Description
The final aim is to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of this NGO’s intervention in advocating for the rights of women living in or at risk of poverty, implementing a three-way process: organisational restructuring, human resources qualification and sustainability dynamics stimulation. Investing on a new working space, a new image and communication strategy, staff training, the quality certification of its services and a social entrepreneurship posture – reviving a pre-existing social business and adding new associated services – will have a very significant impact on the promoter’s governance and financial sustainability, as well as on the skills and socio-professional integration of the beneficiaries and, ultimately, on the credibility and recognition of the promoter’s work. The partnership of the project comprises NGOs that are complementary to the promoter, and which will bring contributions to the training plan and to the evaluation of the activities.
Summary of project results
It is a considerable challenge to provide help to girls at risk of social exclusion, single mothers and victims of domestic violence. Compounding this challenge, these girls are often identified as part of a minority group and discriminated against. Aiding the social and professional inclusion of this target group, by providing support and guidance, requires a specific set of skills which certain NGOs strive to develop and perfect. This project’s promoter is one such NGO, and it set out to improve its services by building its capacity, through a three-prong approach: organisational restructuring, human resources qualification and financial sustainability optimisation. Other NGOs were partners in the project, bringing contributions for the creation of the training plan and the evaluation of the activities. Through the project, an investment was made on a new image and communication strategy, on training for 160 staff members (nearly twice the planned number), on a quality certification for its services and on the revival of a pre-existing social business – with added associated services – in order to increase its proceeds by 43%. Through this capacity-building project, the promoter impacted significantly on its governance and financial sustainability, as well as on the quality of the services provided to its beneficiaries, and ultimately on the recognition of its work. It was also able to promote a continuous improvement mind-set, and procedures will continue to be standardised and improved upon, to which its ISO 9001-2015 certification will be a very useful asset. The promoter clearly considers that this investment has been worthwhile. Other significant developments since the completion of the planned activities have been reported, such as an improved consultation process to involved stakeholders and the creation of a volunteers’ pool. It was also reported that the municipality of Porto has since recognised the work carried out by the promoter, by bestowing it the city’s Medal of Merit.
Summary of bilateral results