IMPACT
MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
We have provided 100 full-day on-site training and coaching, 400 hours of webinar training and coaching, and have reached 1000 participants. We have reached both institution managements as well as institution staff.
We train and coach institution managements and social entrepreneurs, as well as their staff and associates, on the HR&S management strategies for change. We target institutions and social enterprises that aims to improve in delivering social impact while ensuring a sustainable economy. Results include: i) empowered scientific capacity strengthening strategies, targeting management and researchers, ii) increased access to functioning advanced scientific equipment, targeting management and technicians iii) scaled social enterprises, targeting social entrepreneurs, their staff and their customers, and iv) empowered sustainable development strategies for development stakeholders including local authorities, aid institutions, CSR programmes, suppliers from Europe, and the civil society.
We measure impact based on our TestE strategy, thus we compile output outcome and sustainable impact based on progress markers that were developed at the design phase of the programme. Progress markers are then adjusted as lessons are learned.
We measure impact related to our four services: management strategies, support to local social entrepreneurs, serving the under-served and sustainable development
Context
Institutions in SSA seems have become used to free support from the Aid sector; financial donations, free training, free administration and logistics support, free pieces of equipment, free repair of equipment and other free products and services. This dependency on aid seems to create fragile operational and financial structures and a “help-me” or “save-me” mind-set.
Sustainable operations and a sustainable economy can be expected to instead require international equal partnership relations a transparent win-win agenda.
Ambition
The HR&S ambition is to develop management strategies that facilitates a shift of paradigm and to train and coach institution managements on the HR&S management strategies.
1. Develop management strategies that creates change
HR&S has has developed management strategies. The HR&S management strategies include, but are not restricted to:
- A shift in responsibility of who shall solve local challenges in SSA, a shift from the aid sector to the local stakeholders .
- A transparent agenda of how the different partners benefit from international development collaboration.
- Financial accountability strategies embracing environments with a fragile rule-of-law.
- Evidence based measurement of progress or no progress.
2. Provide Training & coaching
The HR&S ambition is to train and coach on the HR&S management strategies targeting three development key stake holders; the academic sector, the private sector and the development sector empowering scientific research, innovation and social enterprising. We reach out to institution managements in order to:
- Empower scientific capacity strengthening strategies, targeting scientific institution management and researchers.
- Increase access to functioning advanced scientific equipment, targeting laboratory management and technicians.
- Scale social enterprises, targeting social entrepreneurs, and thereby also provide products and services to under-served populations.
- Empower sustainable development, targeting a variety of development stakeholders and local authorities.
Outcome Challenges
One outcome challenge is that institutions in SSA are used to have free support from the Aid sector, and may not see the benefit with equal partnership, as it involves paying for what was previously “free of charge”.
Activity
According to our HR&S management strategy, the Strategy for Change (SfC), the activities we take on are are the measures required to address the outcome challenges. The HR&S activities in this case is to
- Identify individuals with an agency for change mind-set and with intrinsic motivation.
- Involve these persons in our operations.
Seeking agency for change & intrinsic motivation
- We offer training events free of charge (output) for the sake of visibility and marketing. During these training sessions we can identify individuals with intrinsic motivation and agency for change.
- We are active on social media. Also our country Branch members are active. Branch team-leaders and members have LinkedIn and Facebook profile and are active with sharing about the HR&S Management strategy on social media. Through social media interaction can we identify individuals with intrinsic motivation and agency for change.
Build a team of SfC embassadors
For people to be interested in our operations we obviously must prove the value of our product (management strategy) and our services (Training and coaching).
- We measure impact based on evidence.
- We share the information.
Progress markers
- Number and volume of deals made with institution managements on SfC training and coaching.
- Outcome and sustainable impact reached by the partner institution as a result of coaching.
Per year targeting 2024
Scientific institutions
- Enable 10 scientific institutions to benefit from progress markers for their academic performance assessments, and keep the structure as part of their academic curriculum.
- Enable 100 researchers at academic institutions to have access to laboratory services.
- Empower 20 researchers to publish and mention HR&S in the acknowledgement.
- Empowered 10 researchers to implement scientific findings.
