‘‘Community of Practice Meeting: Capacity Community of Practice Meeting: Capacity Development in Europe & the CIS’Development in Europe & the CIS’

29 – 30 September 200829 – 30 September 2008Sofia, BulgariaSofia, Bulgaria

Sophia SvanadzeProject Manager

Bikash Ranjan DashCapacity Development Advisor

Capacity Development in Kvemo Kartli Region From Theory to Practice

OutlineOutline of presentation of presentation1. Georgia Context

2. Brief description of the Kvemo Kartli project

3. Steps undertaken for Capacity Development activities• Engage with stakeholders• Assessment of capacities• Capacity Development Response Strategy• Implementation of capacity development

activities• Monitoring capacity development activities

4. Lessons Learned

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Georgia - Georgia - ContextContext

Population: 4.6 million

Government type:Presidential republic

Legal system: Civil law system

GDP per capita: $ 2,315 (2007);

GDP growth rate (real): 12.4% (2007);

Population below poverty line: 25.3% (2005)

Regional/Local Governance: Regional/Local Governance: ContextContext

• Reform of the local government system: as of 2005 • LSG units consolidated: from 1,000+ into 69

municipalities• Broad legal framework in place• Challenges:

– No overall guiding document– Lack of vision on regional development– Sectoral legislation yet to be ameded– Councillors and Mayors with limited experience and skills– No transitional period; yet new organisations to be

created/functional

• Need to develop organization, procedures, leadership, skills

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Strengthening Local and Regional Strengthening Local and Regional Governance in Governance in KKvemo Kartli vemo Kartli RegionRegion• Budget: $1.3 mln; duration: 3 years• Donor: Sida• Team: PM, CDA, 2 POs• Delivery: 36 %, (September 1, 2008)

• Objectives: • Strengthen regional/local governance in addressing

challenges• Offer model of functioning governance structure

By: Capacity Development of regional and local authorities:

• Support regional/local development planning• Design and set new organizational structures, processes• Develop needed skills at both levels• Pilot models for better citizens’ access

First in RBEC to apply the CD Framework

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Outline:Outline: Steps of Capacity Development Steps of Capacity Development activitiesactivities

1. Engage with stakeholders

2. Assessment of capacities• Adapted Framework• Methodology• Assets and Gaps• Challenges

3. Capacity Development Response Strategy

4. Implementation of capacity development activities

5. Monitoring capacity development activities

Step 1: Step 1: Engage with stakeholders Engage with stakeholders

• Mapping of key partners

• Awareness raising and consensus building on CD• CD training and pilot testing of capacity

assessment methodology in 2 municipalities• Targeted discussions with partners

• Discussion on development priorities• Regional Development Strategy: drafted• Municipal development strategies: process

initiated

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Step 2: Step 2: Capacity Assessment- Capacity Assessment- Adapted Adapted FrameworkFramework

Core issues Sub core issues Functional capacities

Institutional arrangements and incentives

1. Human Resources

2. Business Processes

3. ICT and physical resources

4. Mission and Strategy

1.Assess a situation (Visioning and stakeholder mobilization)2.Plan, Budget, Implement3.Monitor and Evaluate4.Procurement and Service Delivery5.Communication and Co-ordination

Leadership N/A

Mutual Accountability

N/A

Points of entry

-Enabling Environment

-Organizational

-Individual

Step 2: Step 2: Capacity Assessment- Capacity Assessment- MethodologyMethodology

1. Adaptation of methodology

2. Collecting information through:• Interviews • Self-assessment questionnaires• Focused group discussions

3. Elaboration of Institutional baseline mapping report

4. Identification of capacity assets and gaps

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Step 2: Step 2: Capacity Assessment- Capacity Assessment- Main Main findingsfindings

Capacity Assets Capacity Gaps

Functions and responsibilities of local self govt. well defined by law

Lack of formalized HRM system

Existence of good physical infrastructure

Inappropriate or inadequate organizational set up

Practicing of formal/informal coordination mechanism

Lack of long, medium and short term strategy

Initiation of preparing long term strategies by regional and some local administrations

Weak communication culture

Existence of audit mechanism Accountability (downward, upward and horizontal)

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Step 2: Step 2: Capacity Assessment: Capacity Assessment: ChallengesChallenges

Enabling Environment

1. Lack of initial rapport with the local self government

2. Confusion regarding coverage of the assessment

Organizational

3. Frequent change of government staff

Individual

4. Limited understanding of the CD concept within local

authorities.

5. Lack of experiences of using UNDP CD framework

Step 3: Capacity Development Response Strategy• Prioritization/clustering of capacity gaps:

• Human resources• Organizational development• External accountability• Strategy and planning

• Define Capacity Development Response Strategies and Activities: • Short, medium and long term • 3 levels of capacity

• Establish monitoring indicators• Prioritize activities for support (short term)• Costing of activities

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Step 3: Capacity Development Response StrategyCluster

Priority issue

CD level

Short term (ST) responses

ST Activities ST responsible

parties

ST costs

ST Indicators

HR Unclear or inappropriate criteria at municipalities for staffing structure (level and number)

Enabling Environment

i). Increase stakeholder awareness of staffing structure deficiencies

ii). Define appropriate staffing structure for municipalities

i). Functional analysis

ii). Design guidelines for staffing structure of municipalities

iii). Workshop organized for municipal staff members

i). KK project team in partnership CEGSTAR, NALA and municipalities

5000 USD

i) Key stakeholders attend awareness raising workshop and demonstrate increased knowledge through pre and post workshop questionnaires

Capacity Development Response Strategy Matrix

Step 4: Implementation: Example

Capacity gap: Lack of ability of regional and municipal administration to formulate long term strategy

Activities at three levels:

Enabling environment: Support to the regional and municipal administration to formulate long term strategies and yearly action plans

Organization: Functional analysis of regional development unit and dept. of infrastructure and eco. Dev ( part of the analysis of whole administration). Strengthening the existing data collection, storing and analysis mechanism.

Individual: Trainings for civil servant on strategic, participatory planning, organize exposure visit to countries having similar experience and design a manual on “ How to prepare regional and municipal strategies”

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Step 4: Implementation -Short- Term CD Activities

1. Functional analyses and Business process reengineering

2. Review current Human Resources Management Practices and provide recommendations for improvement

3. Review current data collection, storing and analysis practices and provide recommendations for improvement

4. Review current planning methodologies in use and suggest a improved one for consideration by national government.

5. Improve existing coordination and citizen feedback mechanism

6. Define appropriate organizational structure for strategic planning

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Step 5: Monitoring of Capacity Development Activities

1. Baseline indicators have been set during the capacity assessment (Institutional Baseline Mapping) exercise

2. All the output indicators linked to corresponding country program outcomes

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned• CD should be mainstreamed at country program level

• Capacity Assessment to be done at both program and project level

• Quick capacity assessment during formulation of a project will help

• Requirement of more awareness raising on CD among stakeholders, including UNDP staff

• National ownership core for success

• Potential for cooperation with other donors/UN agencies

• CD activities are process oriented; hence plan for longer term

• But, to be simplified, adapted to local context, practical tools

• CD as no stand alone activity