UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Project Planning -- India – January and February

Denny Hamilton had the opportunity to work with personnel from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in the cities of Delhi and Mumbai in two districts of Tamal Nadu State in south eastern India.  The assignment was part of process to review all of the projects supported by UNDP during this five-year program cycle.  He found the U N personnel to be open and interested in improving not only the quality of project documents, but also the management of projects.  He managed a process in which the annual work plans of each of the 66 projects was reviewed and language of the objectives, activities and indicators revised to more accurately reflect the intent of the projects as well as how progress could be measured. 

 

Three projects stand out among the ones he worked with.  One was an environmental conservation project in the Gulf of Mannar, an unusual body of water between the southeast coast of India and the northwest coast of Sri Lanka.  India has established a large marine reserve which covers a thousand square kilometers of the sea and a ten kilometer wide perimeter park around the reserve.  What was interesting was the way the management of the park was assigned within the government bureaucracy, which placed it under the Department of Forestry.  Little was going on inside the park.  To compensate, the project had focused on developing livelihoods for fishing families, particularly women, who have been cut out of the work force by modern equipment.  A most extraordinary set of livelihood development activities focused on women and children he has ever encountered were underway.  Included were:  small scale fish processing ( pickling, drying);  sewing  (clothes for women and children, purses, bags); vocational training : bicycle repair, computer training, carpentry, welding, small marine engine repair, accounting;  adult education

(literacy, reading); weaving (bamboo mats and baskets).

 

The second was a poverty reduction project focused on what is called “Financial Inclusion.”  In India there are groups of people called “Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes”  who tend to be among the poorest and most vulnerable social groups and this project was designed to get financial assistance to these vulnerable groups.  It was early days in this project and one challenges was moving the implementation from the national level down to the district level. 

 

The third project as a joint UN agency project on convergence involving UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA (the United Nations Fund for Population Activities).  This project had a good work plan on paper.  Its aim was to assist district governments to improve planning and implementation of projects at the district level.   What Mr. Hamilton discovered and tried to help the partners work with was the challenges associated with three large agencies collaborating on a single project.  It would be like Weyerhaeuser, Boeing and United Parcel Service working together on a project to merge their efforts to improve public services in the western United States.      

 

 

The Humanitarian Field Coordination Program  -- Kenya and Thailand – April and May

Denny Hamilton defines a training program as, “a multi-faceted set of training events, which together focus on improving human performance in a specific range of activities. He began working on this one program back in the spring of 2008.  In this case, the program had three components: a 12 week-long distance-learning component during which 65-75 participants each read one chapter every two weeks on topics related to humanitarian coordination.  DH contributed to the writing of all six chapters, which covered: (1) humanitarian coordination; (2)  information management; (3)  emergency response and contingency planning; (4) advocacy; (5) humanitarian protection ; and (6) humanitarian financing.  At the conclusion of each chapter participants had to complete and submit  a set of exercises.  At the conclusion of the 12 weeks, those participants, all of whom were staff of the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Activities (OCHA), who had successfully completed the distance-learning component were invited to participate in a training workshop.  In all, Mr. Hamilton facilitated nine (9) of these workshops, the last two of which were conducted in Kenya and Thailand at the end of April and in early May.  The workshops focused on developing competencies required to perform the functions of humanitarian workers in the field.  These included Planning and Organizing, Analyzing, Creativity, Communication, Facilitation, Networking, Negotiation, Teamwork, Client Orientation, Commitment to People in Need, Building Trust, Accountability and Leadership.  He conducted training sessions which created the opportunity for participants to learn more about these competencies and to practice them.  One highlight of the workshop is a simulation of the response to the Russian incursion into Georgia in 2008.  Since the participants all come to the workshop with a common background based on their work on the six chapters, and since the training course was initially designed and then modified to respond to specific needs identified by the participants, the response to this training event was unbelievably positive. 

 

Largest LOOP GROOP Ever at Olympic College

Forty five students participated in the largest LOOP(ette) ever at Olympic College on December 28.  These students, part of the Workfirst program, worked in groups of 4 or 5.  Some of them had been in the program for several months, others had just been accepted.  Brianna Baker, the program's coordinator, Denny, Joe Teisan and Lorie Waggett acted as coaches, answering questions and providing encourangement and guidance.    Some of what the students said about the experience follows.   “Fun and thought provoking!  I liked the social interaction.  I liked the color post-its.  I liked that the activities that keep you involved.  I liked that it helped me remember the life goals I have which sometimes are easy to forget.  I liked EVERYTHING!  I liked hearing other people, the goal setting,  and realizing I have the power to make things happen for me.  My direction is clearer,   One said, “How in depth this workshop was!  All the areas of improvement I need to plan for.”  And another said, “I liked Loopette because you can draw out your present and future instead of writing.  It helped me a lot.”   

