Community & Social Development

Following the successful completion of phase 1 (strategic framework development), phase 2 is expanding upon this for the development of a full five-year strategic plan. This plan will include a clear five-year vision and mission statement, a summary of organizational core values, a simplified theory of change, strategic goals and SMART objectives, targets and indicators, and a monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) plan to assess key performance indicators (KPIs) moving forward.

Supporting processes for gender transformation for Oxfam Timor-Leste, together with the Equality Institution (EQI), and for the HAKBIIT program partner organisations (as well as the Women and Land program partner organisations in the future Work Order).

Supporting the advancement of the positive parenting program. Introduced by the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion (MSSI) in 2014, this program has seen some positive results towards improving child development through engaging parents in building their knowledge about and behaviors towards positive parenting. Supported by UNICEF, Sustainable Solutions Timor-Leste are now revising the modules to take a gender-transformative approach aiming to contribute to prevention of violence against women and children, which will reinforce and contribute to the sustainability of healthy child and family development.

Starting with a barriers analysis including gender, social and demographic factors, Sustainable Solutions Timor-Leste (SSTL) is working with Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF) and the National Eye Centre to identify ways to improve access to eye-health services. In addition to participatory approaches, SSTL conducted an innovative COVID-safe survey which allowed participants to respond electronically and mobilized local youth groups to facilitate data collection in their areas. SSTL continues to support FHF to deliver services for those most in need.

Developing a new national framework for protected area financing, and creating business plans for two protected areas that will act as pilot sites for the framework.

Supporting the design and training processes to develop research questions, sample tools and ethical research mechanisms (using a Do-No-Harm approach) for collecting preliminary data on Covid-19 impacts on intra-households (funded by Government for Development [G4D]). Leading interviews with select households in two Municipalities, supervising research assistants and documenting daily debriefs during data collection as well as participating in coding processes and presenting to the Ministry of Social Solidarity.

The YIAC project aimed to help youth cope with the effects of armed conflict. The project consisted of components that directly targeted youth, including psychosocial support services and livelihood development, and activities to create an enabling and protective environment for youth development. The latter benefit the whole community and include disaster risk reduction and environmental restoration. The evaluation included quantitative and qualitative data gathering. Interviews and focus groups were facilitated remotely due to Covid19 travel restrictions.

Engaging with new international NGOs and private sector stakeholders to agree on an approach for the separation and collection of office paper waste for recycling and mechanisms for participation in pilot sites. Providing support to the administration and coordination of behavior change efforts for pilot adoption, working closely with the women’s groups, other consultants and youth group partners.

Supporting targeted Sucos (villages) in Bobonaro Municipality that have historically suffered from flooding. The project’s objective was: ‘Communities are prepared for and better assisted during natural disasters, particularly flooding and high wind events.’ The evaluation used quantitative and qualitative tools to evaluate the performance and document learnings from the project’s two core components: 1) improving the resilience of communities to natural disasters, and 2) establishment and testing of an efficient digital cash distribution system.

The YIAC project aimed to help youth cope with the effects of armed conflict. The project consisted of components that directly targeted youth, including psychosocial support services and livelihood development, and activities to create an enabling and protective environment for youth development. The latter benefit the whole community and include disaster risk reduction and environmental restoration. The evaluation included quantitative and qualitative data gathering. Interviews and focus groups were facilitated remotely due to Covid19 travel restrictions.

Providing editing services to USAID LGP and W-GDP Initiative PWEEP to edit / re-write technical documents in English (quarterly reports, annual work plan reports, training reports, standard operating procedures, factsheets, flyers, write-ups, good practices, success stories and other communication materials).

Evaluating the long-running Water and Sanitation Project of the Nusa Tenggara Association (NTA), which aims to improve living standards in rural areas of eastern Indonesia by providing access to adequate water and sanitary facilities and training people in relevant skills, leading to better health and hygiene. The outcomes of the evaluation will inform the NTA’s future Water and Sanitation activities, government relations and investment modalities.

Supporting ‘Women in Engineering: Timor-Leste’ to create a better future through activities including: outreach to high schools and universities, mentoring integrated with Engineering Without Borders (EWB) Timor-Leste; networking with NGOs in Timor-Leste in supporting activities in technical and gender equality. (on-going)

Supporting the Rural Women’s Development Program (RWDP) to develop and prepare for a three-year transition plan development through reflection workshops (mentoring and training of facilitation) for groups supported by the Covalima Community Centre (CCC) in Timor-Leste.

