Plan International Australia's Annual Effectiveness Review 2012

annual effectiveness review 2012 Plan International Australia

INSIDE Foreword

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Executive Summary

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Changing World, Changing Plan

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»» Changing Plan »» Plan International Australia’s Program Directions

Partnerships

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Programs at Work »» Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

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»» Education and Early Childhood Care and Development

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»» Livelihoods, Food Security and Youth Economic Empowerment

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»» Rights and Community Resilience

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»» Disaster Risk Management

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»» Child Centered Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction

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»» Practice Influence

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»» Policy Influence

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»» Public Engagement

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Financial input to global programs Front cover: A girl walks to school in Uganda.

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foreword Transparency and accountability underpin Plan International Australia’s work. Our Annual Effectiveness Review is an important way we demonstrate our commitment to these principles. The Review complements other publications like our Annual Report, providing further reflections and analysis about our programs, and sharing successes and challenges. Successful international development requires collaboration and the Review also seeks to engage partners, peers and stakeholders in our efforts to improve and maximise our effectiveness.

This year we continued to implement our new corporate strategy, Champion for Child Rights. Our goal is to help enable children’s rights in a significant and lasting way, and influence the policies and practices that uphold these rights. Forging partnerships and effectively engaging communities in this process are crucial to program success. Civil society co-operation and our own organisational accountability are also important aspects of the strategy.

The Annual Effectiveness Review 2011 examined the theme of gender equality – a vital aspect of inclusive development practice. We built on that work in 2012, completing a Gender Equality Self Assessment, consistent with Plan International’s global gender equality strategy. This was an important process for the agency and the results will help to ensure that we embed gender equality into our programs and everyday work in increasingly sophisticated and robust ways.

Our theme for this year’s Review is partnerships. Ensuring meaningful, strong and successful partnerships is crucial for Plan’s effectiveness. The international civil society organisation landscape is in a state of change and this is creating new dynamics and opportunities that challenge existing ways of working.

Understanding and developing our partnerships, and thinking about them in new and innovative ways, will be necessary if we are to realise children’s rights. We will continue this reflective work on partnerships in 2013.

This Review contains rich material about work that is often complex and context specific. I encourage you to consider this latest chapter in our proud history.

Ian Wishart Chief Executive Officer Plan International Australia

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Executive Summary The Annual Effectiveness Review 2012 sets out Plan International Australia’s reflections, learnings and processes for continuous improvement across our strategic and operating environment, and in individual program portfolios. It builds on the Annual Effectiveness Review 2011.

» Changing world, changing Plan This section discusses the external and internal political, environmental, social and economic forces that are shaping our practice and approach. These include: the need to demonstrate value for money, accountability, transparency and aid effectiveness; reductions in the aid flow; the changing geography of poverty; and the impact of climate change on development work. Plan International is changing to meet these challenges and the results of its 2011–12 structural and operational review are examined. This section also outlines Plan International Australia’s program directions.

» Partnerships We engage in multi-stakeholder relationships to achieve effective and sustainable development outcomes for children and their communities. These relationships are crucial to our work, so in 2012 partnership was identified as an organisational learning priority and designated as the theme for our Reflective Annual Process (RAP). The RAP elicited many practice implications and revealed the need to build a deeper understanding and competency in our work with partners. This section explores the RAP and its learnings in detail.

» Programs at work The benefits of engaging the right partner at the outset of project activities was an important learning for the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) program. Understanding what motivates people to invest in sanitation and change their hygiene behaviours, and how to help government agencies take up their WASH leadership mandate, were identified as areas for the program to develop further.

The Education and Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) program further enhanced its programming through cross-cutting issues such as child protection and inclusion. Social inclusion and work to assist program partners with monitoring and evaluation continue to be learning themes as the program grows. Stronger relationships with partners were forged and the program continued to influence global education and ECCD working groups.

Project progress reports, mid-term reviews and independent evaluations for the Livelihoods and Food Security program validated approaches in household security, food security, health, hygiene and nutrition, while a new and vital area of work emerged during the year in the area of Youth Economic Empowerment.

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Major learnings in the Rights and Community Resilience program included the importance of understanding the experiences and perspectives of marginalised people and groups to tailor strategies to local contexts. Understanding gender and social relations also helps to address social inclusion. We also learnt that building partnerships is not a linear process and needs to take account of different influences, including personal factors and organisational cultures.

The Disaster Risk Management program built partnerships with Plan Japan and Plan Germany which were crucial to maintain the momentum of its work. Through Gender Action Plans a more consistent approach to gender equality was achieved across the program, and a major learning was that the program approach of providing teams with permanent on-the-ground resources – including human resources – was much more successful than more short-term support.

The Child Centered Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction program is building awareness about climate change by translating relatively new and complex climate science concepts into practice. Including notions of child centeredness in this process can take time for stakeholders and partners to grapple with. We also learnt that special expertise is required for the program, as is the careful selection of partner organisations.

The Practice Influence program conducted a Gender Equality Self Assessment (GESA), which revealed the strength of the agency in this area as well as issues for further consideration and improvement. The program also played a major role in advocating for disability inclusive practice across Plan International.

The Policy Influence program built on its work to clarify key messages and improve relationships with decision makers and it also started to manage partnerships more strategically. During 2012, Community Engagement was integrated into the newly formed Policy and Engagement Team, giving clearer definition to its role. The partnership with the Global Poverty Project continues to be pivotal and the first Youth Project Team was appointed.

» Financial input to global programs In 2012, 44,103 Plan International Australia sponsors contributed $22.6 million to globally managed programs in 50 countries across four regions. In addition, our supporters contributed $4.3 million to our programs. This complemented the $15.3 million in grant income raised from AusAID and other donors.

In Indonesia, a midwife teaches two male community members about the benefits of breastfeeding.

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Changing World, Changing Plan 6

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Children practice their reading and writing at a Plan-supported school in Uganda.

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As a development actor in the global aid arena, Plan International Australia operates in a highly complex system and is influenced by significant contextual factors. Remaining relevant and effective requires analysis of, and adjustment to, this rapidly changing environment. This section reviews the external and internal political, environmental, social and economic forces that are shaping our practice and approach to partnerships.

» Policy and effectiveness Demonstrating value for money, accountability, transparency and aid effectiveness has remained high on the Australian Government’s agenda. In 2012, the government released a new Comprehensive Aid Policy Framework and the Civil Society Engagement Framework.1,2 These two documents have a major impact on the way that aid is delivered and the expectations of non-government organisations (NGOs).

One of the key challenges for Plan International Australia and other NGOs is the increasing emphasis on quantifying results against a set of common indicators and demonstrating value for money. We have been actively engaged with the Australian Government and the sector to ensure measures for effectiveness are not narrowly defined and encompass qualitative and quantitative demonstrations of impact. This better reflects the diversity of civil society activities in aid and development.

In 2012 the aid policy debate both in Australia and internationally focused on the Post Millennium Development Goals agenda. The direction this debate takes will influence the shape and focus of aid over the next decade. Plan International has begun to develop policy statements to ensure that child rights are central in this debate. Plan International Australia will need to become more visible and active in key consultation forums with the Australian Government and the development sector.

» Changes in aid A reduction in the aid flow is also a major issue that development agencies are grappling with. In May 2012 the Australian Government announced a reduction of $2.9 billion in development assistance in the forward estimates and in December 2012 a further cut of $375 million was announced. This means the Government will not achieve its policy commitment to increase Australia’s Official Development Assistance to a ratio of 0.5 per cent of Gross National Income by 2015.3 These aid cuts have been mirrored around the globe. They are exacerbated by a rise in unsustainable government debt both in the North and South, resulting in a significant impact on people living in poverty. Our CEO, Ian Wishart, has been vocal in holding the Government to account about Australia’s aid commitments. However, continued advocacy and dialogue with the Government will be needed.

Given the global economic outlook, Plan International Australia will also need to identify new donors and partners to support its vision and mission. These include: new non-OECD official donors; megaphilanthropies; and the coupling of aid with forms of trade that create social benefits at all links in globalising value chains. These shifts point to a challenge of diversification in the relational world that Plan International Australia will face, as well as uncertainties in navigating new ethical boundaries.4 Plan International Australia will need to develop clear strategies and guidelines for engaging in these new forms of aid.

» Emerging development issues The geography of poverty is changing. More than half of the world’s poor are living in middle income countries such as India and China; a quarter of the world’s poor are living in populous lower middle income countries such as Pakistan, Nigeria and Indonesia.5 Shifts in the rural and urban poverty divide, and a mobile population, also present new challenges for Plan International’s operational and programming approach.

Furthermore, the increasing rise in greenhouse gas emissions and the inability for people to cope with climate change adaptation has a direct impact on poverty, and children in particular. Plan International Australia is continuing to significantly scale up support to communities vulnerable to climate change in the Asia-Pacific region. Investing in the development of new adaptation models, and reflecting on what works and what does not, will be crucial in the coming year as this issue is likely to magnify in the future.

» Relevance of the International non-government organisation (INGO) The way people engage in aid and development is also changing. With the rise in social media and technology there are new ways to access and share information and this is changing the relationship between Plan International Australia and our supporters.6 Australians are directly engaging with and supporting communities in developing countries. This provides the opportunity for greater agency and a voice for new stakeholders, as well as increased accountability and transparency. Similarly, the Australian Government and other donors are bypassing INGOs and directly funding local civil society in an effort to improve efficiency and effectiveness. These shifts challenge the traditional role of the INGO as the key interface in the development process between donor and community. Plan International Australia and

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the wider organisation must continue to innovate and re-imagine its role in development if it is to stay relevant, add value, and not hinder the development process.

Changing Plan Plan International is changing to meet these challenges. As part of its commitment to implement its One Plan, One Goal strategy, Plan undertook a deep review of its structure and operations in 2011–12. Termed the Business Operating Model review, it resulted in a series of diagnoses and recommendations to ensure the global organisation remains well aligned with its strategy and the global context. Three areas of Plan’s operations were points of focus and each has important implications for collaboration, relationships and partnerships across Plan. These are: Governance – The review suggested that Plan’s structure posed challenges to clear accountability and equitable relationships between its different offices and decision-making structures. In particular, between country offices based in the developing world and national offices in developed economies. This has the potential to stymie strong partnerships based on mutual trust and accountability across Plan. The review recommended that to build equitable governance, Plan needs to define clearer accountabilities and enhance southern representation and program expertise in its governance.

Core operating processes – The review noted that strategic planning integration, common program standards, and monitoring and evaluation were not optimised, leading to some inefficiency in operations and alignment between Plan offices. Defining clear standards for performance accountability and clarifying the Plan program portfolio strategy were identified as important foundations for greater clarity of purpose and more robust partnerships in Plan.

Core administrative processes – The review suggested that strengthening performance management and peer review, and linking these to monitoring and evaluation, would drive consistent program delivery and ensure accountability for professional performance. In addition, common information systems and financial standards to ensure transparency and support data-driven decision making would establish a stronger basis for collaboration.

This diagnostic enabled a set of clear recommendations to be presented, reviewed extensively, and ultimately accepted by Plan. Consequently, Plan International initiated a change process in 2012 to adapt its operating model to achieve three aims: »» To become more credible by delivering programs of the highest quality that reach millions more children, particularly those most marginalised or excluded, and building a more relevant and legitimate organisation which has a representative global and local governance that includes program expertise and the voice of the children and youth with whom we work. »» To be more efficient by maximising the funds and resources that flow to the field and programs by eliminating unnecessary cost and duplication, and by focusing on setting priorities and committing to them, and building a more agile organisation which can make effective decisions and also have the ability to respond quickly to opportunities to create additional resources. »» To be more effective by working better together and building trust by holding ourselves and each other to account while recognising the contribution we each bring, and driving consistency across Plan in terms of priorities, approaches, standards, roles and responsibilities, processes and systems.

To deliver on these aspirations and remain relevant, Plan has recognised the need to change the way it works, acts, and is organised. A key theme cutting across internal and external partnerships is accountability, which serves as a foundation for strong relationships.

» Plan’s performance agenda A necessary complement to partnerships is an accountable, high-quality program base. In 2012, Plan developed a new management approach to strengthen its programs – the performance agenda – and in the next five years this approach will strengthen monitoring and evaluation. It will also assess how well we contribute to the development efforts of rights holders, duty bearers and civil society organisations, and increase our accountability.

Plan’s work depends on respecting people’s right to make their own decisions – particularly the most marginalised. This means Plan staff must listen to people and respond flexibly to them, helping them to build their skills and confidence while providing high-quality technical assistance as people manage their own development. Among other elements, the performance agenda involves supporting staff to reach these standards and balancing the need to report performance, with the need to support learning and reflection.

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» Scaling up effectively Plan’s global programming is growing and our global strategy aspires to do more for the world’s children, including scaling up high-quality programs. However, this has risks: It can sometimes favour very large projects over those promoting meaningful and sustainable change. As part of our performance agenda, Plan commissioned the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, in America, to conduct an independent review of how we scale up programs. The review found: »» Plan has a range of examples of good and creative practice and program development that it can build on in the future. It demonstrates a degree of flexibility in its programming approaches that allows for a differentiated approach to scaling up. »» Plan, like most organisations, lacks a uniform definition and systematic approach to scaling up. Often the default approach is collaboration with government rather than considering which option might be the most appropriate. It is difficult to ensure that core issues of quality, sustainability and rightsbased principles are maintained if a program is expanded too fast, as often is the case of government scale up. »» Plan needs to strengthen a self-critical learning approach of slow program development and improvement that allows enough time to establish necessary evidence and embed good practice before moving on to scaling up.7

Children play on equipment made from local materials at a Plansupported preschool in Laos.

These findings have particular relevance to Plan International Australia as we seek to increase the scale and scope of Australian-funded programs. Plan and Plan International Australia will seek to expand highquality programs as part of our commitment to change the world for more children, while ensuring that this change is meaningful and sustainable.

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Plan International Australia’s Program Directions This year marked the second year of Champion for Child Rights, Plan International Australia’s strategy for 2011–16. The strategy directs growth and guides programming directions with a focus on two primary goals: »» a significant and lasting impact on the fulfillment of child rights for more children around the world »» a tangible influence on the perceptions, policies and practices that uphold child rights.

Our program strategy emphasises effectiveness with a strong focus on program quality and inclusive practice built on a child rights foundation. The programs that Plan International Australia manages are based in Asia, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Pacific according to the following themes: »» early childhood care and development »» improving educational opportunities and outcomes »» water, sanitation and hygiene »» livelihoods, food security and youth economic empowerment »» the protection and promotion of rights and community resilience »» disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.

As outlined in this Review, successful partnerships remain the core ingredient for the achievement of our strategic goals. However, achieving strategic outcomes also requires an effective operational base. In the latter half of 2012, our programs department completed an internal review of the strategic alignment and efficiency of our operational structure. Based on this review, Plan International Australia developed and began implementing a change plan to better align our structure with our strategic goals, including through more purposeful and efficient work processes. The change plan is focused on five clear goals: 1. Culture: Staff feel respected, valued and supported in their teams.

2. Effective programming: A robust organisational structure and program portfolio to support focused, sustainable and quality programs.

3. Cost: A transparent and sustainable funding and cost structure.

4. Grant acquisition: Our programs have maximum impact and influence through sustained and manageable growth.

5. Whole agency initiatives: We are a key child rights organisation with a presence in the Pacific and a strong global campaigning and advocacy voice.

An important part of this change was the restructure of the department from two teams (Program Implementation and Program Effectiveness) into four: International Programs; Disaster Risk Management; Strategic Learning and Inclusive Practice; and Policy and Engagement. The mandate of each new team has been drafted to focus more clearly on the primary goals of Plan International Australia’s strategy.

This process also represents the next phase of our evolving work in program effectiveness. The consolidation of public and policy influence into a Policy and Engagement team will ensure a more significant focus on this part of the Effectiveness Framework. In addition, the new Strategic Learning and Inclusive Practice team provides a stronger organisational foundation for effectiveness. The Programs Management team will provide oversight of partnership management across all the program teams. The restructure has deepened our commitment to effectiveness and ensured stronger alignment between our operational structure and our strategy expressed by clear mandates and more focused resourcing.

FOOTNOTES 1. AusAID, Helping the World’s Poor Through Effective Aid: Australia’s Comprehensive Aid Policy Framework to 2015–16, AusAID, Canberra, May 2012.

