I am a Sustainable Development Practitioner with a diverse expanse of interests and subsequent expertise, which are founded on a keen understanding and appreciation for the significance attributed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Joaquin, director of To the core of things, is a monitoring, evaluation, researcher and programme manager of multimillion regional programmes and projects specialised in human rights, media, gender, community tourism and children/youth.
As the director and principal consultant of To the core of things consultancy firm, I bring over two decades of experience in results-based management, monitoring, and evaluation of international development programs, with a deep familiarity with EU and UNEG norms and standards. Throughout my career, I have developed and refined evaluation systems, policies, and related guidance for various DGs, national authorities, international NGOs and UN agencies. My work spans multiple regions, including Africa, Latin America, and Asia, focusing on human rights, media, gender, and education and youth programs. Notably, I have led strategic consultancies for different EU instruments including EIDHR, the EU social fund and also outside the EU for UNESCO and OHCHR. These consultancies focused on monitoring, evaluation, and reporting functions of international organizations including the assessment of these functions of UN agencies, OECD, the Council of Europe and the European Union.
My methodological expertise includes mixed-methods approaches and quasi-experimental designs that emphasise client and partner ownership, coherence with learning curves, and pragmatic solutions. These tools, developed under the Creative Commons IP from To the Core of Things, include research guidelines, organisational capacity assessment, modular reconstruction and adaptation of theories of change, stakeholder network maps methodologies, case study guidelines and approaches, outcome harvesting through Most Significant Change stories and implementation of machine learning approaches to development cooperation programmes.
The principles I apply in all my works are ownership of the works and the processes by the client and partners (through a strong participatory approach); alignment with latest trends in the field (including ICT4D, statistical techniques and humanistic considerations); coherence with the learning curve of the clients, and; pragmatism, proposing solutions in line with the interests, philosophy and capacities of the clients and its partners.
Key relevant work that reflects this range of skills and passions include ROM reviews for multi-country EU programmes, consultancies for UNESCO (evaluaitons, periodic reporting consultancies or MEAL system TA). Also for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) I have developed as well another strategic consultancy assessing their in-house monitoring and reporting function plus other programme and country evaluations. Other donors, include USAID, with consultancies carried for US Internews setting up the methodologies, managing seven multicultural teams and producing seven research products for their Rooted in Trust programme and leading several programme evaluations. Some other relevant examples of my works are the evaluation of an agriculture cooperative based project in Ethiopia funded by NORAD, the evaluation of a community radios programme in Zambia funded by the Netherlands; the research manager position for ECORYS and also academic publications in the Journal of Multidisciplinary Evaluation.
For more information visit https://tothecoreofthings.consulting; check our track of projects.
I am a dedicated person and advocate for community development, focusing on education and youth empowerment. My work emphasises access to protect vulnerable populations. I have experience in the technical and social sectors.
Johan van Geijn has a unique track record as a specialist in international corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the world of sports, particularly in football and international development cooperation. With more than 25 years of experience – heading the international programs at the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) since 1998 to build local capacity through football in developing countries and low-income countries. More than 20,000 young volunteer coaches have been able to improve themselves in their local environment through programs developed by Johan.
As founder of the WorldCoaches program, Johan has proven many times how sport can serve as a means for social development. Using football as a catalyst for social cohesion, for the position of girls and women in society, for awareness of communicable diseases, drugs and addictions or clean water.
With the international challenges surrounding migration and refugees, using football as an initiator for programs to tackle youth unemployment in these countries. A range of thematic social challenges where Johan has been able to let football contribute to the approach and often to the solution.
I have been directing the Israel Italy Chamber of Commerce for the past 13 years, the Chamber is an NGO recognized both by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development and Israeli Ministry of Economy. I have been very active i incrementing exchange between Israel and Italy covering the science, diplomacy, economic, investments and innovations. The Chamber is part of a net of Italian Chambers all over the world. My speciality is to match critical problems to innovation, whether medical, agricultural, scientific, and fronteer innovation. I have been scouting for innovation for the major international multinationals.
In 2021 I was bestowed the title of Knight of the Italian Republic, by the Italian President, Sergio Mattarella.
I am a social entrepreneur and founder of Brighter Smiles, which coordinates the EVETTI project under the Erasmus+ Programme action Capacity building in the field of VET. I am a VET teacher in craft-, design and product development-. In media and communication, I am a farmer, a sailor and a fashion designer with 15 years of professional experience in the industry, working in Spain, England and Norway. I am passionate about transforming lives through education and lifelong learning and recognize the critical role of education as one of the main drivers of the development of the individual and society. I believe diverse, inclusive, and thriving local communities that contribute to sustainable production and consumption and equitable, prosperous, and peaceful societies can be achieved through co-creation and comparison with good environments at home and abroad.
