Pilot O p e r a t i o n a l Manual
September 2010
“A Good Start” project
Contents
I. Goal 2
II. Governance 2
III. Management 3
The Pilot Management Team – PMT 3
The Executive Committee – EC 3
The Country Project Teams 3
The Policy Development Team 4
The Project Advisory Panel 4
Organisational Chart 5
IV. Participating organizations 6
Co-beneficiaries/International Partners 6
ISSA – International Step by Step Associaton 6
SGI - Slovak Governance Institute 6
FSG – Fundación Secretariado Gitano 7
Local Implementation Partners 7
Slovakia 7
Romania 7
Macedonia 7
Hungary 7
V. Positions in the AGS project 8
Project Manager 8
Financial Manager 8
Policy and Evaluation Specialist 8
Financial and Administration Coordinator 8
Administrative Assistant 8
Project Manager/Project Coordinator of the partner organizations 8
Senior Manager 8
Country Officers 8
Country Facilitators 9
VI. Privacy policy on personal data on AGS project 9
Information to be collected, instruments 9
VII. Resources 11
VIII. Reporting 11
Reporting for International Partners 11
Reporting for Local Implementation Partners 12
IX. Practical financial information 12
Main financial rules of the “A Good Start” project by headings 15
X. Monitoring 20
XI. Annexes 21
I. Goal
The “A Good Start: Scaling-Up Access to Quality Services for Young Roma Children” (“A Good Start” or AGS) project will demonstrate how to expand proven small-scale pilot activities so as to reach large numbers of Roma children and to create efficient and sustainable services schemes adjusted to local needs. The main objectives are
· to scale-up access to quality ECEC services for disadvantaged Roma children; and
· to raise early childhood development outcomes for Roma children so as to enhance their school readiness and subsequent life opportunities.
The ”A Good Start” project is expected to support 4,000 children from ages zero to six to access early childhood education and care services in 16 locations across four countries (Hungary, Macedonia, Romania and Slovakia). In these different locations, national and local governments will work with non-governmental organisations to build sustainable partnerships able to increase the range of services provided to young children over time. The project will therefore provide an important start to long-term, effective support for Roma children across a range of their developmental needs. This is a key element of breaking the cycle of poverty.
II. Governance
The Roma Education Fund (REF) has overall responsibility for the management of the „A Good Start” (AGS) project. The project activities will be implemented by the Pilot Management Team, four Country Project Teams and the Policy Development Team. In addition Project Advisory Panel will review and supervise the project outcomes at key stages.
III. Management
The Pilot Management Team – PMT
The PMT shall consist of the following twelve members: the Project Manager, the Financial Manager, the four REF Country Officers, the Policy and Evaluation Specialist and two Senior Advisors of the Roma Education Fund, and one Project Manager of International Step by Step Association, Fundación Secretariado Gitano, and the Slovak Governance Institute (international beneficiaries). It is envisaged that the PMT will meet every six months.
The PMT shall be ultimately responsible for the completion of the Project in accordance with the Grant Agreement and therefore shall elaborate the strategy, keep the action plan and progress under review. The PMT shall be providing advice and instructions to the Project Manager and other project staff of the three international beneficiaries and local implementation partners.
The PMT shall also serve as a means of communication between the different international beneficiaries. The PMT shall prepare a proposal for adoption of changes in the implementation of the Project if deemed necessary with regard to the results of the follow-up and supervisory procedures.
The Executive Committee – EC
The Executive Committee shall consist of the following six members: the Project Manager, the Financial Manager and the Policy and Evaluation Specialist, and one Project Manager of each of the international beneficiaries. It is foreseen that the Executive Committee shall meet at least once a month. The Executive Committee shall act with the full powers of the PMT. Specifically, the Executive Committee shall have the power to:
§ Develop new or refine existing project tasks and activities, assigning and re-assigning them as necessary to beneficiaries and to local project teams and partners
§ Request local implementation partners to provide additional information in order that the Executive Committee can make informed judgements
§ Advise and direct beneficiaries and local implementation partners on the development of the Project
§ Review progress of the project and budget expenditures, across all beneficiaries and partners through monitoring
§ Authorise the Coordinator to communicate with the European Commission on those matters, such as budget reallocations, which require agreement of the PMT.