2. AusAID, AusAID Civil Society Engagement Framework: Working with civil society organisations to help people overcome poverty, AusAID, Canberra, June 2012.

3. Senator The Hon Bob Carr, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Aid Budget Statement 2012–13, Australian Government, Canberra, May 2012. See: http://www.budget. gov.au/2012-13/content/ministerial_statements/ausaid/download/ausaid.pdf 4. A Fowler, ‘Relational Reflections for Development Practice: A story of movement’ (power point presentation), Plan International Australia RAP, Melbourne, 2012.

5. A Sumner, ‘Where do the world’s poor live? A new update’, Institute of Development Studies Working Paper 393, Brighton, UK, June 2012.

6. Plan International Australia, Digital Strategy 2012-2014, PIA, Melbourne, 2012.

7. P Uvin and A Tirrell, Review of Plan’s Practice on Scaling Up of Programmes, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Medford, 2012.

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2012 Global highlights Education Plan invested $100 million to improve educational outcomes for children and, among other activities, trained 72,538 professional and volunteer teachers and school management staff. Plan also supported the construction and rehabilitation of 2152 schools.

Early childhood care and development (ECCD) Plan invested $123 million in various programs to reduce newborn and maternal mortality, increase child survival, and support the healthy development of children into adulthood. Among other activities, Plan trained 239,785 professional and volunteer health workers in ECCD and health management, benefiting 19,974 communities.

Disaster risk management In 2012, Plan responded to 36 disasters and emergencies. At least 32 Plan countries have disaster risk reduction projects and 30 countries have carried out Plan’s disaster preparedness process.

Plan’s investment in disaster risk management during this period was $76 million.

Child participation

Members of a basket-weaving group make quality baskets that can be sold in the community and to wholesalers in Cambodia.

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Plan invested $90 million to promote citizenship and empower children and young people, helping them to become aware of their rights and strengthening their confidence and leadership skills to mobilise for positive change. This enabled children and youth organisations to lead advocacy initiatives, and monitor their governments’ implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as national and local policies.

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Child protection Plan provided child protection training for 149,686 community members and 35,625 staff members of partner organisations. Plan’s investment during this period was $35 million.

Economic security Plan invested $49 million in program activities to help children and young people realise their right to economic security and obtain skills for meaningful employment. Plan trained 144,121 people in agricultural, vocational and business skills. We also supported 5366 microfinance organisations and 34,100 local savings and loan groups.

Sexual and reproductive health To help children and young people realise their right to sexual and reproductive health – including HIV prevention, care and treatment – Plan trained 86,809 community health workers and traditional birth attendants, benefiting 9433 communities. Plan’s investment in these activities totalled $19 million.

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) Plan invested $60 million in WASH activites, working with 417,911 households to improve their sanitation facilities and helping communities to build or refurbish 3796 water points. Plan uses rights-based approaches, encouraging communities to take the lead in improving their sanitation, raising awareness about hygiene, and working with government to ensure that initiatives are sustainable in the long term.

A boy makes animals using plasticine at a Plan-supported early learning centre in Timor-Leste.

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Children play with coloured shapes at a Plan-supported early learning centre in India.

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Introduction Plan International Australia engages in multi-stakeholder relationships to achieve effective and sustainable development outcomes for children and their communities. We primarily work within intra-organisational relationships, such as other national offices, International Headquarters, regional, and country offices to achieve our vision and mission. These relationships are largely guided by organisational and institutional systems and structures. PIan International Australia also engages in inter-organisational relationships in the aid system both in Australia and internationally to achieve strategic goals. These are entered into through formal agreements, or developed as coalitions or collaborative groups around a specific development agenda.

Partnerships are central to Plan International Australia’s global effectiveness and a core feature of our international work.8 The value of the private sector to international development is ever increasing and the nature of corporate responsibility is evolving from traditional philanthropy to a shared value approach – this brings many opportunities for Plan. This year we had more than 500 corporate partners supporting our work. Ensuring meaningful and robust partnerships is critical for Plan’s success.

In 2012, partnership was identified as an organisational learning priority and designated as the theme for our Reflective Annual Process (RAP). This section explores the findings of our RAP which indicated the need to build a deeper understanding and competency in our work with partners. These issues are also discussed throughout this Review and in particular in the Practice Influence section, which provides further information about the RAP.

Why partnerships?

A number of internal and external factors drove the focus on learning about partnerships in 2012. The international civil society organisation landscape is in a state of change. Donors, governments, communities and Plan itself are calling for: power to be redistributed between northern and southern agencies; greater accountability and transparency; reduced duplication of resources; greater cost effectiveness; and common approaches to performance and quality standards.9 Plan is responding through initiatives such as the Business Operation Model change agenda, the One Plan global strategy and several partnership reviews and policy development activities. These global and intra-organisational shifts are likely to affect Plan International Australia’s relationships within Plan International and externally. They will also create new dynamics and opportunities that challenge existing ways of working. Knowledge of these forces, critical reflection on our current organisational and individual motivations and behaviours, and our ability to respond to these changes was something that program staff wanted to explore through the RAP.

Plan International Australia and partnerships Our corporate strategy recognises the importance of partnerships, the increasing use of partnering in our work and the need for different partnership models to achieve our strategic aims.10 The way Plan International Australia staff, particularly program staff, engage with other organisations in existing and new partnerships is central to the performance of the agency. During the RAP, our Program Department staff were split into three groups to examine how working in different types of partnership can assist Plan International Australia to bring about more positive change for children. The teams looked at how we should work with country offices and other national offices to achieve better development outcomes. They also discussed how we should work with other civil society organisation groupings to better influence the Australian Government.11 A number of elements were identified as being essential to explore, including gender, culture, values and power. A partnership analysis framework was developed by Prof. Alan Fowler to help the reflection and learning process across the groups’ inquiries. Importantly, this framework looked at the individual stance of the staff member engaged in the partnership; their power, motivation, action and transaction in the partnership; and the wider systems and structures of the partnership.12

Reflection and learning Interestingly, the groups found similar behaviours and systems were needed for each of the three different types of relationships that were explored. The findings of each group fell within the broad categories of: the necessary individual competencies; ways of working between organisations; and the wider systems and structures that either support or (through their absence) threaten the type of partnership.

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» Individual competencies The 2012 country office survey of Plan national offices showed that Plan International Australia is considered to be the most constructive national office within the global organisation with high technical competence. However, key relationship competencies relating to trust, respect and openness could still be strengthened to enhance our development practice.13 These relationship areas were reflected in the analysis of the national office-country office group findings. Country offices identified that the individual competencies important in national office-country office partnerships relate to intercultural communication (the ability to empathise, respectful dialogue, trust and approachability) and effective work habits (timeliness and professional conduct). One country office described a number of behaviours and actions that show the presence and absence of trust: “Funding a country office to deliver effective development indicates a level of trust in the capacity of a country office to manage these resources”.

In contrast: “In one case, staff were being contacted almost on a daily basis by a national office for a three-month duration on relatively minor issues indicating a lack of trust and also taking time away from implementing effective development”.14 The national office-national office group identified communication and a commitment to partnership as key competencies, as well as the need to have a shared vision. The external civil society organisation group identified technical skills, a personal passion and commitment to the issues, and knowing when to act collaboratively or competitively, as the competencies needed for this type of partnership.15

» Ways of working The national office-country office group found that to work effectively, each partner needs to be clear about its role, responsibilities and accountabilities. One country office noted: “The importance of clarity in terms of the deliverables for which each party to the partnership makes itself accountable”.16 From the data, the group developed a table outlining responsibilities and accountabilities that are shared or specific for a country office and national office at individual and organisational levels.

The national office-national office group found that each partner needs to be open to new ways of working, value collaboration, and focus on program quality rather than just funding. Collaboration tends to occur only when individuals have a particular desire or will to make it work and where there is a sense of like mindedness and shared vision.17 People find a way to work in partnership despite institutional barriers.

The external civil society organisation group found that Plan International Australia needs to more consciously consider its interest and how each external group allows the organisation to enact this interest.

The agency acts differently depending on the context of contestation and interest seeking. Contestation can be high in a competitive funding environment, with consensus and low intensity required in a context of civil society strengthening. The motivations for Plan International Australia’s involvement in partnerships are linked to our strategy (comprising impact, influence, identity and income).18 However, collaborative initiatives that attract the most attention and resources are those with the potential to increase our profile and funding. This finding is interesting given our strategy places effective relationships as a central pillar for achieving child rights impact and influence, yet it implies that these relationships are not as well resourced and supported.19 Based on the RAP group findings, our program staff acknowledged that relationships are based on the two people representing their respective organisations and that their individual competencies, the quality of the relationship, and ways of working are essential to enable effective practice. Program staff need to: »» be accountable for the relationship in their organisation »» spend time getting to know each other »» continue to spend time understanding each other’s motivations, priorities and competing commitments »» communicate clearly, respectfully and in a way that is appropriate to the age, gender and culture of their colleague.20

» Systems and structure A major finding of the RAP is that program managers are currently working in the absence of documented systems and procedures regarding partnership. While this allows space for innovation, it also means managers can be left confused and without guidance and, therefore, mandate. As one RAP participant stated: “Program Managers are carrying the tensions and the seemingly contradictory messages”.21

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» Practice implications Many important practice implications at individual, program and organisational levels were identified through the RAP. The individual implications are the need to: »» be more self-aware of the power and gendered position within relationships (particularly crosscultural relationships) »» analyse and raise issues of power in Plan International Australia partnerships with management as necessary »» initiate new approaches to partnerships and/or use partnership agreements.

Programmatic implications are the need to: »» be strategic in deciding on which partnerships to invest in »» increase the scope of staff to negotiate with prospective partners »» determine the relational position to be taken in each context »» balance design, brokering and management roles in partnerships »» build awareness of how to negotiate the multiple perspectives in partnerships »» provide certainty for staff on Plan International Australia’s position in partnerships.

Organisational implications are the need to: »» identify the relationship competencies required by Plan International Australia staff »» invest in staff developing and valuing relational competencies »» clarify authority and accountability in existing relationships »» identify how to measure the performance of partnerships and how to support organisational agility in a changing internal and external landscape.22

Continuous improvement Responding to these multilayered practice implications requires action from various levels of the organisation. Supporting practice change is a critical aspect of the RAP. It is also the most difficult aspect to monitor, evaluate and support as it incorporates conscious and unconscious changes in behaviour and practice, and because of the multilayered nature of the practice changes required. A number of staff identified areas for practice change that reflected the need to become more conscious of issues relating to gender, power and cross-cultural differences in their professional relationships. One staff member committed to:

Girls read in class at a Plan-supported school in Laos.

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“… an increased commitment (on my part) to raise issues (about power, gender, etc.) in Australia national office partnerships with management, as necessary, for their support/action to address imbalances, and to draw management attention to how these imbalances may be negatively impacting on Australia National Office.23”

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Individual action, however, needs to be supported by programmatic actions and changes that address the RAP findings and implications. There is a clear opportunity to address some of the accountability and role clarification that is required to support relational development and management through the current Program Department change process. These changes aim to achieve better strategic alignment and respond to the changing aid and development landscape. They also respond to the evolving structure of Plan International and shifts in the way the organisation works relationally. As a result of the RAP, the Plan International Australia Senior Management Team identified a number of areas that require further consideration and action. These include determining what collaborative competency means for the organisation; how this relates to organisational values and behaviours; how to adapt to the changing role of a Plan national office and how to influence the International Headquarters partnership strategy and policy.

Through the RAP, we also aim to influence Australian international development sector approaches towards partnerships. For example, we shared the Australian African Civil Society Engagement Scheme (AACES) partnership case study with the partners involved in this group. As a result, we have been asked to facilitate a session on partnership at the AACES annual reflection workshop in June.24 In 2013, the RAP will continue to focus on relational competency and its linkages to effective development practice.

Conclusion Aided development is a relational undertaking. Enduring change is co-produced. Consequently, development effectiveness calls for relational competence everywhere. There are many external and internal forces that will continue to shape and challenge the distribution of relational power that operates in the aid system. Staying relationally still means lagging behind and becoming less effective in delivering our strategy, which ultimately impacts on the achievement of child rights.25 The continuous improvement of our partnership practice will remain a key priority in 2013 for Plan International Australia.

FOOTNOTES 8. In 2012, Plan worked in 51,376 collaborations including 3573 national and local government institutions, 1682 international and national level NGOs, and 44,000 locally-based organisations and groups.

9. A Fowler, ‘Plan Australia – RAP 2012 on Partnership, Landscape Note’, Melbourne, 2012 10. Plan International Australia, Champion for Child Rights: Corporate Strategy 2011–2016, PIA, Melbourne, 2011.

11. The country offices that participated in the Plan International Australia and country office inquiry and reflection process were Timor-Leste, Ethiopia and Vietnam. The inquiry on the Plan International Australia and national office collaborations included participation from Finland National Office and Netherlands National Office, Regional Office of East and Southern Africa, Asia Regional Office, Uganda Country Office and Vietnam Country Office. The external civil society organisation group analysed four types of external relationships illustrating civil society organisational groupings focused on funding or policy influence and supported by or independent of ACFID where Plan International Australia had active membership. The group developed case studies on the Water and Sanitation Reference Group, the Humanitarian Partnership Agreement and Humanitarian Reference Group, the Australian African Community Engagement Scheme and the Child Rights Working Group.

12. A Fowler, ‘Desk officers as boundary spanners: the “connecting professions”’, in ICSOs, Plan International Australia’s Reflective Annual Process Partners Analysis Framework for 2012, Melbourne, 2012.

13. Plan International, Country Office Feedback Survey, Plan, Woking, July 2012.

14. Plan International Australia, National Office-Country Office Reflective Annual Process Summary Report, PIA, Melbourne, 2012.

15. Plan International Australia, Reflective Annual Process Report, PIA, Melbourne, 2012.

16. Plan International Australia, National Office-Country Office Reflective Annual Process Summary Report, PIA, Melbourne, 2012.

17. Plan International Australia, National Office-National Office Reflective Annual Process Summary Report, PIA, Melbourne, 2012.

18. Plan International Australia, Champion for Child Rights: Corporate Strategy 2011–2016, PIA, Melbourne, 2012.

19. Plan International Australia, PIA – External Civil Society Organisation Reflective Annual Process Summary Report, PIA, Melbourne, 2012.

20. Plan International Australia, Reflective Annual Process Report, PIA, Melbourne, 2012.

21. Plan International Australia, Reflective Annual Process Report, PIA, Melbourne, 2012.

22. Plan International Australia, Reflective Annual Process Report, PIA, Melbourne, 2012.

23. Plan International Australia, Reflective Annual Process Evaluation Reports, PIA, Melbourne, 2012.

24. Plan International Australia, Reflective Annual Process Evaluation Reports, PIA, Melbourne, 2012.

25. A Fowler, ‘Relational Reflections for Development Practice: A story of movement’, (power point presentation), Plan International Australia Reflective Annual Process, Melbourne, 2012.

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A family drinks safe, boiled water in Vietnam.

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Programs at Work

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Children practice good hand washing techniques in Vietnam.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene 22

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Overview The benefits of engaging the right partner at the outset of project activities was an important learning for the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) program in 2012. The program worked with country offices, government agencies, private companies, social enterprises, and helped establish small-scale sanitation enterprises and associations across a range of projects. These collaborations bring complementary skills to implementation and build the foundations to sustain and replicate the improvements achieved through Plan’s work. Understanding the motivators for people to invest in sanitation and change their hygiene behaviours, as well as the approaches needed to help government agencies take up their WASH leadership mandate, were identified as areas for the program to develop further.

Approach In 2012, Plan International Australia’s 11 WASH projects targeted the most marginalised and vulnerable communities in ten countries, supporting them to use their own skills and resources to deliver sustained change. Based on lessons from Plan International’s work and sector best practice, these programs included: government leadership; improved sanitation with private sector engagement; hygiene promotion; and participatory, whole-of-community approaches. The role of government is central to success and we work to influence and support national WASH agendas and policies. We also work to enable vulnerable communities to voice their WASH needs and build government capacity to respond.

