2020 Inception Seminars: Turn on, tune in, break out
News details
Typically, new DEAR Projects gather for two days in Brussels for an intense learning and exchange session on key elements of planning, operating and communicating on their new DEAR Project. However, these are not normal days. And so, this year’s new arrivals to our DEAR family gamely turned on their computers, tuned in via zoom and took part in some lively virtual break out rooms to gather tips and advice for setting up and running their new DEAR project.
The six-part welcome event brought together new DEAR project coordinators and team members with experienced DEAR operators, sharing tips and knowledge that only those who have gone before can share with the uninitiated. DEAR Task Managers and the DEAR Support Team were also on hand to add their guidance. What follows below is a summary of highlights and links to all the seminar presentations and notes. Enjoy!
Inception Seminar 1: Welcome
“In the past, we would run lots of projects but there was no learning,” said Markus Pirchner, as he opened one of the DEAR inceptions Seminars. “Each project had to re-invent the wheel.”
“Now we created the DEAR Support Team to support new projects and the Inception Seminar provides the opportunity to disseminate that knowledge,” he added.
That knowledge was shared over four further events with a final session for feedback, follow-up questions and next steps.
Inception Seminar 2: Planning and Managing Projects
“Over the last five years, we’ve pulled together learning from some 85 projects – including advice they would like to pass to new DEAR projects based on their experience,” said Harm-Jan Fricke at the opening of the Planning and Managing Projects seminar.
Key take-aways:
- Take more time than you expect to plan
- Update you project proposal (which may have dated since it was written)
- Be clear on what you want to achieve
- Check you project partners’ expectations
- Be flexible
Presentations:
Inception Seminar 3: Communication
“To communicate successfully, we have to forget about the [clever] cerebrum and be guided by an entirely different part of the brain: the [emotional] amygdala. Sometimes called ‘the lizard brain’,” said Richard Hands of the European Commission’s DG DEVCO unit for Communication who encouraged DEAR projects to tell a story, about “other people, ordinary people, real people whose real lives are being really transformed by Europe.”
Key take-aways
- Tell a story, use emotions
- Innovate!
- Be clear about who your audience is, and engage with them
- Test and review your communication products and plans
- Look at past DEAR projects for inspiration
Presentations
Inception Seminar 4: Monitoring and Evaluation
“Not all that is countable needs to be counted,” Harm-Jan Fricke, Team Leader, DEAR Support Team.
Key takeaways
- Focus on outcomes
- Establish a baseline study
- Consult the “Engagement pyramid”
- Plan a mid-term evaluation
- Contract a critical friend
- The importance of a good quality log frame
- ROM support can be requested by Task Managers if a project needs help designing reporting systems
Presentations:
Inception Seminar 5: Project Finances
“Any costs that you’re putting into the project will be looked at by the auditors,” said Stewart Page from DEAR Project Fish Forward. “Be prepared for lots of questions and lots of detailed checks [….] Salaries took up most of my time.”
Key takeaways
- Read your contract
- Your contract plus 'Annex II: General Conditions' provide the answers to most of your queries
- Look for answers first in your contract, then in other supporting EC materials
- Be organised, set up clear financial reporting systems for project partners
- Be ready for an audit
- Consider budgeting for a robust Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system
Presentations:
Sabine Gisch-Boie & Stewart Page
Questions and Answers
Participants raised various questions at the seminar which are addressed here.
N.B. DEAR project officers may also find it useful to refer to the FAQ produced after the 2018 Inception Seminar. This 2018 version of the FAQ can be found here
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