Strengthening programme data management for French-speaking international solidarity CSOs

Genesis of the project

 The project grew out of a community of practice on information management between major humanitarian civil society organisations (CSOs) that has existed since 2015 and is run by CartONG. This informal space for exchange helped these CSOs to discuss the subject and begin to take it in hand, and triggered within these CSOs the desire and need for a more structured and larger-scale approach. The project started with a phase 1 in 2019. 

Context

In the age of the digital revolution, CSOs are required to handle and process more and more of the data needed to manage their programs, both in the field and at head office. This requires specific skills, methodologies and tools that French-speaking CSOs do not always have, as well as the ability to keep abreast of rapid technological developments. This project therefore aims to improve the strategic approaches of CSOs by supporting them in addressing digital issues and providing their operational teams with the practical resources they need to build their capacities, while also feeding into sector discussions to enable the wider business sector to evolve. 

“Program data” refers to all operational data relating to the analysis of needs, implementation and monitoring of activities in the field and their consolidation at head office level. 

Specific aims of the project

The new phase of this initiative is built around three main objectives:   

– To provide strategic support to NGO head offices as they take on board the issues and impacts of Program Data Management (GDoP) 

– Provide practical support to NGO field teams in implementing GDoP methods and tools  

– Nourish sectoral reflection in relation to technological and cross-sectoral developments in the sector.  

The majority of the project’s activities target all organisations and professionals in the French-speaking international solidarity sector. For more information on the project, please visit the CartONG website: https://www.cartong.org/renforcement-des-osc-francophones-en-gestion-de-donnees-phase-2/ 

Groupe URD’s role in the project

Alongside Bioforce and MapAction, Groupe URD was one of the ‘support CSOs’ which provided complementary expertise to CartONG and multi-modal support for operational CSOs. 

Groupe URD complements CartONG’s approach to monitoring and evaluation and international solidarity policies. It is called upon to provide strategic input in this area, and also provides support and a critical eye on the project’s outputs, the definition of the monitoring and evaluation system and the methodologies of the studies carried out as part of the project. 

For this new phase of the project, CartONG and Groupe URD jointly decided to adopt a Change Oriented Approach, which aimed to focus more on measuring the effects of the intervention through the implementation of an appropriate monitoring and evaluation system. To define the outlines of this approach, the project’s various partners were involved at various stages, enabling the development of a system that will be managed by CartONG for the duration of the project. Key data collection activities are planned as part of the project to measure the effects of the intervention on an ongoing basis.