Plan International Australia has successfully generated demand for sanitation through the Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach. Our WASH programs now complement CLTS with sanitation marketing so that households have sustained access to durable and desirable sanitation goods and services via a market-based system. To improve hygiene behaviours we are increasingly combining long-standing hygiene promotion approaches with social marketing techniques. This generates long-term hand washing practice based on non-health motivators, such as affiliation and nurture, now recognised in the literature as effective for creating change.26

Reflection and learning » Working with government In Indonesia, an evaluation was undertaken at the end of the WASH project that was supported by AusAID’s Civil Society WASH Fund and ANCP. The project worked in collaboration with the Grobogan District Government which took the following action to assist the sustainability of the project outcomes: »» A Bupati’s (Head of District) Decree no 34/2011 instructing the 153 villages in the project area to allocate up to Rp3 million (about $330) per year for continued monitoring and community engagement by village facilitators. A new decree has been drafted that requires the rest of the district to do the same in 2013. »» In 2012, the Rp3 million fund per village started to be disbursed to promote hand washing with soap, household waste water management and household solid waste management. »» Heads of Dinases (Agencies) under the Pokja AMPL (District WASH Working Group) have committed to allocating the necessary resources to sustain and expand the STBM (Total Sanitation Campaign) approach.

promote hand

washing

with soap

»» Bappeda (District Planning Board) has allocated Rp150 million (about $16,700) for 2013 for STBM activities in the remaining nine sub-districts of Grobogan district. »» The government will continue to support the Association of Grobogan Sanitation Entrepreneurs (PAPSIGRO) which was established and supported by the project, but is now self-reliant.

We found that in order to institutionalise the national STBM in district and sub-district governments, advocacy and awareness raising work was required, as well as technical guidance and support in planning and implementation. This enabled us to convince the Grobogan District Government and local government bodies of the benefits of a non-subsidy approach. They then moved to establish sub-district STBM teams and strengthen the local legal framework for sanitation improvement.

» Private sector partnerships Sanitation / In Indonesia, PAPSIGRO has focused on ensuring that the entrepreneurs create financially viable, independent businesses and share information and experiences about sanitation product development and marketing approaches. This has seen the development of low-cost, high-quality toilet

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pans (offered at Rp35,000 or about US$4.00), four types of ready-to-use toilet packages, and various methods of payments to accommodate different payment capabilities. The final project evaluation in 2012 found that 1500 toilet bowls, 350 toilet sets (packages), 2600 concrete rings, and 30 sets of fiberglass moulds for toilet bowls had been sold by Association members.

A similar approach has been used in the Pakistan Sanitation Program where more than 130 small-scale entrepreneurs have been provided with training and support in product development, marketing and construction techniques. In addition, more than 30 SaniMarts have been set up. These one-stop shops for households provide a range of sanitation materials, basic raw materials, and skilled masons to help households install toilets. The project covers 18 districts and enabled more than 350,000 toilets to be built in 2012. It also ensured households in the project area have access to an ongoing supply of sanitation products.

Water / In Kenya, Plan International Australia used a partnership approach to construct a vital water pipeline extension that enhanced a wider sanitation and hygiene program in schools and communities in Kilifi district. We worked with the local Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, community groups, and a private company – the government-appointed Kilifi Mariakani Water and Sewerage Company (KIMAWASCO). The partnership married sanitation, hygiene and community mobilisation expertise with KIMAWASCO’s technical expertise in survey, design, physical implementation and licensing of community water schemes. The pipeline has been life changing: 17,500 people now have access to safe water. KIMAWASCO has committed to provide water at the lowest tariff, ensuring the sustainability and accessibility of the system for project communities. Learnings have included the need for clear procedures and training to support the operation and maintenance of the pipeline to reduce water loss. There were also issues relating to billing and revenue collection processes that need to be addressed.

Hygiene / In 2012, Plan Uganda developed a partnership with AfriPads – a sanitary pad social enterprise that produces washable, re-usable pads. AfriPads played a part in the design of this program which aims to improve the menstrual hygiene knowledge, attitudes and practice of 100,000 girls in Tororo and Lira districts over the next four years. The program will also work to empower women’s groups to develop business skills to produce and sell AfriPads, increasing the accessibility of these items. The project will ensure that more girls are able to manage their monthly period and health, and continue their schooling uninterrupted by the indignity of poor menstrual management facilities and products.

An initial challenge of this new partnership was to clarify roles, responsibilities and management lines between Plan and AfriPads staff at program unit level. Logistics relating to where the AfriPad product would be stored, how it would be distributed, and by who, were further issues. These challenges were clarified by the development of clear job descriptions, management structures and a Memorandum of Understanding between the partners.

Continuous improvement In 2012 Plan Vietnam, in collaboration with Plan International Australia, undertook a second trial of the gender and WASH monitoring tool (GWMT). The tool aims to help women and men explore gender relations in the context of WASH, identify areas for change or improvement, and monitor changes in gender relations over time. The GWMT comprises a series of participatory rural appraisal activities in a community meeting setting.

The tool was first trialled in 2011. Both trials were done in ethnically diverse communities in central Vietnam using a train-the-trainer approach. The first trial showed promising signs; the second trial allowed more time for facilitators to practice the GWMT in the workshop prior to using the tool in communities.

Those facilitators who were more confident were able to be identified and matched with those who needed additional support during the field trial.

The GWMT is still at an early stage of development and will continue to be refined and adapted as Plan Vietnam and government partners learn more about its application in different local contexts. In 2013 Plan International Australia will share learnings, lessons and techniques towards developing a GWMT through the production of a practical booklet.

A woman prepares water to be boiled for cooking in Vietnam.

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Open defecation free (ODF) sustainability / The analysis of Plan’s four-country ODF sustainability study will be finalised in mid-2013, with findings discussed at a meeting of Plan WASH staff from the participating countries, Plan International Australia and research consultants. This meeting will identify the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) program changes required to increase sustained toilet use and community ODF status. The findings and recommendations will also help improve the implementation of our other CLTS work and will be shared across country offices in Africa and Asia to inform practice in these regions more broadly.

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A Plan staff member demonstrates how to use the AfriPads product to a village savings and loans group in Uganda.

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Understanding Hygiene Behaviour / Behaviour change work in WASH hygiene programs was traditionally based on educating people about how to prevent the spread of germs. We are now learning that behaviour change is more complex and our hygiene programs need to be more sophisticated.

We need to understand other key motivators for change, such as feelings of disgust, fear, affiliation and nurture. New programs in 2013 will incorporate these elements into hygiene communications and campaigns while retaining a focus on a few key hygiene messages – particularly the importance of hand washing with soap. Plan and partner organisation staff will be trained in these new approaches and tools.

Snapshot of results »» In Indonesia, 44 villages in Grobogan District were certified ODF which brings the total number of ODF villages to 149 (97 per cent of targeted villages across ten sub-districts). »» In Laos, child- and gender-friendly WASH facilities were rehabilitated or constructed in 18 schools. These facilities – including toilets and hand washing stations – are constructed with child and gender considerations in mind. The program also focused on hygiene promotion, including good habitual hygiene, particularly hand washing with soap. »» In Pakistan, more than 3800 villages were triggered for CLTS with more than 2500 (66 per cent) achieving ODF status. As a result, 2,644,000 people now live in villages where everyone has a toilet. »» In Kenya more than 12,000 people now have access to an improved water supply as a result of an extension to the Mwampula and Jaribuni water pipeline. More than 70 per cent of the users of the extended pipeline now walk less than one kilometre to collect water (down from an average of five kilometres before the project). »» In 2012, Plan Netherlands and Plan International Australia launched the new Uganda Period Program, addressing girls’ menstrual hygiene needs and improving livelihood opportunities for women in Tororo, Uganda.

FOOTNOTES 26. V Curtis, ‘From Semmelweis to Global Handwashing Day: What’s the latest on hygiene promotion’, in Sharing experiences: Effective hygiene promotion in South-East Asia and the Pacific, edited by WaterAid, IWC, IRC, 2010.

27. Slippage rates varied from 0 to 57 per cent with an average of 14 per cent and median of 12 per cent.

28. Plan International Australia, Plan United Kingdom, Plan Netherlands, ODF Sustainability Action Learning: a study in four countries (study not yet completed).

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Children take part in hygiene lessons at a Plan-supported school in Laos.

case study

Understanding ODF sustainability

Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) is a key component of our WASH programming which has achieved considerable success and supported thousands of communities to reach ODF status. However, a lack of information about the sustainability of ODF prompted Plan International Australia, Plan United Kingdom and Plan Netherlands to research what helps or inhibits families to maintain their use of toilets and communities to remain ODF. Plan-supported CLTS programs in Sierra Leone, Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya were selected for inclusion in the study as each country had a well-established CLTS program across multiple program areas, and a growing number of communities had achieved ODF status more than two years earlier.

To conduct the study, almost 5000 households in more than 100 ODF villages in the four countries were revisited to determine how many were still ODF. The study found that only 14 per cent of households had ceased to use a toilet.27,28 For the second phase of the study, about 50 high-, medium- and no-slippage villages were selected for further investigation. Study teams developed tools for in-depth household and focus group discussions to explore in more detail the factors influencing ODF sustainability. More than 1200 household interviews and 52 community focus groups were conducted producing substantial data from a diverse range of contexts. Initial analysis suggests that there are key factors influencing uptake of sanitation during CLTS programs and the continued use (and upgrading) of these facilities after project interventions have ceased. These include: the quality of the initial CLTS triggering process; complementary hygiene messages; and the ready availability of local materials for construction.

Plan International Australia and country WASH teams will jointly review these findings once analysis is complete. Adjustments to future CLTS programs will be identified to ensure that they incorporate elements that support communities to remain ODF and address the factors that make achieving this more difficult. The findings of the study will also be shared more widely within Plan and with other WASH agencies to help inform how others understand CLTS programs and build in approaches that can support long-term sanitation sustainability.

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Lily plays with age-appropriate toys during a lesson at her Plansupported preschool in Laos.

Education and Early Childhood Care and Development 28

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Overview In 2012 we continued to learn from our Community Led Action for Children (CLAC) approach in Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia and Indonesia. We also further enhanced our education and Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) programming through cross-cutting issues such as child protection and inclusion and we learnt more about the importance of considering gender in our programming. In particular, the need to tease out notions of gender that are seen as culturally specific and to use strength-based approaches to learning and values that support equality. Social inclusion and our work to help partners monitor and evaluate remain learning themes as we grow the program. We also forged stronger relationships at regional level, and continued to exert our influence in global education and ECCD working groups.

Approach Our programming for Education and ECCD aligns with a rights-based approach and international instruments, such as the Millennium Development Goals, the Education for All initiative, the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child and the Rights of People with Disabilities. Our education program promotes innovative and creative solutions to challenges for children who suffer exclusion due to disability, remoteness, poverty, culture, ethnicity or other factors. It seeks to influence the mainstream delivery of education and to expand Plan International’s ways of engaging with communities and schools by adding value to School Improvement Programs. It also recognises the key role played by parents and communities in supporting children to learn, and this requires different strategies for different age groups along a lifelong continuum of learning.

Implicit in our ECCD approach is that the early years are instrumental in establishing good health and learning outcomes. Through the conceptual framework of the ‘4 Cornerstones to Secure a Strong Foundation for Early Childhood’, our ECCD programs provide the necessary foundations for health, growth and success in education and in life. During 2012 the program spanned two regions – Eastern and Southern Africa and Asia – with projects in ten countries.

Reflection and learning The design phase for a Bangladesh Inclusive Education project is almost complete. The aim is to develop a practical, inclusive education implementation model that contributes to the goals of the Bangladesh Government’s Primary Education Development Program. This project has provided many learnings about partnerships. We have found that in systems that are rigid and centralised relationships are all important and that value can be added to programs by building trust and identifying where strengths exist. In addition, while the policy environment may be good, the realities in the classroom do not always reflect this and patience and compromise are often needed.

A study in Gazipur, Bangladesh, found that the exclusion of children from education is widespread because parents are not always supportive, teachers lack training, classes are overcrowded and facilities are poor.

There is also a low level of understanding of the extent and nature of disability.29 Through a partnership with CBM Nossal, and the work of our Disability Adviser, we have explored many facets of inclusion which informed the design of the project. Twin-track approaches take the best that mainstream schooling can offer to children with disabilities and connect to local organisations with specialist skills for these children.

Working with families, communities and school staff can ensure that inclusion is understood as a right for all children, leading to positive outcomes for everyone. The project will be implemented in Plan, government and UNICEF areas for shared learning and other partnerships will be established with local organisations with relevant experience. CBM Nossal has also reviewed the designs for our CLAC programs in Ethiopia and Zambia, and provided excellent guidance to ensure that the inclusion of young children with disabilities is at the forefront of our work.

Our work in the Philippines with the Mangyan tribal people of Occidental Mindoro continues to explore notions of exclusion around culture and ethnicity, particularly where language is a barrier to learning.

A key challenge has been building trusting relationships with communities and tribal leaders whose experience of outsiders has been negative due to logging, mining and other commercial interests. See the case study on page 31.

Plan’s ECCD Toolkit is now on the Plan website and contains manuals and guides for ECCD. This has been a major undertaking and is based on contributions from internationally-renowned early childhood expert Deborah Llewellyn. An evaluation of the CLAC parenting program in Uganda provided us with insights. Parenting practices in Plan program areas were found to be different in one major respect, namely there were more preventative health practices in place. However, activities to develop children’s

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social and intellectual capacities were still lacking. Evaluation recommendations included revising and reducing the number of messages for parents and ensuring that demonstration and practice are key to the dissemination of these parenting messages.30 Plan Rwanda hosted the second regional meeting for ECCD in November 2012, with every country in the region of Eastern and Southern Africa (RESA) represented except South Sudan. The theme for the meeting was social inclusion and several experts helped expand our learning in this field including the Plan ECCD specialists for the Asia Region, and Eastern and Southern Africa.

Building on our learning from 2011 around gender, Plan International Australia, in partnership with Plan Finland and Plan Uganda, supported a study of gender in the CLAC program. The evaluation looked at the gendered perceptions, norms and practices of caregivers, parents, teachers and children in relation to their interactions and aspirations. Through observations, play sessions and interviews, it found that mothers shoulder a disproportionate burden of familial and childcare duties. Labour around care giving begins for girls in very early childhood, reducing their ability to participate fully in education. The emphasis of gender development for boys lies in their ability to successfully fulfill the traditional role of provider-protector-leader. The challenges include looking at how these roles may inhibit ambitions for girls and how men and boys can incorporate more of the responsibility for child rearing into their sense of identity in traditional settings.31

Nokia supported

plan in

producing

6800 parenting

messages

Nokia supported our lead role in producing 6800 parenting messages for dissemination through basic mobile phone technology in Pakistan, Egypt, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. Parents of children under 17 will be able to opt-in to receive a positive parenting message each day that is culturally appropriate, relevant and affirming. Nokia also supported the production of high-quality footage of CLAC interventions in Uganda for sharing as a learning tool through mobile technology for program staff and caregivers.

Continuous improvement In 2013 we will strengthen our partnerships with CBM Nossal, UNICEF and the Bangladesh Government to develop teacher training curriculum for inclusive classrooms. A detailed situational analysis in the target communities will determine attitudinal and other barriers to participation in education.

The consultations for the next phase of the Alternative Learning System project in the Philippines began in March 2013. This project develops locally-relevant ECCD programs based on the findings of a study of traditional child rearing practices in the tribal communities.32 Nokia mobile technology will be rolled out in Uganda for local caregivers and teachers to demonstrate good practice through useful filmed examples in their own language. Other footage which explains quality ECCD approaches will be edited for global dissemination to donors and the broader community.

Translations into Swahili and Urdu are complete for the Nokia Parenting messaging, and Arabic and Luganda translations will be completed by mid-2013. A summarised version of the ECCD Toolkit, along with initial work on translations into other languages, will assist our program partners in Asia and Africa.

Following the evaluation of the parenting program in Uganda the parenting messages are being revised to ensure that they are clear, concise and practical. A challenge is to preserve the work done so far while finding ways to make it more accessible.

Plan International Australia will contribute to the continuing dialogue about ECCD and Education in emergencies and how to better prepare children for emergencies. To this end, we shall be part of a large Plan International contingent at the Comparative and International Education Society Conference in 2013.

This will also be an opportunity to further engage in the conversation about education after 2015, the deadline for the Millennium Development Goals.

