Issue 19
Dear Reader
Southern Hemisphere continues its work of promoting planning, monitoring and evaluation in the social development sector through various mechanisms such as training, consulting and research. This is based on our belief that planning, monitoring and evaluation is integral to the development process in Africa and in the world across.
Projects
UNICEF (United Nation Children Education Fund):
Southern Hemisphere has been contracted by UNICEF, South Africa to develop a Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting system for the Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCC’s) in South Africa.
The aim of TCC’s is to reduce secondary victimisation, increase victimisation rate and reduce the time spent in the finalisation of a case. TCC’s provide a practical and holistic response to women and children who are faced by incidences of violence. In working with other multidisciplinary institution, TCC’s also aims at providing women and children survivors of violence with better and more human treatment by reducing secondary victimisation and improving the criminal justice cycle by reducing the time to finalisation of the case, and improving the conviction rate. In achieving this, UNICEF is working in partnership with the South African Government, civil society organisations, and bilateral and multilateral agencies. Dena Lomofsky will be managing this project.
Labour Research Services (LRS):
Labour Research services (LRS) will be celebrating 20 years since it was established. In marking this event LRS will be conducting a Strategic and Impact Evaluation in order to inform future strategic direction for the next ten years. Southern Hemisphere has been contracted to conduct this evaluation as well as the Strategic Planning.
Labour Research Services (LRS) aim has been to develop the bargaining capacity of Trade Unions. This has been an ongoing process, which involved producing accessible reports, publications and training interventions, which would present empirical facts that would enhance collective bargaining. While LRS has continued to change their strategies line with the change in the political, social and economic climates they have continued to remain true to their mission and vision. Adrian deLollo will be managing this project.
Training
Dynamic Facilitation Skills
SHC conducted a 41/2 days public course in Dynamic Facilitation Skills in Farm Inn in Pretoria in August 2006. This course was exciting and was attended by people from organisations, academic institutions and government in South Africa and from other African countries such as Ethiopia, Botswana and Namibia. This group of people enjoyed learning from each other as they explored the basic concepts of Facilitation and how to deal with any form of group dynamics in order to benefit from diversities that comes with group and ensure success in organisations and ensure a balance between process and outcomes.
The use of group discussions and role play in the workshop facilitated the understanding of the concepts better, and allowed participants to apply what they learnt in the workshop to their work situations. This is what participants had to say about the course:
“I have learnt the skills and practiced”
“The workshop helped me sharpen my skills: Personal audit.”
“I have learned skills than I have seen”
“The workshop was an eye-opener”
“I totally enjoyed and got ignited to improve myself in this respect”
“Thanks you! I benefited a lot and enjoyed the training”
“ “Apart from the training venue, it was well placed, enough time for experiential walk and relevant theoretical input”:
PUBLIC COURSE- PLANNING MONITORING AND EVALUATION
Due to the increasing demand for this course nationally, regionally and internationally, Southern Hemisphere will be running participatory public course in Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (P, M &E) on 23rd-27th October 2006, in Pretoria once again!! . This will be our second course this year!
This 4 ½ , days course is aimed at equipping practitioners, project partners or external evaluators with the knowledge and expertise to be able to conduct their own planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting, which is critical to any organisation or government department involved in development projects and programmes. See our training page for more details.
Social Responsibility:
Foundation of the Former Governor of Puerto Rico:
Dr Daniel Nina, the director of SHC participated as a co-facilitator in a two-days workshop for the Foundation of the Former Governor of Puerto Rico, Sila M. Calderon in Puerto Rico. The aim of the workshop was to assist leaders from the poor communities in establishing a national organisation to facilitate in transforming the poor condition experience by most people. Sila M. Calderon is well known in Puerto Rico for leading the national campaign to eradicate poverty during his tenure 2001-2004. This campaign at the time was commonly known as Comunidades Especiales (special communities) project, which was aimed at transforming the life of almost 50% of the national population (total population 3.8 million) who live under poverty line according to the US Federal Government Census.
During this year's workshop Daniel participated as a volunteer co-facilitator in which he lead the Legal aspects of the workshop. The aim of the legal task was to develop the legal rules and company by-laws. Dr. Nina participated in this process as part of his social responsibilities duties within Southern Hemisphere Consultants company policies.
Gold (Generation of Leaders Developed) Peer Education Project:
Dena Lomofsky (Managing director) and Nana Davies (Senior Consultant) are the external monitoring and evaluation consultants for Gold Peer Education. They have done and will continue to do a portion of the work pro-bono or at reduced rates until the organisation is firmly on its feet. We firmly believe in their model and in the excellent and professional way that they are implementing, piloting and testing their monitoring and evaluation systems, and we want to see this programme standing on strong foundations. This is our commitment.
National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Petty Offenders (NICRO) :
NICRO is the national non-profit organisation that aims that preventing crimes and promoting a safer South Africa. Wilma Wessels (Human Resources and Projects’ Officer) and Hannah Muthoni (Projects’ Officer and Researcher) will be working as volunteer facilitators for the National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Petty Offenders (NICRO). They will specifically work on the Youth Empowerment Scheme project which is a life-skills training programme that usually runs for six to eight sessions and assists the youth that have been involved in petty crimes, to think over and take charge of their lives and the decisions they make. It deters the young people from being caught up in crime or from “going off the rails". Parents or guardians are invited to participate and are encouraged to support the progress of the participants.
|
|