Actions in Social Inclusion

  • Capacity building of the Social Prosperity Department

    South America Colombia
    Start activities
    apr-2015
    End activities
    oct-2016
    Partner Institution
    Social Prosperity agency [Prosperidad Social - formerly Agencia Nacional para la Superación de la Pobreza Extrema]
    Type of Assistance
    Training
    Code
    2014-19
    Description
    The Administrative Department for Social Prosperity [Prosperidad Social] integrated towards end of 2015, the National Agency for Overcoming Extreme Poverty (ANSPE) which coordinates the implementation of the National Strategy for Overcoming Extreme Poverty (UNIDOS) created in 2008. UNIDOS currently brings together a large number of entities involved in the provision of basic social services for the extremely poor. The Strategy is complemented by the departmental and municipal governments, including over 1000 municipalities, more than 50 strategic partners from the private sector, and stakeholders in social innovation and from international cooperation. Social Prosperity has engaged a process of re-designing the UNIDOS to strengthen its conceptual and operational aspects such as the design of the surveys, aspects of monitoring, the assistance given to families as well as the information system. The aim was to make Social Prosperity more efficient through better technical and technological tools and instruments, and human and physical capital. SOCIEUX+ mobilised experts conducted with the peers an assessment of the technical capacities of ANSPE to identify gaps and training needs. The scope of the technical assistance extended to red-design of beneficiaries identification mechanisms, information management systems and instruments for monitoring and evaluation. The latter having focused on analysis and further development of business and of information-data under the General Sub-Directorate for Overcoming Poverty, which is part of Social Solidarity. SOCIEUX+ supported also individual capacity building workshops which resulted in the development of a step-by-step guide to impact evaluation planning for the three key programmes led by Social Prosperity’s programmes (UNIDOS, Jóvenes en Acción, and Red de Seguridad Alimentaria). Additionally, technical advice was provided on determining pertinent criteria for the exit and entry of beneficiary families to the “More Families in Action” cash transfer programme.

  • Human resources development planning for the Vietnam Social Security organisation

    South-East Asia Vietnam, Socialist Republic of
    Start activities
    jun-2015
    End activities
    oct-2016
    Partner Institution
    Vietnam Social Security [Bảo hiểm xã hội Việt Nam]
    Type of Assistance
    Institutional Strengthening
    Code
    2014-15
    Description
    The action started with a situational analysis and quick assessment of the human resources development strategy and practice within the partner institution, Vietnam Social Security (VSS). Based on the findings, experts from France, Germany and the Netherlands proposed an organizational approach, based on peer groups, to change the management of VSS on matters relating with human resources and internal skills development, research, and analysis.

  • Capacity Building (Training) of Social Assistance Staff of implementation of the RISE Families Programme

    Caribbean Saint Kitts and Nevis
    Start activities
    nov-2015
    End activities
    dic-2016
    Partner Institution
    Ministry of Social Development - Department of Social Services, Nevis Island Administration (NIA)
    Type of Assistance
    Individual capacity building (human resources development)
    Code
    2015-16
    Description
    Following an initial capacity assessment of the Department of Social Services of the Ministry of Social Development of Nevis, a proposal describing the training needs, the target group, the duration, the proposed training activities, was prepared by experts from Croatia and the United Kingdom. The following training involved case workers of the Restore, Inspire, Secure and Empower social-support Program (RISE) and included: engagement with people in need of assistance; people’s risk assessment; attitudes and professionalism of social workers; confidentiality; managing people’s anger; managing information and data; engagement with other public agencies; understanding family dynamics; assessing cases of child sexual abuse. Finally, experts summed up all materials, methods and information delivered throughout the training and compiled a practical manual that is now available to train the newly hired RISE Program case managers.

  • Support finalising and implementing MoSD strategy

    Middle East and Gulf Countries Jordan
    Start activities
    abr-2016
    End activities
    oct-2016
    Partner Institution
    Ministry of Social Development (MoSD)
    Type of Assistance
    Policy development
    Code
    2015-25
    Description
    The specific objective was to support the development of the MoSD Strategy for 2016-2020 and the related Action Plan, and to share best practice from the EU in strategic planning for social protection policy.