Our participation in the reference group for the global ECCD thematic evaluation will complement our support for regional and global efforts to influence the quality agenda for ECCD. To this end, we will also continue to actively participate in the Asia Regional Network for Early Childhood. The third meeting for ECCD in Eastern and Southern Africa will focus on implementing learnings around inclusion and operationalising the findings from the global thematic evaluation for ECCD. Our aim is to contribute to wider regional and global strategy development.

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A community member stands outside a Plan-supported Alternative Learning System Centre in Philippines.

case study

The storybook project and creative spaces teacher training, Occidental Mindoro, the Philippines

The Alternative Learning System program was developed to respond to the challenges faced by tribal children excluded from formal learning due to factors including remoteness, relevance of curriculum, dominant language of instruction (Tagalog), discrimination and poverty.

An indigenous storybook project has transformed learning for children of the seven tribal groups in program areas. These children are now able to learn a culturally-relevant curriculum in their mother tongue. Whole communities are benefiting from the recognition that culture and language are intertwined and that young children learn best in their mother tongue because it is the language of their thoughts and of those around them. This project is bringing new life to old stories and developing engaging ways for teachers and children to interact for better learning outcomes. Instead of being on the outside of their children’s learning experiences, families are now key participants with a stake in how and what their children learn.

Mother tongue dialogue and instruction allow teachers and children to interact naturally, creating learning environments that are conducive to optimum cognitive and linguistic development. Some of the components of the project include: gathering tribal stories from elders and putting them into written form; illustrating stories (the work of 11 volunteer artists); publication of 13 beautiful storybooks in the seven tribal languages, with Tagalog and English translations; and using the stories as the centre of learning through the development of curriculum webs.

Based on foundational work by Plan International Australia’s Education program manager, activities, ideas and concepts were developed to extend and explore meaning through mediums such as dance, constructive play, drawing and song. Our teacher training program, Creative Spaces, inducts teachers into this new approach for teaching and learning.

The important role of storytelling as an instrument of education and a preserver of culture has been recognised and embraced through the development of the indigenous storybooks and story-centred teaching approaches. For the first time, children can hear and see important stories that tell the history, experiences, values and beliefs of their tribes. Bringing culturally relevant learning into the communities has given greater legitimacy to the contribution that their stories can make to achieving literacy and broader education outcomes for tribal children.

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Snapshot of results »» As a result of the Philippines Alternative Learning System program, 107 young people from four tribes took the education department equivalency test in November 2012 and 40 teachers have undergone further intensive training. In addition, 127 teachers sat the Board exam for recognition of their skills by the Philippines Government. This program has also developed various modules which are being distributed to facilitators. »» The Community Managed ECCD project in eastern Indonesia (Flores and Lembata islands) worked in 31 villages, supporting 65 parenting groups, 1074 parents, 13 early childhood centres and 2126 children. The project has trained 52 early childhood caregivers and started work with 26 communities and their primary schools. As a result of the project, 99 per cent of children from the early childhood centres have enrolled in primary school. »» Through Nokia mobile technology, 6800 parenting messages were delivered to parents of children under 17 in Egypt, Pakistan, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. »» In Uganda, 16 communities have been running early learning programs. A total of 869 children aged four and five (453 boys, 416 girls) have participatrd in early learning centres and more than 600 children (304 girls and 301 boys) from the centres entered Primary 1 this year. »» In Vietnam, 38 ECCD workers and 126 volunteers participated in Plan’s child rights training for trainers. Teacher training was conducted for 41 participants and seven training extension programs were conducted for 222 primary school teachers.

FOOTNOTES 29. G Roy, Situation of Out of School Children from Pre-primary and Primary Education in Gazipur Program Area of Plan Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2011.

30. F E Aboud and E Kumbakumba, Evaluation of the Plan Uganda Parenting Program, Kampala, Uganda, June 2012.

31. A Trembath and D Kilsby, Moving Toward a New Gender Horizon: Gender in Early Childhood Care and Development in Uganda, Kampala, Uganda, 2012.

32. M Martinez, Traditional Child Rearing Practices and Beliefs Among Seven Selected Mangyan Sites in Occidental Mindoro, 2012.

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A boy plays with coloured blocks at a Plan-supported early learning centre in Uganda.

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A woman in Indonesia weaves traditional fabric at a Plan-supported community.

Livelihoods, Food Security and Youth Economic Empowerment 34

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Overview During 2012, Plan International Australia continued to strengthen food and income security through its work with poor families in rural Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. Project progress reports, mid-term reviews and independent evaluations have confirmed positive achievements in household security, food security, and health, hygiene and nutrition, and validate our approach to date. This year has also seen a new and vital area of work emerging in the area of Youth Economic Empowerment.

Approach People aged under 25 currently represent more than half of the world’s population and, over the next decade, more than one billion children will transition through adolescence into adulthood.33 In the next decade, it is estimated that 1.3 billion young people will enter the labour market, but only 300 million new jobs are likely to be created.34 Preparing children and young people to participate in the economy is an important step for their transition into adulthood and out of poverty.

The Plan International Youth Economic Empowerment Program model aims to enable marginalised young people, especially young women, to access life skills and work readiness training, vocational skills training, placement in safe and decent employment or the opportunity to start their own business with mentoring and business development support services. However, the YEE model needs to be adapted to the specific contexts of disadvantaged youth to ensure all program elements are relevant and meet their needs. Plan International Australia is developing new programming with disadvantaged youth drawing on the key successes and lessons learnt from YEE implementation to date. This will complement our ongoing work with poor households to strengthen household economic and food security to enable families to provide a healthy and nurturing environment in which children can reach their full potential.

over the next

decade, more than

one billion

children will transition

through

adolescence

into adulthood

Reflection and learning » Community Managed Nutrition – Indonesia Plan International Australia and Plan Indonesia started the Community Managed Nutrition project in Indonesia in 2009 to address under-nutrition of children aged under five. The health and nourishment of infants and children – especially in the first two years of life – has a major impact on their physical, emotional and intellectual development, right through to adulthood.

An Indonesian Ministry of Health nutrition status evaluation of Nusa Tengarra Temur province, Indonesia, revealed that more than 45 per cent of infants and children aged under five suffered from undernutrition.35 Inadequate intake of sufficient nutritious food – as well as the prevalence and inadequate treatment of common childhood diseases – were among the causes of under-nutrition. Plan International Australia sought to find a sustainable solution by building knowledge about nutrition and treatment of childhood diseases among health workers, community volunteers, parents and carers. Working directly with poor communities, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Plan Indonesia provided the basic equipment for community health posts, enabling staff and volunteers to measure, monitor and assess the health and development of children aged under five. The project team facilitated training for midwives and community volunteers on relevant topics such as health and nutrition, breastfeeding, and recognising and treating childhood illnesses. Armed with this knowledge, the midwives and volunteers facilitated training for parents and caregivers on nutrition, showing them how to meet their children’s nutritional requirements through breastfeeding and locally sourced food.

The final project evaluation showed that all project targets were achieved, including a reduction of the number of underweight children in target areas.36 The project approach was assessed as highly relevant by addressing the factors leading to children’s poor nutritional status, with a high probability of positive outcomes being sustained beyond the project. The project assessment noted that an increase in children’s nutritional status could have been attained more quickly by simply administering therapeutic feeding.

However, the team did not choose this approach because it would have meant removing children from their homes (to be treated in hospitals or clinics away from the community) and would not have addressed the knowledge and behaviours of parents and caregivers. Wanting to achieve long-term sustainable change, the team focused on increasing the knowledge of health professionals, community volunteers and parents, and supporting parents to care more effectively for their children in the home.37 Parents’ improved understanding of nutrition, hygiene and health issues was demonstrated by increased breastfeeding of infants and complementary feeding from six months of age, use of boiled water for consumption, better hygiene practices and access of proper treatment for childhood illnesses. The evaluation also identified the education of midwives and volunteers (who subsequently taught parents and caregivers), as the most successful aspect of the program.38 PLAN INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA

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» Youth empowerment – Timor-Leste In 2012 Plan International Australia, in partnership with Plan Timor-Leste, started the Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development program in Timor-Leste. This new holistic program was designed to facilitate the social, cultural, political and economic development of vulnerable young people in rural areas. The program design drew on lessons from previous experience implementing youth livelihoods, vocational training and participation projects in Aileu and Lautem districts. To ensure that the program reaches the most vulnerable young people, the project team conducted a consultation process with community leaders, youth leaders and vulnerable youth. When analysing the resulting data, the team considered the remoteness of young people’s homes from district centres and other indications of vulnerability, such as early marriage, school drop-out and disability.

The consultation process provided data by which the project team could assess the vulnerability of youth and their development needs. It also enabled young women and men to identify what training and support they wanted. As a result, Plan Timor-Leste commenced life skills training – including the topic of sexual and reproductive health and rights – as the young people wanted information about how to protect themselves and plan for their futures. Plan Timor-Leste has also launched a debating and public speaking program through two universities in Aileu district, which will facilitate the development of young people’s analytical and public speaking skills, and build confidence in and among young people to become effective and positive agents for change in their community.

To facilitate youth access to vocational training and economic development opportunities, the project team has identified a number of potential partners in the public and private sectors in Timor-Leste. Given the extremely limited employment opportunities for young people in rural Timor-Leste, partnerships with organisations that can provide business development support will be prioritised. The project team will develop a capacity building plan with each partner organisation, identifying where the organisation and team needs to build their skills to enable them to work effectively with youth. The project team will ensure that each organisation has a strong understanding of child protection, including identifying the potential risks for vulnerable youth and establishing mechanisms to reduce and/or address those risks in the program.

Another key issue is gender equality and the policies and practices required by partner organisations to ensure that young women have equitable access to training and employment opportunities.

Continuous improvement » Vocational education for disadvantaged youth – Cambodia During the year, Plan International Australia and Plan Cambodia began designing the Vocational Education for Disadvantaged Youth project. This project aims to respond to the growing number of young people in Cambodia who are dropping out of school early and are unable to find skilled employment. Although Cambodia’s economy is growing rapidly, many young people face significant barriers to accessing training and work opportunities, and earning a decent income. This is particularly the case for young people from the poorest backgrounds, remote areas or ethnic minorities, those with disabilities, or those who are living with HIV/AIDS. Young women face additional barriers to training and employment opportunities. With many having dropped out of school early due to family obligations, financial pressure or other challenges, these young women face marginal work prospects as unskilled wage labourers with low and uncertain pay, often in locations far from home.

A key challenge for the program lies in adapting internationally successful vocational training models to the realities facing young people in rural Cambodia. Plan International’s Youth Economic Empowerment program provides a comprehensive approach, including confidence building, life skills, literacy and employability training, outreach to and support from families and communities, flexible and innovative training modules, close linkages with employers and markets, and support and guidance before, during and after training. However, this program approach needs to be significantly adapted to the context of disadvantaged youth in rural Cambodia.

In 2013, Plan International Australia and Plan Cambodia will partner with the Cambodian Government through its provincial training centres. This partnership will build skills in developing and delivering vocational training courses that meet the needs and aspirations of young people and link with local markets and employment opportunities. The partnership will benefit from the existing experience and resources of Cambodia’s established training providers and will strengthen the national training system beyond the duration of the project. A local NGO, Krousar Yoeung, with experience in partnering with Plan and engaging and empowering the most marginalised community members, will ensure the program reaches and responds to the needs of disadvantaged young people.

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A girl demonstrates how to grind coffee in Timor-Leste.

A boy takes part in a student radio program in Timor-Leste.

Snapshot of results »» In Indonesia’s Nusa Tengarra Temur district, 1587 people (parents and carers of children under five) benefited from improved community health services integrating health, hygiene and nutrition practices. »» In the rural areas of Cambodia‘s Siem Reap and Kampong Cham provinces, 5329 people now practice better health and hygiene in a bid to prevent disease. »» In Cambodia and Timor-Leste, 2605 men and women from poor rural communities received literacy and vocational skills training to help them earn a sustainable income. »» In the Philippines, 470 poor farmers (243 male and 227 female) received agriculture and horticulture training to enable them to increase food production and generate additional income for their families. »» More than 1500 women in Cambodia, the Philippines and Timor-Leste now have better access to productive assets, giving them increased income and strengthening their status in their families.

FOOTNOTES 33. UNICEF, Progress for Children: A Report Card on Adolescents, UNICEF, New York, April 2012.

34. International Labour Office, ‘The Youth Employment Crisis: A call for action’, Resolution and Conclusions of the 101st Session of the International Labour Conference, ILO, Geneva, 2012.

35. Ministry of Health, Indonesia, Basic Health Research/Riset Kesehatan Dasar-Riskesdas, Jakarta, 2007.

36. Centre of Nutrition and Health Studies – University of Indonesia, Endline Study: Community Managed Nutrition Project in Timor Tengah Salatan (TTS) and Timor Tengah Utara (TTU) districts, East Nusa Tengarra Province, University of Indonesia, Depok, 2012.

37. Plan International Australia and Plan Indonesia, ‘Community Managed Nutrition Project NTT Province: Project Design Document’, July 2009.

38. Centre of Nutrition and Health Studies – University of Indonesia, Endline Study: Community Managed Nutrition Project in Timor Tengah Salatan (TTS) and Timor Tengah Utara (TTU) districts, East Nusa Tengarra Province, University of Indonesia, Depok, 2012.

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This mother and daughter have benefited from Plan’s Empowering Families project in Cambodia, which provides families with opportunities to learn new skills and earn an income.

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case study

Empowering families in Cambodia

Plan International Australia, Plan Cambodia and local NGO Krousar Youeng, have been implementing the Empowering Families project in Cambodia since 2009. Working with extremely poor families in remote rural communities of Siem Reap province, the project aims to increase people’s ability so that they can develop a sustainable income. The project team works with each family to identify existing skills and capacity, provide opportunities for families to learn new skills and strengthen their ability to assess, access and engage with the market.

The results of the project are a testament to the positive and supportive relationship between the partners, and a commitment to learning that was made at the start of the project. This commitment includes processes to reflect upon and improve practices with regard to working with the poorest families. In 2012 the project team expanded the criteria of vulnerability to include measures other than poverty such as: Female-headed households; families from ethnic minority groups; and families with a person with a disability, recognising that these factors create greater barriers to accessing education and employment. The project team also used specific strategies to enhance gender equality in the home and community.

The following are the project results: »» All 600 partner families have demonstrated improved skills and 80 per cent have improved production, more diversified income sources, and improved food sufficiency. »» 218 family members established co-operatives to produce and sell agricultural products.

A market outlet established in Siem Reap town is functioning well and selling families’ products at better prices than before by selling to middlemen or traders. »» Nine Village Livestock Agents (including five women) were trained through the project, creating an animal health service to provide ongoing support to the partner families. »» 415 adults (261 women) participated in literacy classes, with 220 (145 women) successfully completing classes and now able to demonstrate and apply literacy and numeracy skills in their daily lives.

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Benon, who participated in a workshop on human rights and law as part of Plan’s PRAAC project in Uganda and now helps members of his community resolve land disputes, tells a Plan staff member his story.

Rights and Community Resilience 40

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Overview During 2012 Plan International Australia continued to develop its approaches to promoting rights and social inclusion, particularly for marginalised people and groups in Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

The Rights and Community Resilience program drew on learnings from 2011 about the importance of capacity building and participatory processes in program design and implementation, which enable shared understandings about the way change takes place. Assumptions and experience were examined to inform project strategies and approaches. Major learnings included the importance of understanding the experiences and perspectives of marginalised people and groups to tailor strategies to local contexts.

Understanding gender and social relations also helps to address social inclusion. A further learning was that building partnerships is not a linear process and needs to take account of different influences, including personal factors and organisational cultures.

Approach Plan’s child-centred community development approach is rights-based and guided by six principles: children at the centre; human rights principles and standards; responsibility and accountability; inclusion and non-discrimination; gender equality and participation. The Rights and Community Resilience program targets people from the poorest households and groups who are marginalised in their communities.

Projects that enable all people to enjoy their rights, and enable protection and redress to those whose rights are being abused, are key to bringing about equitable and sustainable development.

This work for the realisation of rights – particularly gender justice – requires multiple strategies to change the attitudes and practices of community members and duty bearers, as well as working with people and groups who are marginalised. During the year the program encompassed projects in Eastern and Southern Africa and Asia.