Resiliensia Di’ak operates aims to ensure food security for poor and vulnerable rural farming households in Timor-Leste through increased resiliency to, and less exposure from, recurring natural disasters. The assignment established baseline values for the program’s indicators.

The STAND UP project is implemented by The Border Consortium under LIFT’s Uplands Programme. The project aims to improve natural resource management, nutrition and sanitation, and to build local capacities. Interventions target displaced and conflict affected communities as well as returnees who are subsistence or smallholder farmers in areas where ethnic armed organizations exert at least some degree of authority. LIFT Fund evaluations assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and perspectives of sustainability of the project.

Monitoring donor interests and funding availability, compiling baseline and situational analysis, and resource mobilization needs in preparing and updating the UNDP Recovery Resource Mobilisation strategy package for the Central Sulawesi Earthquake and Tsunami disaster. Writing concept notes and proposals for UNDP short, medium and long-term recovery interventions.

Implementing the Avansa Annual Agribusiness and Household Survey at the end of the fourth year of project implementation. Surveying 385 households for agricultural information and 281 for nutritional information, the survey covers five districts. Providing comprehensive training program for all staff involved, and delivering ongoing in-field support and analysis.

Supporting the ‘Womens Action for Voice and Empowerment’ (WAVE) Mid-Term Reflection for the International Women’s Development Agency, focusing on Timor-Leste’s partners utilizing feminist participatory approaches.

Supporting the ‘Womens Action for Voice and Empowerment’ (WAVE) Mid-Term Reflection for the International Women’s Development Agency, focusing on Timor-Leste’s partners utilizing feminist participatory approaches.

Supporting the City of Greater Geelong in its development of new partnerships and funding arrangements Working with Council staff to develop program strategies and budgets, engage donors and develop funding bids and partnership packages. As a result of the work, two new funding arrangements are now in place to support cultural heritage management, and the innovative ‘Mountain to Mouth’ environmental arts trail.

Evaluating the MILDAS project, implemented by the International Organization for Migration, which aimed to encourage people to position migration in their strategic livelihood planning while recognizing the negative consequences to migrants and their families. In addition, the project also aimed to strengthen LIFT’s stakeholders’ understanding on migration and development. The final evaluation assessed the progress of the project towards its expected outcomes, particularly in terms of the project’s relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability, as well as reviewed its overall approach and specific methodologies.

Undertaking a mid-term review of Oxfam’s livelihoods program in Timor Leste. Known as ‘HAFORSA’ this program is being implemented from July 2015 to June 2020 through a partnership approach. Local partners implement the program, while Oxfam provides supervision and capacity building support. The mid-term review conducted a survey to collect data on quantifiable indicators to measure progress since its baseline, assessed the overall program implementation and its modalities, and provided recommendations for the remaining period.

Undertaking an external evaluation of ASB’s program in the Central Philippines to: (1) determine if it has met its identified objectives and results (in particular the inclusion of persons with disabilities in disaster risk reduction and management); (2) provide insight and feedback on ASB programming and partnerships; (3) document the program’s engagement model; (4) provide recommendations to support future programming and partnerships.

Assessing the status of candlenut plantations in Covalima in order to explore the potential for commercializing this traditional product in order to promote increased incomes for farmers in the medium and long-term. Identifying and providing recommendations to address the challenges in terms of accessing profitable markets and limited knowledge of appropriate management practices to increase productivity.

Producing a ‘Professional Development Curriculum’ to guide training for over 200 practitioners working in community engagement, promoting gender and social inclusion approaches and facilitation skills. This assignment included active field-based participatory research, staff training and the implementation of a social inclusion organizational policy, and resulted in a rise in the percentage of registered rural women farmers from 7% to 49%. This represents a significant shift in attitudes, opportunities for women and all farmers, as well advancing the potential for more equitable economic benefits in this sector.

Planning, implementing and monitoring of the WASH initiative in Schools (WinS) component of the on-going WASH program. Working with partners to implement hygiene promotion via the CHILD to child methodology and with contractors for the construction of new WASH facilities.

