Community & Social Development

Assessing the efficacy and effectiveness of the PAC scholarship initiative (operational since 2017) to guide and inform scholarship planning and investment moving forward. This evaluation explored the impact of the scholarships on recipients of the awards, in terms of: (a) personal growth, (b) professional development, and (c) levels of understanding or reframing of Indigenous peoples and/or local communities (IP/LC’s) cultural knowledge, and ethical, equitable and effective ways of weaving Indigenous and local knowledge systems with western scientific knowledge systems to inform protected area management, and conservation policy and practice more broadly.

Assessing the feasibility of adopting the IUCN Green List Standard in the Maldives. Reviewing the status of protected and conserved areas in the Maldives, including their values, threats and management status. Providing an analysis of the potential to use The Standard to enhance the management and governance of protected areas to achieve successful conservation outcomes in Maldives. Developing a set of strategic recommendations for adopting the Green List, including a roadmap and the suggested roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders.

Developing a broad range of materials to support nutrition, hygiene and health related behaviors based on previously conducted research by Sustainable Solutions Timor-Leste. The materials include growth charts for children as a participatory education and awareness tool to prevent stunting, flipbooks for community and parent sessions and a range of facilitation guides and training packages.

Assessing market prices of food products, as well as nutritional habits of the local population through the adoption of the Cost of the Diet methodology. Providing advice the Ministry of Education on the cost of nutritious meals for their School Feeding Program.

Designing, coordinating and undertaking ecological surveys of marine and terrestrial habitats across the Maldives with the aim of designating protected areas and designing management plans. Using ecological and social surveys and secondary data to create impact mitigation strategies for local communities and coastal developments. Providing technical support for developing zoning plans and habitat and impact mapping. Liaising with government departments, private industry, and local communities. Creating comprehensive reports on the marine and terrestrial ecology of the Maldives.

Creating a five-year financial sustainability plan to assist this non-profit organization to diversify its funding options and build resilience in its revenue streams.

Undertaking a mid-term review of this multi-year arrangement, including the prepositioning of cash and relief goods by the Philippine Red Cross to ensure quick mobilization of support to victims of natural calamities. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic the arrangement was expanded to include testing equipment and operational costs for the country’s largest COVID testing laboratory, and to provide other equipment to help the Philippines handle the outbreak.

Reviewing the individual country strategies and partner interventions for strengthening community resilience (SCR) and the design of a common framework against which all of the countries can report. The SCR project brings together projects from the four countries with different interventions but similar outcomes. The assignment was conducted remotely through online country level consultations as well as workshops with representatives of the four countries.

Designing DFATs Manila’s Strategic Framework, Program Logic and M&E framework for its disaster Response and Recovery Assistance Philippines Investment.

Establishing a baseline study for the CRIB project, for a Community Disaster Risk Reduction and Management project.

Supporting the client to create multiple business plans to present to several governments of Pacific Island countries for the purchase, delivery and implementation of dialysis machinery on home soil.

Supporting improved understanding of the factors behind nutrition and health related behavioral change – why some people have, and other people have not, adopted positive practices. Sustainable Solutions Timor-Leste is working across four municipalities to explore the knowledge, attitudes and norms that enable and prevent the adoption of actions, including hand-washing, exclusive breastfeeding, joint-household decision making and consumption of nutritious foods.

Working together with survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) Sustainable Solutions Timor-Leste is supporting feminist participatory action research which will inform the content and design of community outreach materials on access to justice. Importantly, the results will shape the development of the first online course for justice sector actors on client and trauma informed approaches to working with gender-based violence. This work is conducted with Juridco Sosial (JU,S), a human rights social enterprise with the support of UNDP’s Access to Justice Program.

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 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).

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.