Reflection and learning » Food security in Zimbabwe In 2012 the Chiredzi Food Security project concluded and a Phase 2 project commenced. The Phase 1 project was funded by AusAID through the Zimbabwe Food and Water Initiative. It aimed to improve the food security and reduce the adverse coping strategies of 9952 of the most food-insecure households receiving food aid through the United Nations World Food Programme’s Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) program.

According to VGF data, more than 63 per cent of the most food-insecure households were female-headed.

Secondary target groups included the wider population in nine wards, estimated at more than 111,150 people.

The Phase 1 project promoted small grains and legumes suited to the local environment. It also increased the availability of good quality open pollinated varieties of seed through seed multiplication by farmers at the community level, and at agricultural technology and input fairs. Capacity building with extension staff, farmers and farmer groups included the use of demonstration plots and practical training.

There were a number of major learnings from Phase 1.39 While inputs and material resources are important, they may be ineffective without adequate training and support. In addition, food security activities and strategies need to be tailored to the situation of particular households, their assets and resources, size, composition, extended family, social connectedness and existing livelihood strategies.

Plus, gender dynamics and local contexts vary among villages even in the same ward.

These learnings guided the approaches for Phase 2, including increased focus on community processes and the selection of women from the most food-insecure households as seed multiplication farmers and lead farmers. In Phase 2, the project has continued work in Chiredzi and expanded to Mwenezi and Chipinge districts.

Women work on their garden in Chiredzi, Zimbabwe.

» Promoting Rights and Accountabilities in African Communities (praac) The Australian African Community Engagement Scheme (AACES) is based on a partnership approach among ten Australian NGOs (ANGOs), their partners and AusAID.40 Since the concept stage, AusAID has worked collaboratively with ANGOs and their partners on program scope, design and management processes. A partnership agreement signed by all ANGOs and AusAID commits the organisations to the principles of partnership, transparency, regular communication and mutual learning. Plan’s contribution to ACCES is through the PRAAC program, linking rights promotion in Zimbabwe, Uganda and Kenya.

In June 2012 the first AACES partners’ annual reflection meeting was held in Nairobi. A monitoring and evaluation system assessment was conducted in two phases: in Australia with the ANGOs and in

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Plan staff from around the world attend the Promoting Rights and Accountabilities in African Communities regional meeting in Nairobi.

Africa with at least one implementing organisation for each NGO program. The process involved peer review with another NGO (in Australia Plan partnered with World Vision and in Zimbabwe with AFAP and partners) as well as AusAID’s consultant and staff. Plan PRAAC staff shared some of our monitoring and evaluation instruments with partners at the workshop in December.

Building on the collaboration among AACES Kenya NGO partners, Plan Kenya, Marie Stopes Kenya, Plan International Australia and Marie Stopes International Australia developed a joint project proposal. The project, expected to commence in 2013 with AusAID funding through the AACES Innovation Fund, will work with young mothers and other stakeholders to increase young mothers’ access to maternal and child health and sexual and reproductive health services, as well as participation in group savings and loans.

Through work in Ndhiwa (Plan) and Kilifi (Marie Stopes) districts an integrated approach to working with young mothers will be piloted which could be replicated and scaled up beyond AACES.

» Reflective Annual Process – partnerships During our 2012 RAP, two Plan International Australia staff examined the AACES partnership in Australia, exploring five themes. Staff who are directly engaged in a program partnership have to develop workinglevel personal relationships with their counterparts. Being purposeful involves being conscious about developing a different way of working, with a particular focus on process and power.41 Formal rule-based approaches (MOUs, terms of reference for governance and decision-making bodies, such as the AACES Project Steering Committee) provide a framework and a starting point to be operationalised by staff working with organisational partners. Processes such as sharing of information (increasing in depth or sensitivity over time), identification of common interests, and joint work facilitate the development of relationships and trust.

A mini-reflective process about building the AACES partnerships in Australia used participatory methods for reflection and dialogue using the partnership as an opportunity to learn together.42 An inquiry process

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used a timeline of events and mapped organisational connections. These activities with a small group of external participants created a sense of collective reflection. The relationship mapping diagram drew out the different reasons why more collaboration had occurred with some organisations than others.

We concluded that building partnerships is not a linear process and needs to take account of influences including personal factors, organisational cultures and usual ways of working.43 This is particularly the case where the partnership is among a number of organisations and is new ‘space’ in which organisational representatives are coming together.

Continuous improvement » Promoting Rights and Accountabilities in African Communities (praac) In 2013 PRAAC will further develop and use monitoring data to reflect on progress to date, inform reporting, and develop and refine strategies. The focus is likely to be on strategies to work with marginalised women and young people (aged 10–24 years), recognising that marginalisation is context specific. We will also continue to collect Most Significant Change (MSC) stories and start MSC selection processes involving community members in some communities. This promotes reflection processes with key community stakeholders about the changes that are valued. We are increasing our focus on monitoring change in duty bearers’ practices for longer-term sustainability of outcomes and in 2013 we will start preparing longitudinal case studies of change in a small number of selected communities. A participatory mid-term review of the PRAAC program will be completed in early 2014.

In 2012 the Cross Cultural Foundation of Uganda delivered training to PRAAC staff and other stakeholders on the culture in development approach and tools to understand and engage with culture.44 As a result, PRAAC staff have mapped cultural resources and engaged with diverse cultural understandings about disability, marginalisation and the rights of women and young people. In 2013 we will further develop this approach, which complements promoting respect for national laws and human rights.

The Zimbabwe Food Security project will continue to evolve based on learning from 2012 about engaging with the most food insecure households and harnessing community support, particularly for femaleheaded households. Project staff will use strength-based participatory learning and action approaches with communities to ensure the most food insecure households receive more targeted support, including inputs, training and social support to develop food production.

Snapshot of results »» More than 14,000 people (8966 women and girls, and 5101 men and boys) participated in at least one community education session on rights in PRAAC locations in Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe. »» 469 community volunteers (244 women, 225 men) were active in providing community education, counselling and advice, including linkages to other services across PRAAC locations in three countries. »» In Uganda and Zimbabwe, 904 people accessed legal advice, alternative dispute resolution services and referrals provided by community volunteers and PRAAC staff. »» By the end of the year, 482 people (376 women and 106 men) were participating in village savings and loan groups in Ndhiwa district in Kenya and Chipinge and Chiredzi districts in Zimbabwe. »» In Uganda, PRAAC contributed to a civil society coalition led by the Centre for Domestic Violence Prevention which led to the Ugandan Government adopting guidelines needed to operationalise the Domestic Violence Act.

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Plan’s PRAAC project in Zimbabwe promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities in activities such as farming.

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case study

Promoting the rights of people with disabilities

Promoting Rights and Accountabilities in African Communities (PRAAC) is a five-year program in selected districts in Zimbabwe, Uganda and Kenya. The program aims to ensure: communities are active in addressing inequalities for marginalised people; appropriate services are available for marginalised people; increased engagement between civil society and government to uphold rights; and improved AusAID and NGO programs in Africa. The program uses a ‘reflect > act > reflect and re-strategise > act again’ approach.

PRAAC staff use rights-based approaches to promote changes in community members’ and duty bearers’ attitudes and behaviour, and encourage non-discrimination and the equality and inclusion of marginalised people (including the poorest, women, young people and people with disabilities). This is part of a twin-track approach, which includes outreach to foster the participation of marginalised people and groups in project and wider community activities. It is broader than a welfare-oriented disability services focus which has been the usual approach in many projects. Key learnings from PRAAC experience to date include:45 »» The value of participatory approaches and qualitative methods to hear diverse community members’ views, including people with disabilities. This has helped challenge staff assumptions, increased knowledge about community understandings of disability and the experiences of people with disability, and enabled us to track changes in community attitudes and practices. »» The importance of quantitative data to track participation of people with a disability in routine project monitoring and disaggregate the data by gender, age and, where possible, nature of disability. »» Community understandings about the causes of disability vary widely. They include curses, witchcraft and religious beliefs, contact with a person with a disability, medical reasons (such as inadequate health services and malpractice) and accidents. Who is regarded or self-identifies as having a disability can vary widely.

National census data and other population-based approaches to estimating disability prevalence are not very useful as guides at the community level. »» Engagement with culture as a resource can promote the rights and social inclusion of people with disabilities. »» There is a complex interplay of gender, age, poverty and disability.

The principles of non-discrimination, participation, inclusion and accountability underpin PRAAC’s rights-based approach. In 2012, some changes in attitudes and practices were reported by people with disabilities, community volunteers, and duty bearers. Capacity building of community volunteers and duty bearers will continue in 2013, together with specific activities to reach out to people with disabilities and their families.

FOOTNOTES 39. During Phase 1, the project produced two manuals on seed multiplication and agricultural and input technology fairs to share lessons learned with a wider audience in Zimbabwe. A number of studies were undertaken by Plan after the end of the Phase 1 project between March and June 2012. These included studies on grain and seed yields from the 2011–12 season; outcomes and learning about the poultry and gardening components; the experiences of seed multiplication farmers and farmer groups. Plan Zimbabwe also prepared a livelihood and food security situation analysis report for Mwenezi and Chipinge districts to guide the phase-in activities in the new project districts.

40. The ten ANGOs are: Action Aid, Anglican Overseas Aid (in collaboration with the Nossal Institute and Australian Volunteers International), the Australian Foundation for the Peoples of Asia and the Pacific, CARE International, Caritas, Marie Stopes International Australia, Oxfam, Water Aid, World Vision and Plan International Australia.

41. L Veneklasen and V Miller, A New Weave of Power, People and Politics: The Action Guide for Advocacy and Citizen Participation, Oklahoma City, 2002.

Veneklasen and Miller distinguish four different forms of power: power over (domination and control of one over the other), power to (individual ability to act), power within (self-worth and dignity) and power with (collective action, working together).

42. In AACES, ANGOs are reporting about partnerships and collaboration with other AACES partners in six- monthly and annual reports. An annual partnership survey is used to gather information from AACES partners.

43. This is in contrast to other conceptions about linear and sequential approaches to building partnership. For example, agreeing on common purpose, agreeing on actions, and working towards agreed plans.

44. Cross Cultural Foundation of Uganda defines this (in part) as an approach that recognises, builds upon and integrates positive aspects of culture in all spheres of development; uses practical examples to illustrate the value of culture in development (as a resource); and acknowledges and manages the challenges associated with achieving synergy between the modern and the traditional.

45. These were shared with AACES partners at the AACES Disability Inclusion workshop in Nairobi in June 2012 and with Plan International participants at the first Plan International Disability Inclusion Conference in Cairo in August 2012.

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Woman and children attend a water and hygiene training session as part of Plan’s flood response in Badin, Pakistan.

Disaster Risk Management 46

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Overview The Disaster Risk Management (DRM) team’s RAP elicited a number of learnings that will enable us to continue to improve the effectiveness of our responses to disasters around the world. Partnerships were developed with Plan Japan and Plan Germany in relation to joint WFP operations in Cambodia and South Sudan respectively, and these were crucial to maintain the momentum of our work. Gender Action Plans continued to be implemented during humanitarian response activities, and monitored and reviewed at the conclusion of interventions, ensuring a more consistent approach to gender equality in the program.

In addition, our approach of providing teams with permanent on-the-ground resources – including human resources – proved to be much more successful than more short-term support. This approach also enables us to build capacity over time.

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The team manages projects in 19 countries across the Pacific, South East Asia, South Asia, East and Southern Africa, and West Africa. Key to the successful implementation of these projects is the development of onthe-ground strategic partnerships in food aid and humanitarian response. This has been achieved through partnerships in the delivery of food aid with support from other Plan national offices. We have also formed partnerships with local agencies in order to respond to emergencies such as the Badin Floods in Pakistan. Gender Action Plans now form an important component of our program cycle.

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The DRM team implements Plan International Australia’s DRM strategy and develops capability based on our own approaches and those mandated by Plan International. This includes maintaining a disaster readiness and response capability and strategy. There is also a clear focus on community resilience through food aid and integration with the growing sector of Disaster Risk Reduction, which includes Climate Change Adaptation.

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Approach

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19 countries

Reflection and learning » Pakistan Plan Pakistan was funded through the AusAID Humanitarian Partnership Agreement for the flood response in District Badin. The intervention was designed to tackle issues of water, sanitation and hygiene. The grant was awarded very quickly (within 72 hours), which enabled affected communities to be assisted in a timely manner. Gender and protection – particularly child protection – were effectively integrated into the intervention in line with our principles and values. These themes informed beneficiary selection and the delivery of project activities specifically targeted at marginalised and vulnerable groups. For example, priority was given to households headed by women. Overall, more than 50 per cent of beneficiaries were female, with community members being fully involved and proactive in project activities, distribution processes and awareness sessions. WASH facilities and health and hygiene kits included provisions to meet the specific needs of women and girls. In addition, our partner organisations were trained in our approaches to gender and child protection with strict monitoring to ensure compliance.

A Gender Action Plan was formulated and implemented, identifying gender-specific needs and ensuring that the project attempted to integrate these accordingly. These needs included accommodating safety and security concerns for women and girls, and acknowledging their role and responsibility in upholding the health and well-being of their families. This led to an improvement in women’s decision-making power.46 The response also identified vulnerable households in District Badin, in particular those that reported having a member with a disability (around two per cent), and these were included in the intervention.47 A major challenge was the preparation of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material in a pictorial and legible format that was easy for the local population to understand. In the future, Plan International should develop IEC materials for known disaster hotspots in Pakistan that can be reprinted as required. Undertaking this with identified local partners is vital in order to avoid delays.

For the emergency response in District Badin, our strategy to develop partners enabled Plan International to have access during the early stages of the response. Plan International was one of the first agencies on the ground and conducted and publicised assessments and distributed relief material to the most vulnerable. Without our partners, who were already skilled in our approach to DRM which places a high emphasis on ensuring the survival of boys and girls, we would not have been able to respond so quickly and efficiently.

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However, a major learning from this response is the need to ensure that there are clear agreements in place with partners, as other organisations may recognise our partners’ skills and seek to work with them. Establishing clear working arrangements with our partners prior to a disaster proved crucial to the success of this response. It also ensured that the partner was able to deploy Plan’s approach when the response was activated.

» South Sudan A partnership between the United Nations (UN), Plan International Australia, Plan South Sudan (PSSP), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), the United National Development Program (UNDP) and the International Organisation for Migration has enabled the distribution of food and non-food items to displaced populations in Eastern Equatoria, Central Equatoria, Jonglei and Lakes in South Sudan. This partnership has developed trust and confidence across key government stakeholders because of its scale and level of integration. The primary partner has been the WFP. The geographic coverage of the Plan International Australia/PSSP intervention and our coordination role, has increased over time. Critical to this scaling up was the internal partnership approach between Plan International Australia and Plan Germany, which is discussed below.

» External partnerships Plan International Australia has been working to reduce the dependency of beneficiaries and link emergency response to recovery. In partnership with the FAO, Plan has enabled beneficiaries to receive agricultural assistance through livelihoods recovery interventions such as seeds, tools and training for agricultural management. Depending on the level of food insecurity, or relative peace or stability in the target community, Plan International Australia supported a number of food-assisted projects. These projects are designed to meet immediate food shortage needs experienced by vulnerable populations.

Activities include general food distribution; support for early recovery through the FAO-supported project; and the promotion of school retention and improved cognitive development through food for education and school feeding projects. Over time, the aim is for these programs to evolve into community resilience projects.

Plan, in partnership with the UNDP, incorporated livelihoods recovery activities – including cash transfer interventions – into the food assistance project cycle. This specifically supported internally displaced populations in Jonglei State. However, due to challenges and security concerns with cash transfers, funds were redirected to establish a multi-purpose youth centre that can be used as a training venue to increase youth employability. Although it has just started, it is anticipated that this project will promote peace building by bringing together youth from communities that traditionally clash.

» Internal partners As operations scaled up or expanded into new geographic areas in South Sudan, the need for more resources also increased. Plan International Australia commenced a dialogue with Plan Germany to pool financial resources into a single program approach. As a result, Plan International Australia, Plan Germany and Plan South Sudan signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which assigned responsibilities and ensured the costs of the project were more evenly split between entities. This approach has since been replicated in Cambodia with Plan Japan and will help to scale up in current operating areas or implement WFP-supported Food For Education programs in a new province in Cambodia.48

Continuous improvement » Pakistan During the intervention in Pakistan the availability of, and access to, clean drinking water was a crucial humanitarian issue. In addition, latrines were not available causing major problems. WASH-oriented interventions need to combine hard and soft components, and Plan International must integrate these interventions more consistently. Providing soft components such as hygiene promotion in the absence of hard components – latrines, tools or equipment to enable the provision of drinking water – is not adequate. Hard components are extremely important in post-flood situations. This project primarily concentrated AusAID funds on ‘soft WASH’ with a strong focus on hygiene promotion.