- Empower 100 researchers to attend HR&S trainings and to manage the exam and thereby receive a certificate.
Advanced laboratories
- Enabled 10 scientific laboratories to benefit from progress markers for their performance assessments, and keep the structure as part of their business management.
- Enabled 10 advanced laboratories to become profitable and independent from HR&S.
- Empower 20 technicians to attend HR&S trainings and to manage the exam and thereby receive a certificate.
Institutions supporting social entrepreneurs
- Enabled 5 institutions supporting social entrepreneurs to benefit from progress markers for their performance assessments, and keep the structure as part of their business management.
Institutions supporting social entrepreneurs
- Enabled 5 institutions to benefit from progress markers for their performance assessments.
Output
2009 – 2022
Total number of free of charge training events and coaching sessions, since the launching of Action10.
We have provided 60 full days of on-site training and 300 hours of webinar training and we have reached 600 participants. The events have been initiated, and paid for by Action10/HR&S.
Training Social entrepreneurs
2009 – 2019: We target our RISE members an provide free on-site training for individual members and related local stakeholders. In average, three workshop sessions per year, in average two days each for ten years. In average 10 participants attended each workshop. The visits were cancelled from 2019 due to the pandemic. Thus, 30 different events, 60 days and 300 participants.
Lesson learned & informed decision
We noticed a lack of measurable outcome from the free of charge training events. Since 2021 have we therefore introduced a fee of EUR 10 per participant in order to filter out more serious participants, and thereby challenge the aid mentality. We also introduced an examination session and gave a certificate to those who managed the examination.
Monthly coaching sessions with HR&S Country branches
2020: Five sessions per month with 3-5 participants each.
2021: Eight sessions per month with 3-5 participants each.
Thus, 156 events and 40 participants.
Monthly coaching of Action10 staff
2009-2021 (ongoing): Monthly coaching of Action10 volunteer staff with 5-15 participants. Scaling from 2011. A turn-over of volunteer staff in average every second year. Thus, 120 events with 50 participants.
Monthly ActionTalks
2021: Monthly one hour coaching webinar of RISE member social entrepreneurs. The Activity started in 2021 and welcomes RISE members, Branch operation team, and Action10 volunteer staff together. In average 10 participants participated during the 2021 piloting of the events, but different participants coming from a group of 30 persons. RISE members pitches their social enterprise and receives advice from the other participants. Thus, 12 events with 30 participants.
Outcome
2015 – 2021
Total number of paid for training events and coaching sessions since the launching of HR&S.
We have provided 20 full days of on-site training and 70 hours of webinar training and coaching and have reached 250 participants. The events have been requested for and paid for directly or indirectly by our partners.
On-site training at institutions
2015 One week training at University of Rwanda (UR) on SfC application writing by Cecilia Öman. 30 participants identified by UR. Requested for by UR and paid for by Sida.
2016 One week training at University of Rwanda on SfC scientific writing by Cecilia Öman. 30 participants identified by UR. Requested for by UR and paid for by Sida.
2016 One week training at University of Rwanda on SfC social enterprising by Cecilia Öman. 30 participants identified by UR. Requested for by UR and paid for by Sida.
2017 Three day training at INES University in Musanze Rwanda targeting institution management and staff. It was different types of sessions and we reached 50 participants. In-kind and logistics was paid for by INES, contact was established by Ministry of Education.
Thus, four institution staff training requested for by Institution management. 140 participants, 18 full days.
Thematic networks
Four thematic networks were launched in 2021; researchers, technicians, social entrepreneurs and development stakeholders. The networks have monthly one hour meeting/ SfC training, since mid 2021.
2021
- Ten (10) researchers signed up for the HR&S Network for researchers and a SfC was developed.
- Fourteen (14) technicians signed up for the HR&S Network for technicians and a SfC developed. A grant proposal was drafted.
2021: Two sessions per month with 5-15 participants each, starting by third quater of the year.
Thus, 10 one-hour webinars and 20 participants.
Thematic webinars
By HR&S Sweden
2021
The participants paid a fee of EUR 10.
- One 10 h webinars for researchers by HR&S Sweden with 20 participants, all eight target countries represented. Passed the exam: 50 % of the participants.