The Country Project Teams
Each of the Country Project Teams in the four target countries consist of the REF Country Facilitator, and the Project Coordinators of the local implementation partners involved in project implementation in the given country. The main role of the Country Project Team is to ensure harmonization of the implemented activities by partners across each locality. It is foreseen that the Country Project Team shall meet at least once a month. The REF Country Facilitator will make a minute/record of the meetings and send it to the respective REF Country Officer and to the Project Manager for approval, who will also be responsible for dissemination of the records to the Pilot Management Team and the Executive Committee.
The Policy Development Team
The Policy Development Team shall focus on elaborating the strategy for mainstreaming of project results at local, national and European level and will plan the advocacy activities in support of the implementation of national policies on Roma inclusion in ECEC services. The Policy Development Team shall consist of the following seven members: the Policy and Evaluation Specialist, a Senior Advisor and a Researcher of the Roma Education Fund, „an international expert as selected by the REF (currently a respresentative of the Swedish National Agency for Schools) and the Project Manager of each of the international beneficiaries. The Policy Development team will meet every two months.
The Project Advisory Panel
The Project Advisory Panel has a key quality assurance role in the Project, which consist of independent outside experts who provide advice to the PMT and direct consultation to the Project Manager. The members of the Project Advisory Panel will serve as peer reviewers for the key outputs. The Project Advisory Panel will consist of 4 people, at least two of whom will be Roma. One of the members will be an international expert on ECEC (currently John Bennett), and one of the members will be designated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank jointly. The Project Advisory Panel will meet every six months.
Organisational Chart
A Good Start project - Organizational Chart
The project is based on the partnership and close cooperation of the implementing organizations, high-profile experts and local project teams. The management structure is designed to ensure broad participation of different professionals with relevant expertise, at various levels in the implementation of the activities; synergy between the separate activities; and a smooth coordination between the members of the team. The nature of the project requires strong coordination and smooth interaction between the participants in it.
IV. Participating organizations
Co-beneficiaries/International Partners
ISSA – International Step by Step Associaton
Brief organizational description
ISSA is an innovative network of early childhood development professionals and organizations primarily in Central Eastern Europe and Central Asia, working to make quality early childhood education accessible to all children. ISSA’s services include: providing resources, technical assistance and training in ECD in such areas as diversity and social justice education, parent empowerment, bilingual education etc.; training, mentoring and providing support for reaching common understanding about quality pedagogy ECD, based on the ISSA Principles of Quality Pedagogy.
Interventions in the “A Good Start” project:
- ISSA’s local partners will adapt and conduct training sessions in 16 locations in four countries focusing on: education for social justice, diversity, teaching methods, mediation, facilitation, parent education.
- ISSA’s international experts will take part in the development of a policy paper and a handbook for parents/caregivers, and will develop an assessment tool for the education environment (based on ISSA Principles of Quality Pedagogy) and one related to the child’s development (Child Portfolio).
- ISSA’s experts will also conduct a training to ensure the accurate use of these tools in the local settings.
- In addition, ISSA will organize a transnational workshop for educators.
SGI - Slovak Governance Institute
Brief organizational description
SGI, a non-profit civic association, which has implemented number of projects in different fields related to policy-making. The assignments carried out by SGI include public administration assessments and changes, policymaking and policy implementation, human resources enhancement and capacity building.
Planned interventions in the “A Good Start” project:
- Draft the monitoring strategy and the monitoring instruments of the AGS project
- Prepare the questionnaire for the survey that is to be conducted with the parents, and elaborate a research report based on the application of the questionnaire once in the beginning and once at the end of the project
- Train REF country facilitators/project officers on using the monitoring instruments
- Elaborate the database format for keeping the records of project beneficiaries and variables of interest
- Co-author a practical guide on data collection tools and instruments, policy papers, the interim and the final overall report.