The lessons learnt from response work after the floods in 2010 helped to ensure that many activities were more effectively implemented. For example, hygiene kits were culturally compatible with the target population and were eventually used by the affected population without any complaints or problems.

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A woman sorts her harvest of cowpeas in Juba County, South Sudan.

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» South Sudan The integrated food assisted project started in 2010 in partnership with the WFP. By 2012 the project had increased in terms of the number of agencies involved, the underlying governance structure, the geographic scope of interventions and the need for integration. Plan International Australia and PSSP developed an integrated approach and increased partnerships with various UN agencies. Our role became increasingly vocal and significant in dialogue with the UN and this has led to increased dialogue in South Sudan about the expansion of activities to Western Equatoria and northern Bahr El Gazal.

Snapshot of results »» Partnerships were developed with two Plan national offices – Japan and Germany – in relation to joint WFP operations in Cambodia and South Sudan. »» In Pakistan, 7994 families received health and hygiene kits in District Badin, benefiting around 55,958 people and providing increased access to water sanitation and hygiene support. This helped to reduce health risks and diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhoea. »» A total of 26,859 families (188,013 beneficiaries) in District Badin, Pakistan, received long-lasting insecticidal nets to help prevent malaria. »» Permanent resources on the ground – including human resources – are preferable and more effective than short-term ‘fly-in, fly-out’ support. »» Engaging women in the distribution of hygiene kits proved very useful as they were crucial actors in educating their children and ensuring that the needs of their families were addressed.

FOOTNOTES 46. AusAID, Humanitarian Partnership Agreement Final Report – Pakistan Badin Floods, AusAID, Canberra, 2012.

47. AusAID, Humanitarian Partnership Agreement Final Report – Pakistan Badin Floods, AusAID, Canberra, 2012.

48. Among the poor, there is often not enough food at home and most schools in developing countries lack canteens or cafeterias. School meals are a good way to channel vital nourishment to poor children. Having a full stomach also helps them to concentrate better on their lessons. In countries where school attendance is low, the promise of at least one nutritious meal each day boosts enrolment and promotes regular attendance. Parents are motivated to send their children to school instead of keeping them at home to work or care for siblings. In the poorest parts of the world, a school meal program can double primary school enrolment in one year. Among the key beneficiaries are girls who otherwise may never be given the opportunity to learn. http://www.wfp.org/school-meals 49. AusAID, Humanitarian Partnership Agreement Project Report for Horn of Africa Response, AusAID, Canberra, 2012.

50. AusAID, Humanitarian Partnership Agreement Project Report for Horn of Africa Response, AusAID, Canberra, 2012.

51. The twin-track approach means having both disability-specific actions that aim to increase the empowerment and participation of people with disabilities; and disability-inclusive actions ensure development has a disability perspective and is accessible to people with disabilities.

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case study

Disability inclusion in emergency response

Plan International Australia recognises the importance of disability inclusion in emergency response in order to reach the poorest and most vulnerable members of disaster-affected communities and optimise community recovery. A partnership comprising Plan International Australia, Plan Ethiopia, its implementing partner the Gayo Pastoralist Development Initiative, and the CBM-Nossal Institute Partnership in Disability and Development was established. The aim was to ensure that children and women with a disability and their families have access to emergency nutrition, livelihoods and WASH programs.

The situation of people with disabilities in Borena, Ethiopia was assessed, barriers to accessing emergency responses were analysed, and strategies were developed through participatory processes to identify entry points and better enable disability inclusion. By the end of the project, almost 12 per cent of the project’s beneficiaries were people with disabilities.49 Implementing strategies for inclusion resulted in changed community attitudes and increased understanding about disability. People with disabilities reported improved livelihood opportunities, socio-economic status and improved status in their communities.50 Input and participation of people with disabilities and their families from the start of the project created a better understanding of the situation of people with disabilities. It enabled barriers to be identified in relation to access to project activities and ensured that low-cost, simple and logical strategies for inclusion were relevant, appropriate and implemented from the beginning of the project.

Appointing a person with a disability as an advisor ensured the project maintained a disability perspective as activities progressed. Involving people with disabilities as facilitators in awareness training built the skills and capacity of people with disabilities and fostered changes in attitudes and understandings about disability. Innovative partnerships at the village level between emergency and disability stakeholders, fostered at the start of the project, enabled a twintrack approach to disability inclusion.51 This approach included activities to remove barriers to inclusion in the project, as well as targeted activities to strengthen the capacity of people with disabilities. Ensuring opportunities for networking between mainstream emergency actors, disability stakeholders and local disability organisations created a network to support future disability inclusion in the region.

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Left: A woman with livestock distributed as part of Plan’s emergency response work in Ethiopia.

Right: A man with a hearing impairment receives livestock as part of Plan’s focus on including people with disabilities in its emergency response work in Ethiopia.

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A man stands with a solar lantern in a school dormitory in Laos, where Plan is working with communities to build their awareness about climate change.

Child Centered Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction 52

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Overview Climate change is now recognised as one of the most serious challenges to development and a factor contributing to humanitarian crises. It also represents a real and urgent threat to realising children’s rights. The Child Centred Climate Change Adaptation (4CA) program is a new three-year project, building on Plan’s successful child-centred Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) work and the Strengthening Climate Resilience program. The program aims to empower children and communities by building their awareness about climate change. This often involves the translation of relatively new and complex climate science concepts into practice using simple and local tools and techniques. Including notions of child centeredness in this process can take time for stakeholders and partners to grapple with. A further learning is that special expertise is required and the careful selection of partner organisations.

Approach The 4CA program is being implemented in Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Indonesia, Laos and Thailand) and the Pacific (Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Tuvalu and Kiribati). The goal of the program is to achieve safe and resilient communities where children and young people contribute to managing and reducing the risks associated with changes in the climate. Plan recognises that children are often more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, but that they should not be seen as passive victims.

The program adopts a flexible rights-based approach combining child-focused (for children) and childled (by children) activities with interventions geared towards bringing about change in community, and local and national duty bearers. It applies strategies such as awareness raising, capacity building, group formation, institutional development, pilot community initiatives, research and advocacy. This approach is in line with Plan’s child-centered community development framework, global DRM strategy, and draft position on climate change.

Partnerships play a major part in this program: The technical and scientific aspects of DRR and climate change adaptation (CCA) require partnerships with relevant technical organisations for capacity building and the development of materials and tools. The project also requires close partnership with various national ministries (disaster management authorities and ministries of education), local government units, and line ministries to ensure local support and sustainability for community, school and youth-based activities.

Reflection and learning The program framework is emerging as a valid and successful model: It provides guidance as well as the flexibility to adapt activities according to the local context and level of capacity and awareness in the community. Good progress in involving children and youth through participatory approaches in the six project countries has been made. Through this approach, communities have been involved directly in problem identification, analysis, and the treatment and evaluation of potential risks and hazards. In some cases the process has led to a new collaboration between community groups, as well as between communities and government. The project has also been able to engage all community members: young and old, men and women, girls and boys, and community leaders.

We have found that the best way to introduce the idea of climate change at the community and school level is by building on DRR concepts. CCA activities are already embedded in those communities who have had to adapt to the impact of climate change. Additional information, knowledge and analysis should be introduced gradually. However, this may take time and be difficult to do in short project time frames.

The 4CA project has demonstrated that engaging children from age ten upwards has been more meaningful than engaging elementary school children. In the recent Asian Ministerial Conference for DRR, Plan, UNICEF and Save the Children organised a session on children and DRR. Children from Cambodia, the Philippines and Indonesia actively participated, sending a strong message to the global community that children can contribute to reduce risks and improve their adaptive capacity. Younger children would not have been able to do this as effectively. As part of the project, specific resources have been developed for children, including a music video in Tonga, shadow puppet show in Thailand, and ABC booklet on CCA in Vietnam.

Throughout the project there has been a strong emphasis on capacity building and training for staff, partners and community volunteers, enabling them to facilitate activities with communities and children in their local context and ethnic dialect. Good working relationships have also been forged with various government departments, such as national and provincial disaster management departments, the national Climate Change Council (in Indonesia), local government and NGOs. In Indonesia, the creation of district-level DRR forums with government and NGOs has been working well to improve coordination and increase collaboration on new activities.

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Relationships with ministries of education have also improved in many countries. In Vietnam the success of the teacher training on CCA curriculum has led to co-funding by the Ministry of Education for additional training in other provinces. One learning is that due to political issues sometimes not all relevant government partners can be brought to one table, especially at the national level. A more pragmatic approach of engaging the most active and interested party at the local level can lead to good cooperation and ownership through local forums on DRR and CCA. Cross-country and cross-region learning and sharing has enabled the effective use of resources. A regional start-up workshop and mid-term review workshop was held in Asia to ensure clarity and consistency on program activities across countries. Reflections on good practices, challenges and learnings in the midterm review helped refocus activities for the second half of the project. Our local partner, Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific International, with support from Plan International Australia, held a Pacific 4CA program review and capacity building workshop in Suva, Fiji. Participants were able to share and learn from each other and improve 4CA program design.

A number of challenges have arisen and these will inform program design in the future. Local-level governance support is often very limited due to personnel and budget constraints and political issues, such as communities with a large population of stateless ethnic minorities. While the use of seed grants can encourage co-funding from government or integration of DRR and CCA plans into local development plans, this is not always possible.

Although the project is reaching the most vulnerable communities, they are often hard to access.

Language is a barrier, particularly when trying to talk about difficult concepts like disaster risk and climate change. Despite efforts to ensure inclusion, it has also been difficult to engage with people and children with disabilities or special needs. These groups require additional activities by experienced staff and specifically adapted material.

Ensuring that the voices of children and young people are heard can also be a challenge, especially in traditional cultures. While the confidence and capacity of children is often greatly strengthened, it can take the community, and leaders, time to accept the value of children’s meaningful participation and that children may require more training than adults to fully participate.

Plan staff attend a Child Centred Climate Change Adaptation Workshop focused on the Pacific region.

The participatory approach with communities and children is very important for their engagement and understanding, but they need the right support and activities. For example, experts may provide

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information or solutions that are too technical or not feasible to implement through child-led interventions.

Study tours and additional training may be useful to overcome these issues.

Resources and back-up support are very limited in the Pacific region on youth- and child-led climate change activities and this can affect implementation. Plan International Australia has been providing advice and support including a capacity-building workshop with Plan staff from Indonesia. Over the next year, we will provide additional training for partners on Plan’s child-centred community development tools and methodologies.

Continuous improvement In Southeast Asia, the project’s mid-term review will lead to the development of a 4CA process module. A number of recommendations and actions have already been agreed including support to document case studies, good practices and learnings. Outcome and impact indicators will be reviewed to see how we can better capture and measure results, such as the improved adaptive capacity of children, or government support. Country offices are revising some activities and will seek to strengthen and upscale the project.

This includes further training for partners and community volunteers to help facilitate the community process, and additional support for children and youth to engage in media, local advocacy, and enhanced national advocacy.

In the Pacific, the 4CA project had its first capacity building, review and evaluation meeting in April 2012.

The capacity building component covered training needs identified by our partners. Children and youth constitute more than half of the Pacific population and while the concept of child-centred climate change adaptation is still very new, it is now being well received by local communities, government and other stakeholders in the region. Based on the success of the program in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Tonga, activities have been expanded in Fiji, Kiribati and Tuvalu. Program coverage in existing program countries has now been expanded to new areas and activities have also been scaled up with additional funding.

Plan International Australia is developing partnership assessments and strategies and these will strengthen relationships and organisational support. Due to the positive outcomes from the partnerships built under the 4CA program – and as a follow up of the assessment – Plan International Australia is developing a separate civil society strengthening program for Pacific partners. The project will not only aim to ensure the capacity of partner staff who are engaged in 4CA programs, but will also help increase the overall capacity of Pacific civil society organisations.

Snapshot of results »» 4CA tool kits such as teacher training manuals, field handbooks and IEC materials have been developed and tested to help further awareness raising and capacity building. Some of these tools have already been adopted by other organisations and government, increasing the impact of the project. »» Local authorities are aware of the 4CA program, its approach, objectives and activities, and communities have become more proactive in engaging with local authorities on DRR and CCA. »» Networks have been created at regional, national and local levels, and the 4CA program has also become a member of a number of existing networks. The national government of each program country has acknowledged the 4CA approach which will help to ensure the continuation of 4CA activities. »» Lessons from pilot community seed grant initiatives are being collected. A manual for child-led CCA initiatives which includes approaches on facilitating children’s participation in CCA; step-by-step guidance for youth groups on how to plan and implement a CCA activity; and an idea box for children and youth is being developed based on the pilots. »» So far, 1500 community members and more than 500 school children have participated in climate change awareness training, with a further 300 teachers and 300 youth volunteers participating in facilitation training.

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Youth volunteer groups facilitate a session on climate change for school children in Vietnam.

Community members analyse a hazard and vulnerability map they have created in Vietnam.

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case study

A teaching resource to integrate climate change concepts into schools in Vietnam

Plan is bringing climate change education to schools in Vietnam. Plan Vietnam and the Live and Learn Center have worked together to develop an education package to introduce climate change concepts into the national school curriculum. The package consists of a booklet on climate change for students and a reference guidebook for teachers and facilitators.

Deputy Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Environment in the Ministry of Education and Training, Dr. Le Trong Hung said: “We appropriate this material as it brought up good knowledge that is written in a simple and easy-to-understand way with a lot of beautiful illustration. We want to bring the book to the hands of every school and students”.

Vietnam is one of the countries in Southeast Asia likely to be most affected by natural disasters and climate change. The development of this educational resource is consistent with national policy, in particular the Ministry of Education Action Plan to Respond to Climate Change. The program includes training for teachers and students.

According to Pham Thi My, a teacher at Nguyen Tat Thanh high school, “In general, the scientific information is updated and practical. It contains concepts relate to climate change, including weather, climate, climate change causes and impacts, the greenhouse effect and greenhouse gases”.

Dr Dang Duy Loi, from Hanoi University of Education, noted: “The documents are in accordance with education and training programs in primary schools, secondary schools and very convenient for integration in teaching and learning activities”.

The modules in each subject introduce participatory methods of learning and promote positive thinking for readers. The material also includes handouts and data for teachers. Student Vy Thi Uyen said: “It is a beautiful book with visualised illustrations. The information is presented logically, and I found it very easy to understand”.

Currently the booklet is widely used not only by Plan and Live and Learn, but also by other agencies such as CARE, Save the Children and World Vision. To date, the resource has had more than 1000 downloads and more than 1700 copies have been distributed to students, teachers, youth, development institutions and international organisations.

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Practice Influence Overview In 2012 we continued to strengthen reflection and learning, support policy implementation and improve quality standards. As part of the new Plan International Policy on Gender Equality we conducted a Gender Equality Self Assessment (GESA) process. The GESA revealed the strength of the agency in this area as well as issues for further consideration and improvement. Through the Plan International Disability Working Group we played a major role in promoting and advocating for disability inclusive practice across Plan International. We continued to develop our Reflective Annual Process (RAP) and focused on more analytical approaches to grants management. We finalised our Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning strategy. A key element is to build participatory practice, and we continued to strengthen our child protection practice, including in broader program quality initiatives. The importance of engaging with the intersections between gender, disability and other factors that contribute to exclusion for effective development practice is an area of emerging work in 2013.

Approach Playback Theatre were engaged for Plan in Australia’s 2012 Reflective Annual Process.

The focus on program quality aims to contribute to continuous improvement in development effectiveness and practice. The RAP and GESA processes are two primary vehicles for program and agency reflection and

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learning to support effective development. These, and other processes to support program quality, rely on shifts in organisational culture and practice, and alignment with new and evolving Plan International policies, processes and systems. Experience shows that this requires a strategic change management approach which supports individual, program, and institutional change underpinned by a sustained commitment to capacity development, leadership and ownership at multiple levels in an organisation.

