Evaluation of the project: Capacity Development for Advocacy for Youth Leaders in Bolivia

Background:
SAIH (The Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund), has worked in Bolivia since 1993, with funds from the “Operation: A Day’s Work” campaign.  In 2006, CEADL (Centre for Studies and Support to Local Development), in cooperation with SAIH, began the project “Strengthening civil society, from an integral and generational perspective”, which lasted until 2008.  There was also an external evaluation of CEADL for the period 2006- 2008, which resulted in concrete recommendations to strengthen the institution. SAIH continued supporting CEADL, while also reinforcing programs, taking into account the reality of Bolivia during the process of change that the country underwent, as well as SAIHs Strategy for Education and Development, 2009-2012.   This cooperation led to the establishment of the project entitled ”Capacity development for advocacy for youth leaders in Bolivia”, for the period 2009-2012.  This evaluation is focused on this project.

Purpose/objective:
To interpret, analyze and evaluate the advance of the project “Capacity Development for Advocacy for Youth Leaders in Bolivia”, in relation to civil society. Present the achievements of the project in relation to the target group. Evaluate the efficiency and pertinence of the methods used to implement the project. Present and evaluate gender issues, environmental concerns and the rights of indigenous peoples, in the implementation of the project. Evaluate the technical and administrative capacity of CEADL to manage the project, according to the requirements specified by this organization, target group and SAIH. Evaluate the relevance of SAIHs projects and policies as a partner in this project. Evaluate the sustainability of the project. Present recommendations and strategies concerning all the objectives outlined above.

Methodology:
1. Meetings with senior management, board, staff, volunteers, cooperating organizations and target group of the project. These meetings were held in La Paz, Oruro, Sucre, Santa Cruz, El Alto.
2. Interviews. The interviewees consisted of senior management, board, staff, volunteers and target group of the project. These interviews were conducted in La Paz, Oruro, Sucre, Santa Cruz and El Alto.
3. Telephone interviews with the Norwegian Embassy in Argentina, and SAIHs program consultant for Bolivia, in Oslo
4. Analysis of over 40 documents, publications and multimedia, which are directly relevant to the project
5. Review of strategic documents, program descriptions, as well as yearly project descriptions, reports and budget

Key findings:
In general, serious efforts have been made to apply the recommendations of the 2008 evaluation, and CEADL has tried to implement their trainings and activities within a human rights perspective.  There is real demand among youth networks to which the project achieved concrete results from their activities. Given the characteristics of CEADL, the continued support of SAIH is justified.
The relationship with SAIH has enabled CEADL to advance its work with youth on political education, as stipulated by the project:
1. There is an emphasis on youth political participation (especially indigenous youth) by raising awareness through education (formal and through training), as well as concrete links such as bringing together NGO networks for the formulation of law proposals, preliminary plans and strategies.
2. CEADL and SAIH are active organizations with 13 and 50 years of work experience respectively, that have developed mutual respect and trust for one another, enabling CEADL to carry out its line of work and convictions in achieving their goals without impositions of any kind.
3. Although the dynamic trust between SAIH and CEADL is a positive one, CEADL is currently financially dependent of SAIH to ensure their activities and respond to youth demands.
4. The templates for plans and reports are not very informative in relation to the reality of the CEADL activities.  There is a lot of repetition (copy and paste) within the reports, which is not useful for SAIH or for CEADL.  It is important to seek other ways to generate information, and to report about the real situation of the organization and the progress of activities that demands more precision. There is a solid effort made in each funding request, but there is more emphasis in the reports on activities than on results of the projects.
5. Communication within the organization must improve, not just between projects and personnel, but also within the administration, and between regional offices.  The lack of communication is a common issue in some organizations, therefore it is important to strengthen this aspect in each of the CEADL offices and between its partners.
6. CEADL must make its political position more explicit. Although it is considered as an organization with leftist values, in the current political situation, CEADL should emphasize its political independence concerning the government party.  Presently, as a result of their questioning and critiques towards the government, CEADL appears on the “blacklist” of the MAS Government, together with other organizations. There is a portion of personnel that continues to reflect MAS trends within CEADL, while others are more critical.
7. The expansion of activities makes CEADL more vulnerable when there is a lack of personnel or sufficient financing.  If the number of participants increases from the drop in the quality of their activities, it may be a reason to question the follow-up of the project.  CEADL needs to emphasize quality over quantity.  CEADL works in collaboration and coordination with networks and organizations to share responsibilities and resources.
8. CEADL is working at its maximum capacities: of personnel, activities and finances.  Overload must be corrected as soon as possible defining how, where, what and with who to work.

Recommendations:
1. CEADL should consider adjustment of their goals to make the coherent with the abilities of the organization.
2. Limit activities and implement improved approaches for activity planning to reduce employee fatigue.
3. Re-examine the work proposal to avoid overdrawing resources, personnel and the energy of the CEADL organization.
4. In the case of Santa Cruz, CEADL will need a strategy for a possible office in this location. (Will they work in the field, in the town center or in Plan 3000?)
5. CEADL should have strategic and participative discussions for planning activities and make them more visible for its personnel.
6. CEADL must take the appropriate decisions as soon as possible.
7. Improve communications and planning within the organization, make these visible (e.g. calendars on the wall) and program weekly morning sessions.
8. Establish clear lines of communication between the three offices about activities and work plans, in order to improve SAIH reports.
9. Continue to strengthen the understanding of administrative procedures among staff, while reaching a workable consensus that allows the office in Sucre to operate, in a way that guarantees greater administrative flexibility.
10. Introduce or modify the manner of producing reports to provide clearer and more precise information.
11. Improve mechanisms for transmitting information in a more precise way between CEADL and SAIH.
12. Establish relationships with other national and international institutions for information exchange and future financial aid.
13. Generate incentives for the volunteers, such as diplomas, in order to motivate and give credentials to youth that provide trainings and courses.
14. More agile combination of the two projects – Youth Incidence for Political Participation and the Natural Resource Observatory.
15. Re-examine if they wish to include cross-cutting subjects like GLBT, which is currently part of their work plan.
16. Accommodate cross-cutting themes relating to GLBT, regarding sexual and reproductive rights.  GLBT wants to be introduced in all of the subjects, including the Natural Resource Observatory.
17. Organize seminars like logical framework, or leadership courses or deeper dialogues about GLBT with CEADL personnel and their replicators.
18. Continue with trainings about political participation, while at the same time deepening the knowledge of their replicators about the information to properly convey it to youth.
19. Invite and boost voluntary participation, FK or Norwegian students, and other countries. (e.g. having a gay or lesbian volunteer to mainstream the GLBT subject)
20. Increase the use of technology to facilitate dialogue between youth, such as chat rooms, blogs and Twitter within the organizations with youth groups.
21. Define and discuss the political position of CEADL within the organization so that all staff is able to express their opinions and participate in the discussion. This will greatly help in discussions regarding the content of the organization’s bulletins, as well as its programs.
22. Prepare a contingency plan preparing for the potential event of direct conflict with future governments.