FSG – Fundación Secretariado Gitano
Brief organizational description
The Fundación Secretariado Gitano is a non-profit inter-cultural social organisation that provides services for the development of the Roma community throughout all of Spain and at the European level. FSG develops two types of actions:
Direct services lent to the Roma community with a view to promoting and improving living standards.
Actions aimed at fostering more pro-active policies focusing on the Roma community.
Planned interventions in the “A Good Start” project:
- Draft a policy paper: Policy implications for the Structural Funds 2014-2020 programming cycle.
- Draft a Good Practice Guide: how to establish partnership for providing quality ECEC services for Roma.
- Organise and host the 3 days workshop (Policy recommendations – scaling-up projects by European Structural Funds) in Spain.
- Organising and hosting the Final Conference that will take place in Spain (Madrid).
Local Implementation Partners
Slovakia
1. County Association of Roma Initiatives (KARI)
2. Civic Association EQUAL CHANCES
3. MPC Bratislava, regionalne pracovisko Prešov
4. Cultural Association of Roma in Slovakia (KZRS)
Romania
1. Ruhama Foundation
2. Roma Center for Social Intervention and Studies (Romani Criss)
Macedonia
1. Citizen's Association National Roma Centrum
2. Roma Education Center ''Ambrela''
3. Humanitarion and Charitable Association of the Roma KHAM-Delchevo
Hungary
1. National Charity Association for a Better Future
2. University College of Nyíregyháza
3. Unity in Diversity Foundation
V. Positions in the AGS project
Project Manager
The Project Manager will take the overall responsibility for the implementation of Component A and coordination across all Pilot activities in accordance with the detailed project plan presented in the timetable of activities and budget of the proposal.
Financial Manager
The Financial Manager will be responsible for managing the project finances and for the financial reporting towards the European Commission. He will regularly monitor the financial administration for reporting of the REF and of partner organisations in the project.
Policy and Evaluation Specialist
The Policy and Evaluation Specialist will coordinate Component B, including cross-cutting issues related to monitoring and evaluation. He/she will coordinate the work of the Policy Development Team on the improvement of the policy framework and of the monitoring and evaluation processes of the target countries.
Financial and Administration Coordinator
The Financial and Administrative Coordinator will be responsible for keeping records of the project activities and costs incurred by REF in the project and preparing documentation for reporting towards the European Commission.
Administrative Assistant
The Administrative Assistant will be responsible for filing reports, writing and filing minutes, and for organizing conferences, workshops and media events. He/she will participate in monitoring visits as well.
Project Manager/Project Coordinator of the partner organizations
The Project Managers of the international partner organizations and the Project Coordinators of the local partner organizations are responsible for the implementation of the activities in the 16 locations.
Senior Manager
The Senior Manager will actively support the work of the Pilot Management Team and the Policy Development Team, will be involved of the preparation and realization of the transnational workshops.
Country Officers
The Country Officers are in charge of the continuous follow up on the implementation of the AGS project, they will regularly – in every six month – conduct monitoring activities in their respective countries. The Country Officers are the members of the Pilot Management Team, which has 6 monthly meetings regards to the pilot activities.
Country Facilitators
The Country Facilitators will ensure that procedures are in place to conduct side visits and report on project outcomes and impact. They will facilitate the implementation of the project activities according to the application. They will manage the work of the Country Project Team consisting of the representatives of the local partners, which ensures the harmonization of the implemented activities by partners across each locality. Local operational decisions are made on this level in line with the project implementation plans. The Country Facilitators will organise the Country Project Team meetings in every months (middle) and send a minute to the respective Country Officers and to the Project Manager. They will assist to provide data or necessary information to the EC and UNDP/World Bank which will conduct the evaluation of the project. The Country Facilitators will work regularly on communication assignments.
VI. Privacy policy on personal data on AGS project
Information to be collected, instruments