Reflection and learning » Reflective Annual Process The RAP formally captures cross-portfolio learning in our International Programs team. In its third year, the 2012 RAP on partnerships enabled program-level reflection through collaborative cross-portfolio inquiries. These inquiries were still grounded in the practice of specific programs, but were enriched by various cross-portfolio perspectives from individual practitioners.52 This approach modelled the partnerships theme, fostering an environment in which participants could work outside the parameters of their own portfolio.

The 2012 RAP continued to embed the application of minimum standards related to gender equality into the evidence base.53 In addition, the process aimed to tackle more complex learning challenges and to facilitate a more conscious reflection process. Plan International Australia’s relational competence and how this is understood and practiced emerged as a strong theme. The complexity of partnerships and the continuing challenge of putting what is learned through reflection into practice, means we will further develop the 2012 RAP learnings during the RAP in 2013. This will deepen the reflection process and strengthen the connection to practice change. However, the shift from unconscious practice to aware practice, and finally to conscious practice, is slow and continues to be a challenging work in progress.

External stakeholders, including country office colleagues, donors and other sector-based networks and working groups are increasingly interested in our RAP.54 Plan International requested the findings of the RAP partnership inquiries in the context of a shift in Plan’s global business operating model. In other instances, results have been shared with key sector working groups and other NGOs.

» Monitoring, evaluation and learning During 2012, Plan International Australia’s Manual of Procedures was operationalised in electronic form and the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) strategy was finalised.55 The strategy aims to support the delivery of effective and accountable programs, underpinned by a robust and transparent evidence base.

A key element is to build participatory practice. In 2012 we supported the development of participatory monitoring and evaluation approaches in the Pro Poor Participatory Development Program (PPDP) in conjunction with Plan Vietnam.56 The tools have been rolled out across the PPDP and are being considered for use in other Plan Vietnam programs. This is particularly promising in terms of future programming practice, given the historic tendency to focus on more traditional MEL approaches in Vietnam.

In 2013, we will continue to support the shift towards gender transformative programming and explore the application of inclusive practice in climate change adaptation initiatives.

» Program quality The program quality approach continues to influence international and domestic practice. In 2012, Plan International Australia contributed to the development of the Plan International Child Centred Community Development (CCCD) assessment tool which was tested and refined through a CCCD assessment process in India.57 To engender reflexive practice, Plan International Australia contributed to the reflection and learning process which informed subsequent improvements to the tool, including the shift from an audit approach to a shared peer learning process.58 In 2012 we undertook an agency-wide child protection self-audit, which made recommendations about strengthening our child protection practice across the organisation. Our new Manual of Procedures also includes specific guidance for program staff on child protection throughout the program cycle. In addition, we supported a workshop with Plan ECCD program managers and advisors from 13 countries to validate and test new training materials on child protection in ECCD.

Continuous improvement » Implementing Plan’s Gender Equality Policy and Strategy Plan International’s Policy on Gender Equality commits Plan to take action to promote gender equality in all areas of its operations. The policy is informed by Plan International’s Strategy on Gender Equality: PLAN INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA

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2010–16.59 Key minimum process indicators for Plan offices globally include the development of a wellresourced action plan on gender equality underpinned by a GESA. Plan International Australia is one of the first Plan offices to undertake a GESA in the context of the new policy.60 An independent gender consultant was engaged to work with our Senior Gender Advisor and an internal cross-departmental GESA taskforce was established to support the development and implementation of the process. A comprehensive, phased approach was adopted. This included a survey; document analysis; and organisational and departmental workshops to elaborate and review findings from the survey and the document review, and to input into the development of our gender action plan.61 The survey was implemented between May and July 2012, and the document review, which will test selected perceptions from the staff survey, is scheduled for June 2013.

In developing and agreeing this GESA methodology we drew on well-tested tools, experience and lessons from other organisations. We were particularly concerned to ensure ownership of the GESA process and its findings at all levels of the organisation in order to build a strong foundation for improvement in gender practice. For this reason:62 »» We adopted a systematic approach to data collection and analysis to ensure validity and reliability and to avoid potential criticisms that the findings were not valid or representative. An independent consultant was engaged to work with staff to provide external expertise, scrutiny and credibility to internal processes, and if necessary, to communicate difficult or sensitive findings. »» We ensured the GESA methodology was approved and understood by senior management to help guarantee the availability of resources and buy-in for the findings. »» We adopted participatory, capacity-building approaches to the GESA to reinforce organisational learning, ownership and policy commitment.

The staff survey had a high response rate of 79 per cent, allowing analysis of statistical significance to be undertaken. Overall, the staff survey responses highlighted strengths which can be built on as the agency works towards implementation of the gender equality policy. However, the honesty in responses also poses challenges – for the organisation as a whole, for each department, and for individual men and women. The results indicated:63 »» Very good response rates across all departments and by gender. »» Honest and considered responses by staff. »» Valid baseline data for assessing policy implementation over time. »» An overall trend for male staff to have more favourable views than female staff about our performance on gender equality, internally and externally. »» There were differences in perceptions between departments: Staff from Corporate Services and Marketing and Communications tended to have more favourable perceptions on many questions than staff from the Programs Department.

A transparent communication process regarding the findings of the GESA survey was adopted by the Senior Management Team (SMT). Whole-of-organisation and departmental workshops occurred to enable staff and management to share the survey findings and reflect on the implications for their department and the organisation. The process aimed to ensure the survey could be discussed openly and honestly and the SMT played a leadership role during the workshops which reinforced the organisation’s commitment to the GESA process.

The process showed that staff are committed to the principle of gender equality. However, it revealed diverse views about how this is addressed in practice. A key question that emerged is how we create the space to make sense of these different perspectives and build an organisational culture that is positive for both women and men. Another insight was the challenge of ‘going beyond a compliance response’ to the gender equality policy. In addition to addressing technical capacity, implementation of the policy will also require the space and commitment to reflect on personal identity, power relations and systemic issues, and how they play out in Plan.

Opposite page: Plan staff from around the world attend a Disability Inclusion Conference in Egypt.

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The survey and workshops have raised awareness about gender equality and Plan’s Gender Equality Policy. Supporting staff to develop shared practical understandings and ownership of gender equality policy commitments, standards and practice – in terms of individual departments, roles and behaviours – was also identified as crucial for the policy implementation process going forward.

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case study

The Plan International Disability Inclusion Working Group

Plan International Australia led the creation of the Plan International Disability Inclusion Working Group in late 2011 in order to promote greater and more effective inclusion of people with disabilities across Plan’s work. The working group has grown to a membership of 40 staff from Plan offices, encompassing all program regions.

In 2012 the group worked to raise awareness about disability inclusion and facilitate learning and cooperation across Plan offices globally. It also developed tools and resources for inclusive programming, supported disability research, and advocated for disability rights in Plan International as well as at the UN. The working group also held the first Plan International Disability Inclusion Conference in Egypt. It brought together leading disability experts and more than 50 Plan development practitioners from around the world to explore and reflect on inclusive approaches, challenges and implications for their practice.64 The conference highlighted the strength of Plan’s existing partnerships with universities, disability technical organisations, international development agencies and disabled persons organisations at national and global levels. These partnerships vary in scope from research initiatives, inclusive education and community-based programming, to national-level advocacy and international global networks.

Combined with Plan’s international working group, the partnership approach provides a strong foundation for the promotion and implementation of disability inclusive practice. In 2012, Plan International Australia collaborated with its disability technical partner, the CBM-Nossal Institute Partnership in Disability and Development. This collaboration provided capacity-building training on disability inclusive DRM and disability inclusive approaches to ECCD in multiple countries.

FOOTNOTES 52. Plan International Australia, Reflective Annual Process Report, PIA, Melbourne, 2012.

53. The 2011 RAP explored the contribution of Plan International Australia programs to promoting gender equality and introduced the new Plan Gender Equality Policy standards.

54. Plan International Australia, Reflective Annual Process Report, PIA, Melbourne, 2012.

55. Plan International Australia, Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy, PIA, Melbourne, 2012.

56. A participatory governance program aiming to empower women, young people, ethnic minority groups and other marginalised peoples to actively engage in development initiatives.

57. Plan India, Evaluation of Child Centred Community Development (CCCD) in Plan India, Final Report, Delhi, May 2012.

58. Plan India, Evaluation of Child Centred Community Development (CCCD) in Plan India, Final Report, Delhi, May 2012.

59. Plan International, Strategy on Gender Equality: 2012–16, Plan International, Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom, 2012.

60. Some Plan offices had previously undertaken gender equality self assessments, however, these predated the new gender equality policy and strategy.

61. The Plan International Australia GESA methodology was designed and implemented by Dr Juliet Hunt, Independent Gender Consultant, in collaboration with our Senior Gender Advisor and internal GESA Taskforce.

62. Plan International Australia, ‘GESA Methodology’ (power point presentation), Melbourne, April 2012.

63. Plan International Australia, ‘Have your say on Gender Equality – data from the gender equality self-assessment questionnaire’ (Internal Management Report), prepared by Dr Juliet Hunt in consultation with Deborah Elkington, Senior Gender Advisor, and the GESA Taskforce, Melbourne, 2012.

64. Plan International Disability Inclusion Conference, Cairo, August 2012.

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Policy Influence Overview During 2011 we translated key principles into operational strategies and capacities; in 2012 we built on our success in clarifying key messages and improving relationships with decision makers. We were also more strategic in managing our partnerships. This involved an analysis of our advocacy capabilities, a strengthening of our approach to the ‘Because I am a Girl’ campaign and our parliamentary engagement, and a focus on the strategic management of our partnerships. We also continued to build knowledge about child rights across all functions of the organisation.

Approach The major objectives of the program flow from the corporate strategy: »» Plan will have a tangible influence on the perceptions, policies and practices that uphold child rights. »» Plan will establish a strong identity as the leading child rights agency in Australia.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard officially launches the first International Day of the Girl at Parliament House in Canberra.

The Policy and Engagement team use well-researched policy and advocacy positions to raise the profile of child rights in the sector and more broadly. Our work includes policy analysis and dialogue, policy

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research, awareness raising among the public and key stakeholders, mobilising public audiences, media engagement, and duty bearer relations. The team also monitors emerging trends and issues and helps to inform Plan International Australia’s strategic direction. Underpinning our approach are processes to increase staff knowledge across the organisation about child rights. In 2013 we will continue to maintain and establish effective and robust internal and external partnerships.

Reflection and learning » Advocacy capabilities Plan International Australia has attempted to maintain an organisation-wide strategic approach to advocacy. Although key technical areas for lobbying have been clearly and strategically defined and approached in strong partnerships, other aspects have been ad hoc and lacked a set of well defined and organisationally agreed advocacy priorities. As a result, in 2012 the Policy team commissioned a briefing paper on our advocacy capabilities. We found that Plan International Australia has had a strong approach to government relations (although this can be improved). The organisation has also frequently critiqued and contributed to Australian Government policy, developed policy, provided thought leadership and research, and participated in campaigns with partners, mobilising sections of the community.

Nevertheless, the paper noted we need to improve our parliamentary engagement, advocacy campaigning and community mobilisation. As such, we have worked to ensure ‘Because I am a Girl’ is clearly an advocacy campaign. We have also increased our skills in parliamentary engagement (see case study on page 65). In the coming year, Plan International Australia is positioned to build on this success. The Policy team has been restructured to include the community engagement agenda and a new position of Campaign Manager. This change is the result of team and departmental learning and evaluation and will enable our strategy to achieve further outcomes over its remaining three years.

» Strategic partnerships Our long-term focus on partnerships with like-minded agencies is beginning to translate into new and more strategic partnerships. We are also working with university partners and establishing new domestic relationships. A key learning is that long-term relationships can go through quiet times before they reach strategic goals. The ACFID Child Rights Working Group (CRWG) has been an extremely important relationship for us over the past five years. It has enabled Plan International Australia to learn from other agencies, achieve more traction in our messaging and, as we have increased our own skills, provide leadership in the sector. Because of its importance we focused on this partnership in our 2012 RAP, attempting to ascertain what we are gaining from the relationship and how other agencies view it.

Our reflection confirmed that the CRWG is a key group for us to be involved in. Initially it enabled us to have a voice on child rights that we had not had previously. Through work in this group, and solo activities as an agency, our contribution and the benefits of membership have shifted as our reputation and credibility as a child rights advocate have improved. Our reflection confirmed that the group is enabling four key child-focused agencies to unite our agendas and messaging around child rights to achieve a far greater impact.

AusAID has informally advised us that the group is providing good analysis and information and influencing a greater emphasis on children in certain sectors of AusAID. This is a huge achievement. It has given us the drive and confidence to re-engage with more vigour in the domestically focused Child Rights Taskforce. Our aim is to clarify what our most powerful contribution to the taskforce agenda could be and to find key areas which align with our priorities in order to strengthen our joint messaging. This is a group we will increasingly focus on as our international and domestic agendas develop, and more links are established. Our work at the international level on advocating against early forced marriage has enabled us to begin to contribute to domestic work in the same way. Although no formal partnerships have been established, we are beginning to see correlations between international priorities and areas we can contribute to nationally.

» Building evidence Our focus on building evidence in 2011 has led to better ties with universities, including an exciting relationship with Yale University. In collaboration with the ECCD team, we have continued to focus the attention of decision makers on the importance of ECCD to achieve development outcomes. We engaged a leading expert in the field, Pia Britto from Yale and her team, to investigate the contribution ECCD makes to social protection. This partnership means we will have a strong evidence base in terms of the effectiveness of ECCD when it comes to protection and in assessing what further research and work is needed. This relationship will continue to grow through this work and other connections in the department.

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Our relationships with Australian universities are also growing and we are becoming more strategic in the way we interact with academic institutions. We have clear areas in which we want more information and evidence and to partner for mutual benefit. Australia National University is becoming a key connection for us, particularly through the Crawford Child Policy Centre. In 2012 we began planning with the Crawford Centre for the Child Rights Working Group Peak Event, and an Early Marriages event. Both will take place in 2013.

» New influence targets Leveraging internal relationships in Plan International Australia has continued to be important. This has enabled us to increase our evidence base and reach new audiences. Our work with the Corporate Engagement team has led to new approaches towards our corporate partners as both a target for influence and as allies in increasing the traction for messaging around the importance of child rights. We are beginning to see corporate partners as duty bearers of child rights and this is leading us to consider them far more broadly than as sources of funding. Although still in the early stages, we are forming more issues-focused relationships and entering into dialogue with prominent businesses about business principles for child rights.

This is a learning curve for the organisation and will become a more important aspect of our work in the long term. While marrying revenue and influence objectives in one relationship is not without its difficulties, the potential for influence on business – and government in partnership with business – spells a new era in our advocacy approach.

Continuous improvement » Domestic focus As Plan International Australia has grown in reputation, skills and resources, we have become involved in more issues that link to the Australian domestic child rights agenda. Because of our efforts at the international level we have been approached by domestic advocates to lend support to their work to influence the Australian Government on child rights issues affecting Australian children. This, as well as our desire to be a champion for child rights, has led us to seriously consider what we can bring to the domestic child rights work already taking place.

This is a slow process. In 2012 we began to analyse the situation of child rights in Australia to assess where Plan can be of most value. This has resulted in the formation of a Domestic Working group in the International Programs department and executive office, and has outlined issues in which Plan may be able to become involved. These are: the need for a national Child Rights Framework; social inclusion; and identity. Through consultations and research we will hone these themes into key areas on which to focus a domestic strategy.

» Increasing internal child rights knowledge To ensure the success of our messaging, it needs to be consistent across the organisation. Many staff members frequently engage with the public and government at different levels. We want to ensure that this occurs based on a common foundation of knowledge about child rights across all functions of the organisation. Through different organisation-wide mechanisms we discovered a lack of understanding and a corresponding lack of confidence in explaining child rights and child rights-based approaches. This is understandable given our rapid growth over the last five years.

To address this, a new child rights training module was developed and the first session was conducted in 2012. The training provides a consistent understanding of child rights in a simple and accessible way. It is designed to be interactive and applicable to all roles and can also be built on for specific roles needing a deeper level of understanding.

Participant reviews showed that the training was enjoyable and dynamic, and suggested areas for improvement. We were able to include some external partners in our initial training and received the most positive feedback from those participants. We will continue to review the training module to ensure it keeps up with our improving practices, the increasing need to link all of our work, and the knowledge we are encouraging in staff. One crucial area will be to establish clear links between our child rights-based approach and our focus on inclusion, including examples of our gender equality and disability inclusion work.

