Project Advice and Training Center (PATC)

Mr. Johannes Nordentoft

Danish NGO / CSO Consultant

E-mail: jn@prngo.dk

Web: www.prngo.dk

August 08. 2011 – visit to

LIN CENTER FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

PATC – Project Advice and Training Center(“Projektrådgivningen”)

Established in 1995 as a capacity building center for small and medium-sized development NGO/CSOs

Now 250+ member organisations Independent association – but core activities funded by

Danida/HUC Core activities:

Training and meetings Advise networking

Since 2002: Granting “minipuljen” now “Projektpuljen” Since 2006: assistance to Diaspora organisations

PATC – two key roles

Capacity building Advice on any proposal that

will be submitted for Danida CS-funding

Organisational development of member organisations

Training and workshops Facilitate networking

Key staff:

NGO-consultants (advisers, has no say in granting process)

Granting Separate body for appraising

applications is a core principle (out of house)

Administration (in house) Follow up during

implementation (in house) M & E

Key staff:

Independent consultants appointed by PATC-board (takes decisions on granting)

Tematic LEARNING visit - Factors of relevance in choosing Vietnam include:

Danida Partner Country 14 of PATC’s member organisations work in

Vietnam 7 active projects financed through PATC through

the following Danish organizations and their Vietnamese partners: The Danish Beekeepers´ Association, Danish Vietnamese Association, Danish National Organisation of Shelters for Battered Women and Their Children, Landsforeningen LEV, NGO Fontana, Danish Society of Polio and Accident Victims and World Wide Fund for Nature

SustainableEnergy  CARE Denmark, ADDA - Agricultural Development Denmark Asia and The Danish Family Planning Association are other Danish NGO’s active in Vietnam

Tematic LEARNING visit - The objective:

Enhanced knowledge in PATC and its members working in Vietnam on the context for CSO operation in Vietnam

Shared understanding among PATC, including her members, and CSO networks in Vietnam about how CSOs in Vietnam understand and make use of the terms “Added Value and Mutual Contributions” in relation to Partnerships between Danish and Vietnamese CSOs.

Tematic LEARNING visit - Output:

Initial mapping of Danish organisations’ activities in Vietnam, including organisations that work with own funds and Danish Frame-organisations

Mapping of the status of Vietnam civil society and emerging Civil Society including: Overview of existing civil society analyses’ Available basket funding mechanisms for civil society organisations The general organisation of Vietnamese civil society, including existing civil

society networks The Danish Embassies engagement with civil society, including support to basket

funds, use of local grant authority and support to Civil Society Organisations through various bilateral sector or programme modalities. In this relation a particular focus will be given to the gradually phase out of traditional sector programme collaboration and the eventually consequences for the support to civil society.

Exit strategy regarding Visits and interviews with a number of Vietnamese CSOs (primarily partners to

members of PATC). Findings on how Vietnamese CSOs understand and make use of the terms “Added

Value” and “Mutual Contributions” based on discussed with Vietnamese CSO networks and members of PATC involved in Vietnam.

Tematic LEARNING visit - Stakeholders to be involved in the visit:

The journey will include contact and dialogue with the following main stakeholders:

Danish CSOs involved in Vietnam Vietnamese organisations who are partners to

Danish CSOs involved in Vietnam Vietnam Union Friendship Organisations – NGO

Resource Centre (VUFO) The People's Aid Co-ordinating Committee (

PACCOM) The Danish Embassy and Danish supported

programmes in Vietnam

Civil Society Strategy

” The long-term overarching objective of Danish civil society support is to contribute to the development of astrong, independent and diversified civil society in developing countries.”

Civil Society Strategy

” The vision is that the support should contribute to expanding dialogue, democratic processes and poverty reduction both at a local, national and global level, and even stronger partnerships must be created between civil society organisations in Denmark and the developing countries..”

CIVIL SOCIETY MARKET

STATE

SOCIETY

CIVIL SOCIETY

…Civil society is an umbrella term for a very broad and complex myriad of groups, organisations and networks positioned between the state and the market because their purpose and mandate is primarily to represent and express group interests, rather than produce for commercial gain.

