UNV’s Experience in Strengthening Volunteer Infrastructure in CABO VERDE
COUNTRY REPORT
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organisation that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide.
In 2013, UNV commissioned a global evaluation on “UNV Contribution to Volunteer Infrastructures”. The evaluation covered national and regional projects aimed at strengthening volunteer infrastructure, partnered and supported by UNV financially and technically.
Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilising volunteers.
“UNV’s Experience in Strengthening Volunteer Infrastructure” is a series of knowledge products based on the findings of the evaluation, included in one global and eight country reports (Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Liberia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Peru, Togo and Viet Nam).
UNV is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
This knowledge product shares UNV’s experience in supporting the National Volunteer Programme in Cabo Verde. It is based on an evaluative study on Programa Nacional de Voluntariado (PNV), which included a literature and project document review, interviews and focus group discussions during field visits to three out of the ten islands of the Cabo Verde archipelago. The implementation of the project was in fact highly influenced by Cabo Verde’s diversity, given that each of the ten islands has particular geographical, socioeconomic and political arrangements.
UNV, 2014 www.unv.org
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OVERVIEW UNV has been supporting partner country organisations and governments on the development of volunteer infrastructure (VI) to enhance conditions for the mobilisation of volunteers in programme countries. This includes a focus on assisting them in developing sustainable national capacities to mobilise volunteers domestically through national volunteer schemes, volunteer centres and networks. In Cabo Verde, UNV has supported the implementation of a range of interventions. From 2004 to 2006 UNV implemented a project aimed at promoting volunteerism and sustainable environment management, and from 2009 to 2013, UNV was involved in the implementation of the National Volunteer Programme (Programa Nacional de Voluntariado, PNV).
2004-2006 UNV funded the project Promoting Volunteerism for Sustainable Management of the Environment in Cabo Verde, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
2010 Decree-law on volunteerism approved by the Council of Ministers
2012
2009-2013
“Volunteer passport” framework approved by the Council of Ministers
UNV supported and was involved in the implementation of Programa Nacional de Voluntariado (PNV) de Cabo Verde, the National Volunteer Programme in Cabo Verde.
2013
2012
Ministerial Ordinance regulating the “Volunteer passport”
Decree-law by the Council of Ministers creating the National Volunteer Corps (CNV)
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IMPLEMENTATION OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES The National Volunteer Programme 2009-2013 had two main goals and six main outcomes:
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create a favourable environment for the development of volunteerism in Cabo Verde. This entailed: a) a legal framework on volunteerism b) r ecognition and promotion of volunteerism.
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put in place a national volunteer programme which would provide information, capacity building and other support to national volunteer organisations, to strengthen their intervention capacities. This entailed: a) coordination mechanism liaising civil society, municipalities and the State b) national and local volunteer mobilisation and management capacity c) a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system d) a full-time volunteering scheme - universities, private sector and diaspora.
KEY PARTNERS
Ministry of Youth, Employment and Development of Human Resources (MJEDRH).
Cabo Verde NGO Platform.
UN Office of Funds and Programmes (UNDP, UNV).
The National Volunteer Programme (PNV) was installed in the Ministry of Youth and Sports, currently the Ministry of Youth, Employment and Development of Human Resources (MJEDRH), partnered with the Cabo Verde NGO Platform and received technical and financial support from the UN Office of Funds and Programmes, through UNDP and UNV. The project was led by the Government of Cabo Verde through the National Volunteering Agency, which was created within National Youth Directorate of MJEDRH. The UNV Field Unit oversaw the implementation.
UNV’S ROLE
TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT
SUPPORT WITH VIO ENGAGEMENT
AWARENESS RAISING
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UNV’s expertise and financial support allowed changes in the thinking and practices of the national volunteer involving organisations (VIOs). Locally, UNV also made volunteer contributions more visible and raised awareness, helping demystify the belief that volunteering is for the unoccupied or unemployed.
RELEVANCE RELEVANCE TO NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The project contributed to pillars of the second Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (GPRSP-II), which was the national development plan at the time. Its continuation is also contributing directly to the current development framework, GPRSP-III.
RELEVANCE TO STAKEHOLDER NEEDS
The project was seen by stakeholders as strengthening their intervention capacities and as professionalizing customary volunteering practices.
RELEVANCE TO UN DEVELOPMENT PLANS AND UNV’S VISION
PNV was integrated in the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) components on youth participation and on reducing disparities and promoting equity.
EFFICIENCY The PNV was designed as a three-year project to run from September 2009 to August 2012. Three extensions were requested, in January 2012, October 2012, and May 2013, which moved the end date to November 2013. As the project went through these extensions it became very difficult to align the initial plan and budget to new realities. The project exceeded its original time frame, but it was able to implement 66% of the activities with about 52% of the planned budget. It can be concluded that the project was not time efficient but was financially efficient.