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case study

International Day of the Girl Child

On 10 October 2012, Prime Minister Julia Gillard launched the inaugural International Day of the Girl Child. The event occurred through a collaboration between ACFID, Plan International and the United Nations Information Centre. This high-profile event drew attention to the challenges that girls around the world continue to face. It also signalled Plan International Australia’s intention to engage more fully in whole-of-government dialogue. Our involvement in the launch was part of the advocacy arm of our integrated ‘Because I am a Girl’ campaign. It also ensured prominent media and fundraising attention.

Parliamentarians, the diplomatic community, girls from the YWCA and the National Congress of First Peoples attended the launch at Parliament House in Canberra. A statement signed by more than 30 Australian development and human rights organisations was shared at the event, calling for Australia and world leaders to prioritise girls’ education.

Our CEO, Ian Wishart, said at the launch: “Girls in the developing world continue to suffer poverty, inequality and violence as a part of their everyday life. Although the situation is markedly better in Australia, girls and young women in Australia are still more likely than boys to experience violence and discrimination. … Globally, 75 million girls are out of school. Each year of secondary education increases a girl’s future income by 15–25 per cent. The benefits of educating girls are just incredible.65” Advocating for girls’ rights to such an influential audience is a key part of our journey to be a more effective champion for children’s rights. The ‘Because I am a Girl’ campaign has been gaining momentum primarily through fundraising and media. This event ensured a clear policy focus on the importance of education for girls and also enabled Plan to begin to make more meaningful relationships with Federal Parliamentarians and to gain experience in running events of this nature.

Left: Plan in Australia CEO Ian Wishart speaks at the launch of the first International Day of the Girl in Canberra.

Right: Girls from the YWCA and Senator for Western Australia Michaelia Cash attend the launch of the first International Day of the Girl in Canberra.

FOOTNOTES 65. Australian Council For International Development, 2012, Prime Minister Launches International Day of the Girl, ACFID, Canberra, 10 October.

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Public Engagement Overview 2012 was a year of consolidation and refinement for the Community Engagement portfolio. As part of the Programs Department restructure, the portfolio was integrated into the newly formed Policy and Engagement Team, giving clearer definition to the role that development awareness raising and community engagement plays in the organisation. The partnership with the Global Poverty Project continues to be a pivotal one, with a partnership review planned for 2013, drawing on Reflective Annual Process learnings. Our commitment to working with young Australians was strengthened in 2012 with the appointment of the first Youth Project Team. Consisting of ten young people aged 15–25, the team is raising awareness about issues of child rights and poverty among their age group.

Approach Plan in Australia Youth Project Team member Liz Wright speaks at an event held for the first International Day of the Girl.

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The program continues to be guided by our Australian Community Engagement Framework, focusing on three key projects: Global Learning, Youth Participation and Understanding Development. These projects are aimed at raising the awareness of the Australian public about child rights, aid and development issues, and building a foundation for Australians to learn, connect and become involved in these issues.

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The program is guided by five key principles: »» Clear key messages on child rights and global development issues are articulated, understood and communicated consistently internally and externally. »» Reciprocal learning ensures participatory practice is privileged in the design, implementation and evaluation stages of initiatives. This enables us to learn from communities and ensure meaningful and relevant engagement pathways. »» Evidence base: community engagement activities are built on, and contribute to, real stories and an evidence base for development effectiveness. »» Powerful relationships within Plan International Australia, across Plan, with Australian communities, with key stakeholders, networks and across the sector. »» Non-fundraising agenda: in line with AusAID’s ANCP Development Awareness Raising Guidelines, we will not seek to fundraise through the communities we engage via ANCP-funded community engagement initiatives.

Reflection and learning The thinking in Finding Frames: New Ways to engage the UK public in global poverty helps underpin the program’s work.66 Finding Frames was the product of a six-month study initiated by Oxfam Great Britain and supported by the Department for International Development. Finding Frames built on work by Tom Crompton at WWF-UK, who began linking values to frames and suggesting new ways to engage the public in environmental issues and actions. According to this approach, there is a common set of values that can motivate people to tackle large community problems, including the environment and global poverty. It states: “The implication is that large coalitions can – and must – be built across third sector organisations to bring about a values change in society.67”

Finding Frames has also informed collaboration among agencies in the ANCP Community Engagement Working Group.68 Better understanding of how to engage the Australian community in issues of child rights and poverty, and providing ways to enact global citizenship behaviour remain the key challenges to community engagement programming.

The working group commissioned research to better understand the Australian context. The research states:

“Understanding the audiences, how their values apply, how they are informed and can be influenced will be critical to positively influencing the current trajectory of community engagement in Australia.

All partner organisation representatives involved agree the current trajectory of community engagement in Australia will, at best, maintain the status quo of low level, shallow engagement with global social justice issues across a limited spectrum of the Australian public.69” There is an inherent tension in the Community Engagement program’s non-fundraising principle as many Australians prefer donating to organisations as a way of addressing issues of poverty. Feedback from students who saw the Plan and Global Poverty Project Presentation ‘1.4 Billion Reasons for Youth’ illustrates this preference.70 The presentation offers a range of options for students to take up. The June 2012 Progress Report states that when asked the question “What are you going to do about extreme poverty?” the three most popular responses were: donate – “try to raise money for people and send it to an organisation”; shout – “sign a petition, share videos, post on Facebook”; and learn – “go on the website and learn more and talk to my family”.

The tension between global citizenship and fundraising is also explored by Glenn Bond in Educating for Global Citizenship; a youth-led approach to learning through partnerships.71 He states: “It is well understood that minimising the complexity of interactions is good for supporter volume, yet this may be at odds with engagement that will lead to change or promote global citizenship”.72 With these challenges in mind, the Community Engagement program has had some success in providing opportunities for Australians to engage as global citizens across its projects, particularly with young people.

» Youth participation Plan International Australia recruited its first Youth Project Team in April 2012, with ten young people aged 15-25 recruited to the team. An induction and planning weekend allowed the team to get to know each other and create a vision for their future work together. Team members have represented Plan at

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events such as the Human Rights Art and Film Festival, One Just World forums, and International Day of the Girl celebrations. These opportunities provided some of the major successes of the project in 2012.

In each case, the young people engaged meaningfully with the content, created their own speeches, and inspired others with their passion and energy to create change. See the case study on page 70 on the team’s reflections.

» Global Learning: Youth and Schools Program The Plan and Global Poverty Project Youth and Schools Program continued into its second year in 2012. The partnership reached around 14,000 secondary school students across Australia, with project coordinators based in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. The June 2012 Progress Report revealed the top three things young people learned through the program: »» Gender: “that more girls live in extreme poverty and women only get 10% worlds [sic] income”. »» Number (of people living in extreme poverty): “…there are 1.4 billion people living in extreme poverty, extreme poverty means living on less than $1.25 per day”. »» Progress (made towards ending extreme poverty): “…poverty more than halved in 25 years. There is heaps of progress being made towards poverty being solved”.73 Previous learning suggests that raising awareness about the issues of global poverty without providing clear and achievable activities that can build on this can be disempowering to young people. Near the end of 2012, the partnership piloted a Global Citizen Activators program, providing training to young people on creating change in their community. The first training program focused on Fair Trade, with plans to promote the purchase of Fair Trade chocolate on Valentine’s Day 2013. Other pathways, in line with the Global Poverty Project’s Global Citizen online and mobile phone application, will be explored in 2013.

Continuous improvement In 2013, the Community Engagement program will focus on depth and breadth in the three key projects – Youth Participation, Global Learning and Understanding Development – as well as a collaborative education campaign implemented by the ANCP Community Engagement Working Group. The focus of 2013 is growing innovation in engaging Australians.

» Youth Participation: Growing an active movement of young people A whole of agency approach to youth engagement is being developed during 2013, with the input of the Youth Project Team. Having the team in place is the first step towards growing a national network of young people working with Plan International Australia to raise awareness about child rights and global poverty. We are also looking to deepen our connection with young Australians through our own internal governance. Looking to the experiences of others in the global federation, Plan International Australia will put in place structures for young people to meet and discuss issues that concern them with our board.

» Understanding development: a free online resource for all Australians In 2013 we will develop an online version of our internal training, ‘Understanding Development’, and make it publicly available. In addition, we will pilot a Festival of Ideas in Aid and Development. Speakers from across the sector will speak at a free event in Melbourne and explore the successes and challenges they face in their work. These sessions will be filmed and form part of the content on the Understanding Development online site.

» Global Learning: strengthening partnerships The Plan and Global Poverty Project partnership will pilot a partnership review tool in 2013 to strengthen the outcomes of the Youth and Schools program and examine ways to grow opportunities across both organisations. Our RAP highlighted the role of individuals in brokering organisational partnerships in organisations, and this has become increasingly pertinent for this partnership with multiple staff changes in both organisations over the past two years. The review will explore individuals’ roles, but also look to ensure the partnership goes beyond individual involvement and is integrated into other parts of each organisation.

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Plan in Australia CEO Ian Wishart with members of the Youth Project Team.

FOOTNOTES 66. A Darnton and M Kirk, Finding Frames: New Ways to Engage the UK Public in Global Poverty, BOND, London, 2011.

67. A Darnton and M Kirk, Finding Frames: New Ways to Engage the UK Public in Global Poverty, BOND, London, 2011, p. 1.

68. ANCP Community Engagement Working Group member agencies include Care, Caritas, ChildFund, Oxfam, Plan, Tear and World Vision.

69. Essential Media Communication, Building Global Citizenship in Australia, EMC, Melbourne, 2012. p. 6.

70. Global Poverty Project, Progress Report, GPP, Melbourne, June 2012.

71. J Guevara and A Weirenga (Eds.), Educating for Global Citizenship; a youth-led approach to learning through partnerships, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 2013. This book resulted from a three-year Australian Research Council Grant partnership between Plan International Australia, Melbourne University Youth Research Centre and RMIT School of Global Studies.

72. G Bond, ‘The Certainty of Change: community engagement and global citizenship for international non-government organisations’, in J Guevara and A Weirenga (Eds.), Educating for Global Citizenship; a youth-led approach to learning through partnerships, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 2013, p. 47.

73. Global Poverty Project, Progress Report, GPP, Melbourne, June 2012.

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case study

PhotoVoice with the Youth Project Team

PhotoVoice is a participatory tool traditionally used with marginalised people to identify issues they would like to address in their communities. Plan International Australia adapted the tool to take a snapshot of the Youth Project Team and how they identify themselves as individuals and as a team at key points in the project.

We asked each team member to take a photo based on the question “What does active global citizenship mean to you?” Each photo was accompanied by a short paragraph explaining why the photo was taken. The team was then split into two and the groups discussed the photos and selected a photo they felt reflected active global citizenship. The entire team then joined for a facilitated discussion on which of the two photos they felt best represented what global citizenship meant to them as a team. This conversation provided the group with a sense of shared understanding about their individual and collective identification with the concept of global citizenship.

April 2012 » The team chose the photo titled ‘The Journey of a Million Miles’.

“A really smart person said that ‘the journey of one million miles begins at your feet’. In this tradition I chose to photograph Zhi-Weng’s feet as a symbol of the beginning of our journey towards greater global citizenship and further engaging the Australian public.”

“Dan’s foot in the bottom left corner represents others joining in.”

“We have a good ‘pair of shoes’ (resources, tools) for our journey.”

“Putting on a pair of shoes symbolises action – you don’t put on shoes just to sit around, it means you have a purpose, you’re going somewhere.”

“About where we are and where we want to go.”

September 2012 » The team chose the photo titled ‘Bicycles’.

“People involving themselves in similar interests. We all have different items (bikes) but it does not affect the fact we are still capable of doing the same things (cycling). There is a sense of community. It also represents trust as some bikes were fairly unprotected but people trust each other.”

“It represents ‘think global, act local’ – environment is global issue, riding bike is local action.”

“It represents YPACT as a local group having impact on global issues.”

“Upgrading from feet to bikes – we have learned more, have increased our skills.”

“Everyone has different reason, motivation for riding a bike = different motivations for thinking global, acting local.”

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A Plan in Australia Youth Project Team member participates in an activity at the inaugural team weekend.

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Heng and his family collect leaves to make mats in a flooded field behind their house in Cambodia.

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Program contribution In 2012, Plan International Australia contributed to global programs through the support of 44,103 Australian sponsors. Our sponsors contributed $22.6 million to globally-managed programs in 50 countries across four regions. In addition, Plan International Australia supporters contributed $4.3 million to Plan International Australia-managed programs, which complemented $11.9 million in grant income raised from AusAID and $3.4 million from other donors. These projects were implemented in 20 countries across four regions. Plan International Australia responded to eight emergencies across these regions during the year. A further $5.6 million of food aid was distributed in partnership with the WFP with the support of Plan International Australia.

Total sponsored

Australian sponsored

PIA-managed projects

Disasters responded to

Asia

318,304

16,568

36

1

Americas

334,486

7,498

3

1

East and Southern Africa

291,690

12,388

20

5

West Africa

258,112

7,649

4

2

Region

Grants acquisition Plan International Australia continues to grow its grant portfolio to enhance programs for children and their communities. Highlights from the year include a number of important grant partnerships: »» We continue to partner with UNICEF Pakistan to implement a national $7.9 million program grant for sanitation programs. »» We have negotiated significant additional WFP and FAO program agreements in South Sudan, Zimbabwe and Cambodia. »» Marie Stopes International and Plan International Australia were awarded a $450,000 innovation grant from the AusAID AACES. »» We were awarded an AusAID Community Based Adaptation grant for climate change adaptation programs in the Philippines to the value of $3 million. »» We entered into two new agreements with UNICEF in Zambia (ECCD) and Zimbabwe (Water and Sanitation) to a total value of $3 million.

Programs managed by Plan International Australia Number of projects Asia

Americas

Eastern and Southern Africa

West Africa

Pacific

ECCD

6

0

4

0

0

Education

6

3

0

3

0

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

8

0

6

0

0

Livelihoods / Youth Economic Empowerment

6

0

0

1

0

Rights and Resilience

3

0

6

0

0

Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate Change

6

0

4

0

1

Disaster Risk Management

2

1

5

2

0

Thematic program

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Program funding allocations Figure 1: Proportion of total program contribution by program theme

12%

8% ECCD Education

39%

WASH

2%

Livelihoods Rights & Resilience

23%

Disaster Management/Food DDR-Climate Change

7% 9%

Figure 2: Program contribution by country $5,000,000 $4,500,000 $4,000,000 $3,500,000 $3,000,000 $2,500,000 $2,000,000 $1,500,000 $1,000,000

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Global

Australia

Africa Region

Pacific

Asia Region

Zambia

S Sudan

Ethiopia

Kenya

Tanzania

Uganda

Zimbabwe

Laos

Vietnam

Cambodia

Philippines

Timor-Leste

Indonesia

Pakistan

Bangladesh

$

India

$500,000

Accreditation Plan is currently fully accredited and a trusted recipient of funds from AusAID, the Australian Government’s Agency for International Development responsible for managing the Australian Government’s official overseas aid program.

ACFID Plan International Australia is a member of its professional peak body the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID). We are a signatory to its code of conduct that covers the presentation of annual reports.

Acknowledgements Plan International Australia acknowledges the contribution of the following partners and supporters: Plan in Australian supporters; AusAID; UNICEF; UN World Food Programme; The Charitable Foundation; Melbourne Community Foundation; Oaktree Foundation; The New Zealand Aid Programme; Global Poverty Project; Intrepid Travel, Greenlight Foundation; ACME Foundation; RobMeree Foundation and the Social Justice Fund.

This publication has been printed on ecoStar, a FSC Recycled certified paper made carbon neutral (CN), and manufactured from 100% post consumer recycled paper in a process chlorine free environment and under an ISO 14001 EMS. Production of this publication has been carbon offset retiring 211 kgs of CO2. This publication is fully recyclable, please dispose of wisely.

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13 75 26 WWW.PLAN.ORG.AU Plan 18/60 City Road, Southbank VIC 3006 GPO Box 2818, Melbourne VIC 3001 Tel: 13 75 26 Fax: +61 (3) 9670 1130 Email: info@plan.org.au ABN 49 004 875 807

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