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Description
The project aims to implement a Capacity Building Plan with 3 interrelated objectives that aim to improve the organisation''s ability to face new paradigms of the social economy and the challenges of the digital transition: 1) have digitised processes that ensure the improvement of organisational effectiveness and the obtaining of data that evidence the impact; 2) systematise the process of measuring the social impact generated by their interventions, to communicate, more effectively, the project to funders and partners in a context of results and impact-oriented social economy; 3) supported in the communication of the impact, strengthen the involvement of the community, and in particular of volunteers, which allow a broadening of the activity with the target audience and the participation in fundraising actions that favour the sustainability of the organisation. Thus, 3 training initiatives will be developed over 12 months with the participation of 40 team members.
Summary of project results
The ASAS Association, established in 1992 in Porto district, Portugal, is dedicated to promoting the well-being of children, families, and the community. Operating in Santo Tirso municipality, its multidisciplinary team, supported by volunteers and community collaboration, provides vital social services. Initially focused on at-risk children with the Renascer Temporary Shelter, ASAS expanded over the years to include services for families, community support, and educational initiatives. Its mission is to empower individuals and foster inclusion through innovative programs such as family counseling, youth autonomy apartments, and award-winning projects like GPS and Go Offline, which reflect its commitment to social impact and resilience.
The project aimed to address several critical challenges identified within ASAS and other social organizations, arising from shifts in social intervention paradigms. One significant issue was the outdated nature of the existing funding model. Cooperation agreements were not only insufficient in organizational and legal aspects but also failed to provide adequate financial support, necessitating the diversification of revenue sources to reduce reliance on these agreements. Additionally, there was a pressing need to professionalize management practices by introducing tools and systems that could systematically organize information, enable rigorous cost analysis, and facilitate cost-rationalization measures. This approach aimed to enhance economic performance, improve management practices, and strengthen impact indicators.
A constant preoccupation with financial sustainability further complicated the focus on the organization’s core mission. This challenge made it difficult to prioritize initiatives such as impact measurement, which is essential for evaluating intervention models, making necessary adjustments, validating strategies, and mobilizing resources. Simultaneously, evolving paradigms for supporting third-sector organizations introduced new demands. Funding opportunities, whether through philanthropy, sponsorships, or innovation-driven grants, required organizations to demonstrate measurable impact, effectively communicate results, and ensure sustainable growth beyond the funding period.
Social innovation also emerged as a vital area of focus, encouraging collaboration among citizens, entrepreneurs, and social organizations to explore and test new solutions to address emerging challenges. Lastly, there was a clear need to enhance the contribution of volunteers by improving volunteer management systems and implementing strategies to attract and retain new volunteers. This was critical for ensuring that volunteer efforts aligned effectively with the organization’s objectives. Together, these challenges underscored the necessity for ASAS to innovate and adapt its strategies to sustain impactful social interventions in a changing landscape.
The project implemented three key capacity-building initiatives for the ASAS team, leveraging the expertise of external consultants. The first initiative focused on Digitization of Processes, including user management, treasury, human resource management, analytics, and social intervention processes using evaluation scales. This included training for 34 ASAS team members. The second initiative was Impact Assessment Training, which comprised a 20-hour training session, the involvement of 31 staff members, and the development of a Theory of Change and an Impact Assessment Model through 134 hours of collaborative work. Additionally, 80 hours were dedicated to co-creating impact assessment documents.
The third initiative addressed Volunteer Management in partnership with the Pista Mágica Association. This effort included 19 hours of consultancy, resulting in the creation of a Strategic Plan, a Volunteer Management Plan, and a Procedures Manual. Furthermore, 16 hours of volunteer management training were provided to 12 participants, including three volunteers.
Complementary activities included the production of a pitch video, a video featuring participant testimonials, and a final event to showcase the project''s outcomes and engage stakeholders. These activities and outputs collectively strengthened ASAS''s operational capacity and strategic focus, equipping the organization for greater effectiveness and sustainability.
The project achieved significant results, benefiting both ASAS as an organization and its stakeholders. First, ASAS implemented five software programs to enable the digitalization of key processes, such as user management and data handling. This transformation has improved the organization''s efficiency, productivity, data quality, and security while contributing to environmental sustainability by reducing the reliance on physical documents. Digitalization has allowed ASAS to optimize its operations, allocate resources more effectively, and enable staff to focus on strategic, high-value activities. By providing tools for accurate and updated information, it also supports more informed decision-making and enhances the organization''s capacity to respond to future challenges and opportunities.
Second, the project developed a robust Impact Assessment System (IAS) through the involvement of 31 staff members. The IAS includes the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) frameworks for individual social responses, the overall ASAS MEL framework, a Theory of Change, and an Impact Statement. This system enables ASAS to evaluate and communicate the social impact of its activities effectively. By offering concrete evidence and data, the IAS supports strategic decision-making, fosters continuous improvement, and helps align interventions with organizational goals. Furthermore, it provides feedback to innovate, optimize processes, and implement necessary changes. The IAS also enhances the organization''s ability to communicate results to stakeholders, partners, funders, and the public, increasing transparency and reinforcing the value of its interventions.
Finally, the project established a stronger Volunteer Management System (VMS) and restructured the management of its volunteer network. This included appointing a staff member as the network manager and assigning two volunteers as internal managers. The VMS facilitates better coordination of volunteer activities, ensuring tasks align with volunteers'' skills and interests. It includes a structured recruitment process to attract the most suitable candidates and strategies for retaining volunteers by clarifying their roles, offering training, and providing regular feedback. These measures enhance volunteer satisfaction and engagement, leading to improved service quality and greater impact on beneficiaries. The VMS also includes monitoring tools to evaluate volunteer performance and the impact of their contributions, ensuring continuous improvement and alignment with organizational objectives.
In summary, the project enhanced ASAS’s operational capabilities, improved its strategic focus, and optimized its volunteer engagement, benefiting its staff, volunteers, stakeholders, and ultimately, the individuals and communities it serves.