  • Support to the extension of social protection in Cambodia

    South-East Asia Cambodia
    Start activities
    oct-2016
    End activities
    nov-2016
    Partner Institution
    Ministry of Economy and Finances
    Type of Assistance
    Organisational management (structures & functions)
    Code
    2016-02
    Description
    An initial fact-finding mission aimed at narrowing down the areas of support drawn from the request submitted by the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Cambodia (MEF). Following activities resulted in a general mapping and assessment of the country’s social protection framework, which allowed to identify gaps and areas of improvement in coverage. Finally, a training on pension systems for MEF officials allowed EU experts to present different pension systems and how they are governed and regulated by line ministries. The actions, which mainly consisted in knowledge transfer and resulted in enhanced regulatory capacities for relevant personnel, saw the involvement of EU public experts from France, Germany, and Lithuania.

  • Support for setting up an advanced business intelligence system (BIS) in the field of social protection

    Northern Africa Tunisia
    Start activities
    may-2015
    End activities
    apr-2016
    Partner Institution
    Center for Research and Social Studies [Centre de Recherche et d’Etudes Social]
    Type of Assistance
    Information management systems
    Code
    2014-17
    Description
    The Centre for Social Research and Studies (CRES) is a public institution under the supervision of the Ministry of Social Affairs mandated to carry out operational research and studies, and provide decision and policy-making support in the field of social protection. The Tunisian Government relies on the competence of the CRES to implement reforms that are based on sound evidence. The agency’s main task consists in carrying out studies and assessments of the current gaps and weaknesses of the social protection system. The CRES has therefore developed a business intelligence system (BIS) since 2012 which builds the basis of CRES’ research activities. Experts mobilised by SOCIEUX worked with their Tunisian peers in analysing existing BIS and assess the CRES team’s capacities to upgrade, capitalise and maintain its data warehouse. They also to strengthened knowledge and skills in key areas such as statistical analysis, design social security indicators and drafting analytical reports on pension and health insurance schemes. Exchanges were continued through a study visit to Belgian institutions.

  • Support to revise the SP Strategy of the MoSD in Jordan

    Middle East and Gulf Countries Jordan
    Start activities
    aug-2015
    End activities
    dec-2015
    Partner Institution
    Ministry of Social Development
    Type of Assistance
    Policy development
    Code
    2015-11
    Description
    The Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) is responsible for the provision of social services to a wide range of beneficiaries, including young people and children, families and people living with disabilities. These services are provided at a local level though social service directorates and offices. The strategic objective of the MoSD is to contribute to the development and implementation of an integrated social policy in Jordan. Social protection is delivered through four major public programmes: a social insurance programme; a public programme for the civil service and military (phasing out); a social assistance programme; and, an assistance programme for Palestinian Refugees (delivered through the UN Relief and Works Agency). There was a need to strengthen and rationalise programmes so that they better serve the most vulnerable. Moreover, addressing needs of the Syrian refugee crisis, and its impact on the country, remains a major challenge for the Government. Jordan had recently drafted a Poverty Reduction Strategy (2013-2020) and the Response Plan for the Syria Crisis. In this context the MoSD engaged in a more strategic planning approach to rationalise and strengthen existing programmes, and the needed capacities to do so. Over a period of several months, experts mobilised by SOCIEUX work with the peers on the elaboration of a draft Strategic Plan 2016-2021 for the MoSD entitled “Together – Tackling Disadvantage: Realising the potential of all our citizens and building sustainable communities”. Moreover, the experts submitted a roadmap for a communication strategy for the dissemination and endorsement of the Strategic Plan as well as a monitoring and evaluation framework for its implementation titled Business Performance.

  • Support to the Social Cash Transfers-Secretariat

    Western Africa Liberia
    Start activities
    jun-2014
    End activities
    jul-2014
    Partner Institution
    Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs
    Type of Assistance
    Organisational capacity building
    Code
    2014-01
    Description
    The Social Cash Transfer Secretariat of the Ministry of Gender and Development is responsible for the management of the National Social Cash Transfer Programme. As an element of the social protection system, a social cash transfers were piloted at programme level, in 2011. The number of pilot sites was to be scaled up from two to five (third of the 15 counties forming the administrative segments of the country). To achieve this scale-up individual, organisational and institutional capacities of the Secretariat need to be strengthened. Experts mobilised worked with their Liberian peers in an assessment of institutional capacities for this action, and to provide proposals both to improve the organisation Programme and strengthen the individual capacities of the Secretariat’s staff.

