Capitalization seminar for beneficiaries of on-going contracts under the NSA-LA Programme_2013

A Capitalization Seminar on 17-18 September, which will target grant beneficiaries (of Calls for Proposals 129200 and 129493) already invited to attend the October 2011 seminar. As these projects will end in late 2013 or in 2014, this follow-up seminar will focus on capitalisation and exchange of experiences as well as on relevant management matters concerning finalisation and closure of projects. About 75 participants are foreseen.

The overall objectives of this Seminar is to contribute to:

1. a better project management by the Grant Beneficiaries under the NSA/LA Programme, in consistency with the principle of aid effectiveness;
2. the improvement of knowledge on the roles of Project Managers and EC Task Managers;
3. the enhancement of cooperation and coordination among on-going projects;
4. and capitalisation and exchange of experiences for the projects that will end in the coming months.

Tuesday, 17 September 2013

8:30-9:00 Registration

9:00-9:30 Welcome by Ms Virginia Manzitti, Deputy Head of Unit "Civil Society, Local Authorities", DG Development and Cooperation - EuropeAid - European Commission

Introduction: (20’) (Ms Estelle Balian)

9:30-10:30 Module 1: “Feedback/lessons learned from the Inception Seminar October 2011”

Objective: identify what worked and what did not work in the inception seminar 2011 / recommendations for improvements.

1- Presentation of the TM meeting and survey results (20’) (Ms Sara Simon)

2- Participatory exercise table discussion: “How the changes identified and presented have impacted their project and its results” (30’) (Introduction Ms Estelle Balian)

Additional activity: Capacity4DEV will carry out short interviews with project managers asking them how the previous inception seminar has contributed to their project success.

10:30-11:00 Coffee break (30’)

11:00-13:00 Module 2 Part 1: “Project closure”: preparing a good capitalisation”

Objective: discuss project closure as an essential step in ensuring successful completion of the project and putting the basis for successfully capitalise on its achievements. (Focus: planning of final activities, requesting final reporting information from partners, disseminating project results and preparing final reports. Note that contract & finance related issues will be dealt with on day 2)

1- Presentation of success story and lessons learned about project closure (Mr Martin Gerdermann, FoodFirst Information and Action Network, Project: Hungry for Justice - Raising Awareness about the Human Right to Food) (15’ presentation + 5’ Q&A)

2- Panel Q&A (50’): A panel of Task managers + the guest speaker will be invited to answer questions from participants in a facilitated Q&A session.

3- Participatory Table Discussion (50’): Participants discuss at each table with their TM: what are the respective concerns and expectations from TMs and from Project Managers

13:00-14:30: Lunch Break

14:30-15:10 Module 3 part 1: “Sharing for success”: Project stories, a little bit of “ROM”

1- ROM system: brief presentation (15’) (Ms Saskia van Crugten)

2- Presentation of some experiences on ROM (15’) (Mr Thomas Brose, City of Bonn, Project: Networking in Europe: Local Governments meet the MDGs)

3- Q&A session on ROM (10’)

15:10-15:30 Module 3 part 2: “Sharing for success”: Project stories, networking & partnership

Presentation on success stories related to project networking and partnership (Ms Annalisa Stagni, Mani Tese, project: Grabbing development. Towards new models of North/South relations for a fair exploitation of natural resources) (15’ presentation + 5’ Q&A)

15:30-16:00 Coffee break (30’)

16:00-17:00 Module 3 part 3: “Sharing for success”: recommendations for ensuring NSA/LA projects are successful, with success including sustainability

Objective: go from a brainstorming on lessons learned to the development of solutions and recommendations for project success and sustainability.

Participatory session following a world café methodology where projects are grouped per sector of activity (60’)

17:00-17:30 Reporting in plenary on the round table discussions (30’)

17:30-18:00 Debriefing of the day (30’)

18:00-20:00: Cocktail

Wednesday, 18 September 2013

9:00-9:15 Feedback on day 1 and sustainability (15’) (Ms Estelle Balian)

9:15-10:30 Module 3 part 3: “Sharing for success”: recommendations for ensuring NSA/LA projects are successful, with success including sustainability (continued)

Participatory session following a world café methodology, a drawing group exercise and a reporting in plenary (75’)

10:30-11:00 coffee break (30’)

11:00-12:30 Module 2 Part 2: “Project closure”: financial and contractual aspects

Panel Q&A about key financial recommendations for project closure (Mr Patrick Lesoil, Head of Sector, Unit "Finance, Contracts and Audit”, DG Development and Cooperation - EuropeAid - European Commission and some Task managers) (90’)

12:30-14:00: Lunch break

14:00-14:20 Module 3 part 4: “Sharing for success”: Project stories, communication strategy

Presentation on success stories related to project communication strategy (Ms Lucia Fresa, City of Bologna, project: AMITIE) (15’ presentation + 5’ Q&A)

14:20-15:20 Module 4: “What’s happening for the next programming phase of the NSA/LA thematic programme: information and discussion”

Objective: introduce the next phase programming, current status, main characteristics and consultation results; clarify future activities, implementation schemes, the organisational and institutional setting of project, potential replicability, partnership requirement, etc.

Presentation on next phase programming (Ms Erika Pasquini, Unit Civil Society, Local Authorities, DG Development and Cooperation- European Commission) (30’ presentation + 30’ Q&A)

15:20-16:00 Module 5 “Open session”

1- Introduction to the Capacity4Dev group and webpage (15’) (Ms Gloria Jaconelli)

2- Feedback from question box, remaining issues raised by participants (25’)

16:00-16:30 Meeting conclusion and closure (30’)

16:30: Departure Coffee