UNV s Experience in Strengthening Volunteer Infrastructure in TOGO COUNTRY REPORT
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organisation that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilising volunteers. UNV is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). UNV, 2014 www.unv.org In 2013, UNV commissioned a global evaluation on UNV Contribution to Volunteer Infrastructures. The evaluation covered national and regional projects aimed at strengthening volunteer infrastructure, partnered and supported by UNV financially and technically. UNV s Experience in Strengthening Volunteer Infrastructure is a series of knowledge products based on the findings of the evaluation, included in one global and eight country reports (Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Liberia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Peru, Togo and Viet Nam). This knowledge product shares UNV s experience in supporting the establishment of a National Volunteer Programme in Togo. It is based on an evaluation study on PROVONAT (Programme de Promotion du Volontariat National au Togo), which included literature and project document review, interviews and a field visit. PROVONAT (Programme de Promotion du Volontariat National au Togo) aims to provide an opportunity to young graduates looking for their first job to participate in solutions to development problems in their country. The programme also makes a motivated human resources available to organisations working for the common good, while contributing to the strengthening of human and social capital. 2
OVERVIEW improving youth employability reinforcing social capital promoting social cohesion PROVONAT has three key objectives: i) Improving the employability of young people through the development of professional experience and skills; ii) reinforcement of social capital through development of self-confidence, attitudes of cooperation and participation; iii) promotion of social cohesion through the promotion of integration, intercultural dialogue, and connections between youth and their communities. 2004-2008 UNV funded project Capacity strengthening for volunteer involving organisations for the implementation of the MDGs. 2011 Togo established a national volunteer programme known as PROVONAT. KEY ACTIVITIES Recruitment of youth volunteers Selection of placements Training of new volunteers Support and supervision of volunteers in the field Communication and awarenessraising The recruitment of youth volunteers has been done in waves, and has reached almost 5,000 since the establishment of the programme. Candidates fill in application forms and undergo interviews, in what constitutes a transparent centralized process. The selection of placements follows a similar process which benefits from support from national UN PROVONAT volunteers. Volunteers receive initial training before their assignment and are supported and supervised while in the field. The project has an important communication component to enhance awareness and outreach. 3
IMPLEMENTATION MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES The National Council of National Volunteering in Togo The National Coordination Committee Regional Volunteerism Centres National UNV Focal Points The National Council of National Volunteering in Togo provides the strategic orientation for the programme and is comprised of 13 members from different government ministries, civil society organisations (CSOs) and partners. The National Coordination Committee is responsible for the daily management, coordination and implementation of the programme. Regional Volunteerism Centres were set up in all five regions in the country, under CSO management to assist with youth mobilisation, volunteer placement identification, and volunteer monitoring and support, in collaboration with National UNV Focal Points. KEY PARTNERS The Government of the Republic of Togo United Nations (including UNV) International Volunteer Organisations Civil Society Organisations Decentralised Government Services Communities Other donors UNV S ROLE ADVOCACY, PROMOTION, AWARENESS OF VOLUNTEERING BROKERING POLITICAL, TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT CAPACITY BUILDING UNV has played three key roles in relation to this project: advocacy, awareness-raising and promotion of national volunteering; brokering partnerships for political, technical and financial support, and; capacity building for volunteers. 4
RELEVANCE Volunteerism is explicitly included in national plans, with strong ownership and championship by the Government. PROVONAT generated a lot of interest with both youth and host organisations. Over 50% of the volunteers who had completed their placements found full time employment and their testimony indicated the development of self-confidence, attitudes of co-operation and participation, and the sense of having made a valuable contribution to society. RELEVANCE TO THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT IN LINE WITH NATIONAL PRIORITIES maternal and infant health; preventable diseases; safe drinking water and sanitation; rural development; social protection; employment for youth and women; gender equality; strengthening of civil society and capacity building in state entities. NATIONAL OWNERSHIP strong governmental ownership of PROVONAT; volunteerism is integrated into national plans. RELEVANCE TO LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS HIGH DEMAND from civil society organisations and state entities. HIGH INTEREST more than 20,000 young people interested. PLACEMENTS 3,500 youth volunteers placed by end 2013, the target is 5,000 volunteers by end 2014. YOUTH EMPLOYABILITY SOCIAL/HUMAN CAPITAL SOCIAL COHESION RELEVANCE TO THE OBJECTIVES SET 50% of the volunteers who have completed their placements have already found paid employment. The 1,000 volunteers recruited in 2011 ended their service in 2013 and of these 506 are in full, paid employment. volunteers developed self-confidence, social capital, attitudes of co-operation and participation; they carried out responsible, interesting and challenging roles. the volunteers felt they had contributed to changes in people s lives, articulating the value of this by their intervention. 5
EFFECTIVENESS The effectiveness of the project was helped by the fact that groundwork had been done by the UNV-funded project beforehand, with many of the hindering factors already having been addressed. It was also helped by Government ownership and political will from the top-down. The effectiveness of the project was hindered by the small number of UN volunteers/focal points in the field supporting the volunteers in the five regions. The growing number of volunteers will exacerbate this problem. HINDERING FACTORS Small number of and limited resources for UN Volunteers supporting PROVONAT, Host organisations need more volunteer management preparation ENABLING FACTORS Groundwork done by the UNV-funded project, Ownership and political will EFFICIENCY GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY EFFECTIVE RESULTS MANAGEMENT QUALITATIVE EVALUATION MONITORING DONE BY NATIONAL UN VOLUNTEERS The project seems to have yielded very reasonable results in relation to a minimal UNV expenditure, in comparison with the overall cost of PROVONAT. The deployment of volunteers seems very productive when considered against the number of support personnel allocated. Resource efficiency is coupled with effective results measurement done quantitatively and systematically. Qualitative evaluation has consisted mainly of collecting witness statements from individual volunteers, and these seem to have been put to effective use in awarenessraising activities and in reports. Monitoring of placements and volunteers is carried out by the 10 national UN Volunteers in each region. 6
IMPACT AND RESULTS PROVONAT has led to the deployment of an impressive number of volunteers and is on track to achieve the targeted 5,000 by the end of 2014. The benefits to those volunteers are significant and far-reaching. The scheme had a clear mandate and vision. The Government championing of the scheme and the development of a favourable policy and regulatory framework are marks of success. INDIVIDUAL ORGANISATIONAL NATIONAL/ POLICY Benefits to volunteers significant and far-reaching, Beneficiaries/areas of work impacted positively, Volunteers work led to improved services in their respective areas of intervention. Clear mandate and vision. Government championing of the scheme, Development of favourable policy and regulatory framework, The assessment of impact in relation to national development goals needs to be introduced. PROVONAT volunteers 2011-2013 Volunteers deployed 4000 3000 3530 6% Governance 9% Other 22% Health 2000 1000 1000 1030 1500 8% ITC 7% Rights of vulnerable people 11% Agriculture 0 2011 2012 2013 Total 19% Development, planning, gender 18% Environment, WASH 7
SUSTAINABILITY volunteer roles could replace paid employment volunteering could become a choice for graduates for lack of employment vision resourcing commitment technical capacity Risks to the long-term sustainability of the project s impact exist. Some of the most important are that volunteer roles could replace posts of paid employment in decentralised state entities or that permanent volunteering could become a career choice for graduates for lack of employment. In spite of the limited capacity for supervision and deployment, PROVONAT has shown that, with vision, commitment, resourcing and sufficient technical capacity, it is possible to deploy large numbers of national volunteers. This programme is already being replicated in Togo with the different target group of out-of-school youths/school dropouts. GOOD PRACTICE 1 2 3 Sound foundation Important lessons were learned from the UNV-funded project preceding PROVONAT (2004-2008). These helped to build a sound foundation for PROVONAT in relation to government commitment, legislation, management planning, decentralisation and resource mobilisation. Volunteer management and awareness The robust and transparent selection processes for both volunteers and placements were notable and could be be replicated in other country programmes. Awareness was raised as strong volunteer success stories were disseminated. Government ownership Only with and through Government ownership of national volunteering can national development goals be met. All stakeholders recognized and agreed on the need for volunteering programmes to be politically independent. The establishment of an autonomous agency is the recommended model to aim for in this regard. UNV is extremely grateful for the outstanding support received from UN Online Volunteers in designing some of the infographics for this knowledge product. 8