  • Support capacity building and institutional frameworks for the implementation of social protection

    CARIBBEAN Jamaica
    Start activities
    jul-2014
    End activities
    nov-2014
    Partner Institution
    Planning Institute of Jamaica
    Type of Assistance
    Legislative & regulatory framework development
    Code
    2014-03
    Description
    The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIoJ) is the foremost economic and social planning agency of the Jamaican Government. The PIoJ had a leading role in the elaboration of the Social Protection Strategy of the country, in 2014. Further, the PIoJ is in charge of coordinating the implementation of the Strategy’s actions and monitoring and evaluation corresponding operations. The success of which depends to a large extent on a careful and effective financial management to withstand economic shocks, which have been frequent in the Caribbean region. Experts mobilised transferred their experience and knowledge to their peers of the PIoJ in the areas of financing, monitoring and evaluation social protection. In addition, experts were to support the costing the existing Social Protection Floor [the minimum package of social assistance and protection services already in place] and the development of a monitoring and evaluation framework for social protection.

  • Supporting the implementation of the Social Protection Strategy on social safety nets

    Eastern Africa Djibouti
    Start activities
    dec-2014
    End activities
    dec-2014
    Partner Institution
    State Secretariat for National Solidarity [Secrétariat d’Etat auprès du Premier Ministre chargé à la Solidarité Nationale]
    Type of Assistance
    Organisational capacity building
    Code
    2014-05
    Description
    State Secretariat for National Solidarity (SESN) is a public entity directly attached to the Prime Minister of Djibouti. It coordinates the implementation as well as monitoring and evaluation processes of the national strategy for socioeconomic development "Vision Djibouti 2035". In 2013, Djibouti adopted a safety net-based National Social Protection Strategy [Stratégie Nationale « Filets Sociaux de Sécurité » 2013-17]. The Strategy, developed by SESN, serves as a road map for the design and implementation of social safety nets, the widespread promotion of employment and equity, and the strengthening of synergies between all stakeholders. For overseeing the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Strategy, the Inter-sector Committee for Social Protection. The Committee was to rely on a permanent technical secretariat, the STP-CI/PS, within the SESN. Mobilised experts contributed in the building of institutional capacities of the SESN and individual technical capacities of its key staff for the setting up of the STP-CI/PS. This was primarily by working with their peers on assessing existing capacities of the SESN, formulating their needs and appropriate responses for the setup of the STP-CI/PS.

  • Strengthening the capacities of the Ministry of Social Care to better monitor and evaluate social protection programmes/ projects

    CARIBBEAN Barbados
    Start activities
    aug-2015
    End activities
    aug-2015
    Partner Institution
    Ministry of Social Care, Constituency, Empowerment and Community Development
    Type of Assistance
    Organisational management (structures & functions)
    Code
    2014-11
    Description
    The Ministry of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Community Development (MSCD) is the central Government authority responsible for the delivery of social services and the implementation of social protection programmes, which are designed to promote social development and reduce poverty in Barbados. A number of important initiatives have been undertaken by the Government to enhance institutional and administrative mechanisms for addressing poverty reduction and monitoring results, as well as general service delivery. For these, the MSCD’s functions in data collection and analysis require substantial capacities, in particular adequate information management systems. Mobilised expert carried out an assessment of the existing structures, capacities and gaps in the administration and management of information by the MSCD and their supervised programmes. Priorities for technical assistance were so identified for the development and of a central and comprehensive social relational database within a future management information system.

  • Support to the development of the legal, institutional and structural framework for social assistance

    Western Africa Côte d'Ivoire
    Start activities
    nov-2015
    End activities
    dec-2016
    Partner Institution
    Ministry of State, Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs & Vocational Education
    Type of Assistance
    Legislative & regulatory framework development
    Code
    2015-06
    Description
    The action was grounded on the National Strategy for Social Protection and focused on territorial social assistance as a fundamental tool to outreach vulnerable (and often peripheral) populations. The Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs & Vocational Education of Ivory Coast supported engaged with different teams of experts from France. The main action’s result has been the definition of a vision and concrete guidelines for structuring and strengthening decentralized social assistance in Ivory Coast, by providing an organizational path for strengthening the local social development centers.