SOCIETY

STATE

MARKET

WHAT IS CIVIL SOCIETY ? – EXAMPELS:

NGOs:Organizations that for humanitarian, political or religious reasons work to help others. The group of NGOs whose primary goal is to participate in development assistance is termed development NGOs.  Popular organizations:National or regional organizations and movements where people are organized in order to serve and protect their own interests (e.g. trade unions or farmers’ movements). Church and other religious organizations Grassroots organizations:People at local level who are organized in order to serve and protect their own interests, for example, in the form of self-help groups, women’s groups, etc. Also known as CBOs (Community Based Organizations). Traditional organizations:So-called “traditional” political, social cultural and ethnic structures at village and local level. Cultural organizations:Cultural and sports groups.

Strategic goals of CSS

1. Promotion of a vibrant and open debate nationally and internationally

2. Promotion of a representative, legitimate and locally based civil society

3. Promotion of capacity development, advocacy work and networking opportunities

4. Promotion of focus on rights 5. Promotion of flexible and relevant interventions in fragile states and

situations 6. Promotion of civil society support in Danish bilateral and multilateral

assistance 7. Involvement of Danish civil society organisations in development

assistance 8. Collaboration with other stakeholders

(Section 1.21. – 1.2.8.)Broad definition of civil society:

Formal and informal organizationsDefined in relation to authorities(section 3.1)

Danish working partners in civil society in developing countries will be those organisations that have the will, the capacity and the popular legitimacy to participate in the democratisation process as well as the formal and informal organisations that represent the poor. These organisations will be potential partners in all phases of cooperation, i.e. planning, formulation and implementation as well as the monitoring of programmes and projects.

Support to civil society could encompass the following focus areas:

• Mapping of civil society and support for the creation of an enabling environment.

• Dialogue with and support to capacity building of individual civil society organisations.

• Strategic support to projects that seek to deliver specific services within areas such as education and health care.

• Support to the creation of international networks.• Support to coordination.

Civil society organisations: from project administrators to social and political actors

Operational principles

Principles in content: Capacity building Advocacy Service – strategic…

(income generation (micro finance))

Partnership principles: Partners – legitimacy and

accountability Added value of Danish

partners(section 4.)

Civil Society can contribute to:

mobilising and organising local communities as well as marginalised population groups

promoting the rights of poor and marginalised people/groups

Monitoring that authorities and donors live up to their promises and adopted policy

access for poor people to basic services building strong coalitions and networks for increasing

civil society’s influence inspiring and challenging public authorities through

collaboration regarding innovative methods and a focus on particularly vulnerable population groups

raising new financial, knowledge-related and political esources through global cooperation.

Danida Civil Society Strategy 2008

Replaces strategy from 2000.

The 2000 strategy was marking some clear strategic changes: more focus on partnership, capacity building and advocacy.

The new strategy is an “update” not a “revision”! Meaning that core principles are the same!Therefore, not as big a challenge to implement as in 2000.

Changes are more in: updated context analysis (e.g. Paris/Accra agenda), adjustment of instruments (e.g. introduction of programme

agreements), and Elaboration on issues not covered in 2001 strategy (e.g. fragile

states)

PATC perspective on updated CSS

Goals formulated:Strategic goals formulated – and more focus on follow up on implementation of strategy

Increased role of Embassies.Embassies are expected to play a more active and strategic role, based on some kind of civil society analysis.

Local partner legitimacyMore focus on partners legitimacy and accountability (but few instruments to appraise it…)

Networking a higher priorityMore attention to participation in networking and international alliances. Funding for local partners participation in international networks given more attention.

Fragile situationsMore flexibility in fragile situations concerning partner criteria's, role of service delivery etc.

Added value:

S. 34-35: Danish civil society organisations receive

financial contributions which make it possible for partners to design and implement development activities.

However, it is important that the contributions of Danish organisations are not solely financial.

The added value of the partnerships must be evidenced in contributions within a number of different areas:

Added value – question ????

What do you consider important in the partnership with your danish partnerorganisation?

What benefits from the partnership with LOKK have You achived – apart from the financial contribution?

What do you expect that LOKK has learnt from the partnership?

Danish civil society organisations receive financial contributions which make it possible for partners to design and implement development activities. However, it is important that the contributions of Danish organisations are not solely financial. The added value of the partnerships must be evidenced in contributions within a number of different areas.

Professionally Popular contacts and information International agenda Rights Protection Diversity