wide variety of organizations and institutions: NGOs, Vilnius city, specialists of the Child Rights Protection Service, representatives of Ministry of Social Security and Labor, Members of the Seimas.
All activities were attended by 207 unique participants, including:
- Heads of 54 organizations and their departments, members of the board of organizations
- 137 specialist
- 16 volunteers.
Staff of the participated CSOs acquired competences that have improved the quality of services provided by the NGOs themselves.
The applicant''s administrative and management capacity and visibility have increased; the mentoring system introduced has helped new staff to take on their roles more quickly, which reduces staff turnover. The strategic plans developed increase the stability of funding.
Partnerships between CSOs: getting to know the participants on a personal level through experiential training has strengthened the collaborative links between NGOs, which has broadened the scope for cooperation not only at managerial level, but also among staff working at different levels with different target groups. The culture of cooperation between the NGOs involved in the project and the municipal sector has changed as a result of the communication skills and the increased cooperation between them. All this has strengthened the bargaining position of the NGO sector in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of public policies, in the planning of related funding, and in the planning and delivery of social services.
For the community: by strengthening the institutional and inter-organisational capacity of NGOs, NGOs are better able to respond to the needs of the local community and develop social services;
Vulnerable groups with whom NGO social workers work: the training has strengthened the self-reflection, self-development, analysis, etc. skills of the professionals, avoiding frequent cases of burnout and turnover of professionals, and ensuring professional and adequate assistance to the target groups; The training has encouraged the staff to take responsibility and initiative and to improve
Local self-government authorities are more aware of and trust NGOs that have been strengthened, which encourages the purchase of services from NGOs, and ensures the continuation of funding for the activities of the project''s trained specialists and project partners.