- One 10 h webinar for technicians by HR&S Sweden with 20 participants, all eight target countries represented. Passed the exam: 50 % of the participants.
- One 10 h webinar for social entrepreneurs by HR&S Sweden with 10 participants. Passed the exam: 50 % of the participants.
- One 10 h webinar for sustainable development stakeholders by HR&S Sweden with 5 participants. Passed the exam: 60 % of the participants.
By HR&S expert advisers
2021
- One 12 h webinar for researchers was given by Expert adviser Dr Krishna Murthy from India. 30 participants attended and 66% passed the examination. The participants paid a fee of EUR 10.
All together
Thus, five HR&S webinars with 85 paying participants, and 45 participants passing the exam (56%). 52 hours all together.
- 55 participants (researchers 20, technicians 15, social entrepreneurs 10 and development stakeholders 5) in four on-line SfC training sessions with 25 passing the examination. 40 h.
- 30 in one research training session with 20 passing the examination.
Lesson learned & informed decision
We noticed a lack of measurable outcome from the free of charge training events provided until 2020. We have therefore, since 2021 introduced a fee of EUR 10 per participant in order to filter out more serious participants, and thus challenge the aid mentality. We also introduced an examination session and gave a certificate to those who managed the examination. In average 50 % of participants passed the exam and received certificates.
By doing so we also generate an opportunity to contribute to the coordination costs at the HR&S country branch offices.
2022
12 h in May Dr Murthy on Proposal writing
AminataOuattara aminataouattara813@gmail.com Burkina FasoCharlotte Kinda kincharlene4@gmail.comBurkina FasoKoffi Agbessi KETOdidier5229@gmail.comBurkina FasoNadiyah LASISI lasisinadiyah@gmail.com Burkina FasoMahamoudou MINOUNGOUminoungou_mahamadou@yahoo.fr; mminoungou78@gmail.comBurkina FasoKABORE Brice AlainTeam RiseUniversité Joseph Ki-ZERBOBurkina Fasoassetou sankara assetousankara@yahoo.frBurkina FasoThéophile Serge SOUBEIGAtheo.soubeiga@gmail.comBurkina Faso
Coaching of RISE Centre members
2021 Burkina Faso. One private laboratory, Senexel, was coached during two months with ten meetings and exchange of guidelines, targeting the HR&S strategy for change as well as accreditation. The accreditation empowerment was led by the HR&S expert adviser Dr Sune Eriksson. An internship programme with students from the university was established through the management by the HR&S Burkina Faso Branch team leader Dr Stéphanie Maïga. The internees were paid for by the laboratory otherwise it was a no cost programme.
Ten one hour events and ten participants.
Sustainable impact
We have not yet been able to do the measurement of sustainable impact from our interventions. We will start this activity within two years time. Participants have scored training events as 4 out of 5, and institutions being coached have expressed appreciation, and pointed out the uniqueness of the tool..
Lessons Learned & Informed Decision
Introducing a small training fee
LL: We noticed a lack of measurable outcome from the free of charge training events.
ID: We have therefore, since 2021 introduced a fee of EUR 10 per participant in order to filter out more serious participants, and thus challenge the aid mentality. We also introduced an examination session and gave a certificate to those who managed the examination. In average 50 % of participants passed the exam and received certificates. By doing so we also generate an opportunity to contribute to the coordination costs at the HR&S country branch offices.
Addressing scaling
One purpose with the SfC training is to generate income to the Branches while developing road-maps for our partners.
- LL Researchers are generally interested in training on different thematic topics.
ID: There are quite many course on-line of different topics, including the ones mentioned. Though the fee is according to the real costs maybe EUR 1,000. HR&S does not want us to give free courses as this only prolong the aid dependency. Someone is always paying, and it should be a country paying for its own education. - LL: Academic staff can more easily attend during the summer when the their workload is not heavy.
ID: Thus the Scientific SfC training will be held during the end of August. - LL: We may also want to improve our marketing channels.
1. We may want to publish the training on the HR&S Facebook page and ensure that our audience is following.
2. We may want to use the internal journals of the University. - LL: We may want to express the value proposition better and identify our customer segments better.