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66%
ACTIVITIES
52% BUDGET
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MONTH EXTENSION
EFFECTIVENESS A STRONG PERFORMANCE WAS RECORDED AGAINST THREE OUTCOMES: ACHIEVEMENTS: • Law on volunteerism approved, disseminated and implemented, • “Volunteer passport” concept promoted and framework approved, • Ministerial Ordinance issued regulating the “Volunteer passport”, • National Volunteer Corps (CNV) – administratively and financially autonomous department, • CNV assumed the responsibilities of the PNV.
DEVELOPING A LEGAL FRAMEWORK
CHALLENGES: • The shift from PNV to CNV is not yet well known, and was not based on an articulated transition strategy, • Stakeholders perceive a potential for CNV to become centralised and bureaucratic.
ACHIEVEMENTS: • Increased recognition through the operationalization of the “Volunteer passport”.
STRENGTHENING THE RECOGNITION AND PROMOTION OF VOLUNTEERS’ WORK
CHALLENGES: • Raising awareness of the Passport with volunteers, Government and the private sector, • Targeting other age groups beyond youth.
ACHIEVEMENTS: • Training modules prepared and delivered, covering: - volunteer mobilisation and management, - Planning and budgeting, - Project design and management • Social mobilisation, • Estimated number of national volunteers mobilised during 2008-2012: 3,250.
STRENGTHENING EXISTING VOLUNTEER INFRASTRUCTURE
CHALLENGES: • Given Cabo Verde’s diversity, the “one size fits all” approach needs further adaptation to the different needs.
WORK STILL REMAINS TO BE DONE ON THE REMAINING THREE OUTCOMES: ACHIEVEMENTS: • Coordination was sought through the creation of CNV, • Setting-up a Government-funded institution strengthens sustainability.
ACHIEVEMENTS: • A system that clearly outlines objectives, activities and indicators was successfully integrated, • Efforts were made to mainstream results based planning and M&E.
ACHIEVEMENTS: • An international UN Volunteer has assisted in 2013 in drafting a private sector strategy.
COORDINATION MECHANISMS
CHALLENGES: • CNV is still at its early stages and has limited staff, planning and technical capacity.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION (M&E) SYSTEMS
CHALLENGES: • Despite attempts to mainstream the results based planning and M&E system beyond the project level, the success in settling this was limited.
ESTABLISHMENT OF A FULL-TIME VOLUNTEER SCHEME
CHALLENGES: • A full-time volunteer scheme was not implemented; further analysis, clear strategy and advocacy are needed.
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IMPACT AND RESULTS The National Volunteer Programme received recognition from Cabo Verde’s highest levels, with acknowledgement from the Minister of Youth, Employment and Human Resources Development. The Government has substantiated its approval by the continued institutional support. VIOs praised the PNV for its impact on legislation and on practical capacity development opportunities. Volunteers also stated that they have become more respected and recognised for what they do.
INDIVIDUAL
• Increased number of volunteers and volunteers’ activities countrywide; • More training offered to the volunteers; • Volunteers more confident and recognised; • More interventions at community level.
ORGANISATIONAL
• The project helped organisations to be better structured, more professionalized and to have a clear intervention goal; • The project also fostered internal good governance practices such as registration and official recognition of the volunteer organisations, transparency, regular election and accountability.
NATIONAL/ POLICY
• Inclusive growth and poverty reduction; • Strengthening of institutions, democracy and citizenship; • Reduction of disparities and promotion of equity through: a) supporting the quality of services offered through volunteer initiatives and community-based networks; b) s trengthening rightholders knowledge and empowerment through volunteer initiatives and community-based capacity building; • Environmental sustainability and adaptation to climate change.
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SUSTAINABILITY A key aspect in ensuring sustainability is the high level of local/national ownership and strong political commitment to advancing the volunteerism in the country. The Government has fully embedded the project within its planning and budgeting system. The CNV is now an administrative and financially autonomous entity with funding and physical infrastructures for its activities provided by the Government. The project was very innovative in its conceptualisation, tackling systematically three very important and intertwined levels. Although the scalability will depend on each context, it is perceived that most of the interventions around these three levels are replicable at relatively low costs as far as there is a political commitment. Replication would be particularly valuable with regards to:
POLICY LEVEL
ORGANISATIONAL LEVEL
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
• strengthening VIO planning and M&E process and practice in VIO-municipality collaboration;
• passing of a law on volunteering and the Volunteer passport;
• including students in activities that are strongly related to their professional training.
GOOD PRACTICE 1
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Inclusion
Mobilisation of university and technical students
Volunteer passport
Partnerships
Universities started to use volunteerism as part of their study programme. These volunteers teach others but also learn about the professional challenges that they are likely to face after finishing their studies.
The volunteer passport is a noteworthy tool. It outlines obligations and rights of the volunteers and can potentially be used as a tool to increase chances for employment and to access some public services, scholarships or other social benefits.
The project has also forged a range of productive partnerships, such as with municipalities and universities, and has the enabling factor of the willingness of UN agencies in Cabo Verde to use volunteers in every intervention.
The project has promoted the inclusion of socially excluded groups such as substance dependents, elderly people and delinquent youths.
UNV is extremely grateful for the outstanding support received from UN Online Volunteers in designing some of the infographics for this knowledge product.
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