Designing survey tools and training enumerators in the conduct of electronic data collection; data analysis, qualitative data gathering with key stakeholders including community and government officials. Data analysis and report writing.

Formative evaluation of the country strategy to date, both for learning and accountability; to be used both internally and externally. Providing training and accompaniment to country team to co-facilitate the research, the evaluation focused on how much progress has been made towards achieving the strategic ambitions; providing findings, conclusions and recommendations in order to draw learning from the last five years that needs to be retained and used to influence the next five-year strategy of the Leprosy Mission.

Facilitation, design and development of a five year strategic plan for addressing diverse learners’ needs in schools in Indonesia, in collaboration with the University Gajah Mada, Jogjakarta. The five year plan facilitates skills building for diverse learners and implements the AJT-Cognitive assessment testing system to support the identification of and learning plan development for schoolchildren with diverse needs in eleven pilot and beta school trial sites across the country.

This Community-led Rural Development Program (CLRDP) worked in partnership with district-based civil society organizations across four districts in Timor-Leste; DAC criteria were applied to document achievements and learning of CLRDP’s integrated and community-led approach to strengthen civil society and improve the livelihood security and voice of rural men and women in Timor-Leste.  A household survey and qualitative data gathering was conducted among stakeholders.

CRS was one of the first INGOs on the ground after Typhoon Haiyan hitting the Philippines on November 8, 2013. To complement and follow up humanitarian relief programs this assignment looked at the challenges and needs of the affected communities to recover and sustainably develop their livelihoods. To inform medium and long-term programs situational and market assessments were conducted in the heavily affected fisheries/aquaculture and coconut based sectors. As Team Lead the consultant integrated findings in proposals and a livelihoods development strategy.

Collaborative research with local partners following training in participatory methodologies and accompanying them with on the job capacity development in research skills including analysis, interviewing techniques, designing methodology and conducting primary and secondary data analysis. The study forms the basis of a multi-year community based approach to preventing and responding to violence against women and children at the community level. Assignment under UN Women, Association of Men Against Violence.

Assisting and advising on the ongoing implementation and the completion of Cruz Vermelha De Timor-Leste (CVTL – Red Cross Timor-Leste) HIV/AIDS Program. Contributing knowledge and capacity building assistance for project staff in key areas identified for technical assistance / capacity building, including production of guidelines, agreements and procedures for partners, strengthening and integration of HIV and AIDS interventions and development of appropriate tools for staff for effective project implementation. Providing technical support for the inaugural youth camp with over 300 participants from Red Cross International branches and all districts of Timor-Leste.

Designing and supervising the end-line survey and conducting qualitative data gathering for evaluation. The LEAFS project, implemented with local partner CEDAC, was designed to empower women to improve food security and nutrition. The evaluation documented achievements and lessons learned on the introduction of savings and internal lending communities (SILC), and improved climate resistant agricultural techniques.

The SECURE program was a 45-month initiative funded by the European Commission (EC), and implemented by Mercy Corps with two local NGO partners.The program aimed to improve agricultural production and storage and develop market linkages for food insecure communities while increasing household resource management skills for more stability against shocks. The evaluation reviewed monitoring data, surveys and conducted quantitative data gathering through Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews to evaluate the SECURE program achievements.

The evaluation of the Aid to Uprooted People Program included the conducted of quantitative research and review of collected data to evaluate the program’s achievements in the sectors of Food Security, Nutrition, Enterprise Development and WASH. Field sites in the Maluku Islands were visited and discussions conducted with beneficiaries to verify the quantitative data gathered by the program team.

Supporting an assessment of accountability and documenting of lessons learned with partner consultant (FH Design) of Plans’  Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programs in Aileu and Lautem, Timor-Leste which operated between 2005 and 2012 and was supported by Plan’s Australian National Office (ANO).

Following participatory methods with rural communities in western Flores to determine ecotourism sites for development, potential benefits and risks of ecotourism development, prioritization of sites for development, and production of action plans at organizational and community level.

Utilizing a participatory development process for the establishment of baseline survey tools, and providing training to staff data collection and assessment processes, with support provided for final data analysis and report production.  Trócaire’s livelihoods program worked with local partners and was focused on  food security in Ermera and Manufahi districts, Timor-Leste. The program incorporated Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) within its design.