 

Idea Cards" Good Idea for Meetings  

Participants who came to the early morning “Intro to the Card and Chart Technique” workshop on Thursday July 30 were graciously hosted at the NM Chamber of Commerce offices because the Theler Center was just too hot to handle. They learned how to make meetings more effective by using visualization techniques for brainstorming, decision making, action planning, and task assignments. Not only did they discuss materials, preparation, questioning and instruction techniques, they practiced collecting, clarifying, posting and clustering “idea cards.” They expected to learn how to: “be a better facilitator, make a meeting run more efficiently, manage a contentious meeting, and help participants clarify the task or issue. What they said at the end of the 90 minute workshop was that the C&T technique : “was a clearer way of doing mind-mapping; was a very useful tool for facilitating a meeting or conducting a training; could easily be adapted to a database structure, will help bring clarification in meetings; and it was a good demonstration of excellent facilitation techniques.” One person said, “I like the card idea better than the leader doing all the writing. It seems the leader would be less harried.” The workshop was facilitated by Denny and Marcia Hamilton from TAP Training Associates Pacific. All participants received a Card and Chart Start up kit. Come to an early morning 90-minute workshop facilitated by the Hamiltons, Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 7:30 am at the Theler Center in Belfair, 360-275-4898. Make your presentations more effective. Learn to use your voice, your hands, and visual aids to better communicate your message, convince your listeners, and sell your product! Coffee, danish, and juice will be presented. Call 360-275-6701 or register on line at www.tap-trainingassociatespacific.com.

Feedback

Feedback from our clients and associates strengthens our work. Please feel free to let us know how you found your TAP experience to be...

Feedback on LEAP from Youth

at

Olympic College, Bremerton and Shelton WA,  C-SALT  (College Skills and Life Training) program and Community Youth Services, Olympia Washington

 

What did you learn? What did you like?

 

Resources, Tips,  Techniques and Strategies

  • Found out the resources to use to get where I want to go
  • Better tips to get to where I want to be
  • Can use these strategies in everyday use.  And can share a lot of information with others.
  • The resources are in me
  • Class was very informative and useful techniques 

Direction

  • It gave me a starting point and helped me make a plan to accomplish my goal as well as making deadlines to make myself more responsible.
  • How to get where I wanna (sic)  go career wise
  • Feel like  I have more direction
  • Learning how to get on track
  • I planned out my life/future to be stable! In plain sight!
  • I found that this project gave me great insight as to where I am going  in my life.  All that was found were things that I knew I wanted, but up until this point had been unable to verbalize.  This is one of the best things I have participated in, in recent memory.
  • I learned how to organize my plan of action to getting where I want to go. 

Goals,  Objectives and Steps

  • This workshop helped me look at my future and realize it won’t be so hard if I just take little steps at a time.  It was very fun.
  • To get my priorities started and organize my goals
  • To see where I need to be and what steps to take to get there
  • It put my goals in perspective and made me think of the actual steps I need to take.
  • I like figuring out how to get where I want to go career wise
  • I was able to better figure out where I am going in life
  • It was useful because I set my goals
  • Made me evaluate my goals both personally and professionally.
  • I like the course that we used and helping me out with my goals
  • It breaks my goals down tot feasible things that are reachable and do-able.
  • I liked learning a different way to setting and following goals
  • I liked the breakdown process for better understanding of what I need to do
  • Shows me how I will attain my goals in the future
  • Making one big goal then making smaller goals to go with the big one
  • Puts things in order
  • Putting goals into manageable chunks
  • Making short and long term goals
  • Made me really get a good outline of things I can do and things I need to improve
  • Bringing my reality to the surface helps me to better improve my situation
  • I like watching chaos turn to order and the fact it summed up my main goals
  • Laying out the goals and how to get there.
  • The hard work that it is going to take to achieve my goals.
  • How easy it made planning how to reach my goals.
  • I like how it got me more focaced (sic) on my goals
  • I like that I got the opportunity to write down and see my goals so that they may be reinforced and better understanding how to accomplish them.
  • I learned that I can reach my goals if I tackle them one at a time.
  • I learned my goals aren’t so far out of reach.
  • A personalized plan on how to achieve goals from start to finish.
  • I learned a lot about myself and all the little things that have to be done to reach my future goals.
  • Knowing that others have similar goals.
  • Learning how to plan goals.
  • So far this workshop seems like it makes you aware of what you want, what your goals are, where you are now and where you could be going.
  • I have learned a new step in making decisions and goals about myself.
  • It helped me define more goals; it helped me realize what goals are more important.
  • What was possotive. I loved setting goals.  Helped me reaffirm my objectives.
  • I liked learning new things; liked hearing possibilities;; I can’s; I have the money to…; liked goal setting and seeing what my future wud be like…
  • I now know how many steps it will take to get to my final goal.
  • I liked how I learned how to do positive stepping stones.

Visualization

  • I liked the use of sticky notes and color
  • The sticky note tree helped me plan my future.  It helped me visualize my future and the steps I need to get there.
  • Easy to see what I need to do.
  • I liked seeing my future in detail
  • Most useful thing was drawing what I want my future to look like
  • I liked the variety of ways to be creating
  • Drawing!
  • The different colors helped keep things separated and colorful
  • Makes you see between the lines
  • The final tree was very helpful
  • I learned how to map out my goals step by step.
  • It allowed me to be creative with my goals and how I plan to reach those goals.

Overall Workshop

  • I really liked the LEAP program.   I learned a lot about plans and how to organize them.
  • This workshop was great.  It allowed me to self reflect on some things in my life that I was unhappy about and how to improve it.  I was able to take responsibility for my present and control of my future.
  • I think that the workshop is perfect and it was taught very well.
  • I really enjoyed the classes and the coach’s great personality.
  • Instructor was very patient
  • I didn’t have any issues with the class.  I liked it.
  • I like this class because it opened my eyes to different things.
  • It made me see that I can be successful and will be.
  • (Liked )Support from staff
  • (Liked) Giving examples and explaining benefits
  • I learned a lot about myself and my future
  • I liked how this program gives you positive insight in your future
  • This was very challenging.  Thank you for inviting us to think differently.
  • I enjoyed the tree and your teaching style.
  • Everything
  • It’s layed back
  • How simple the system is to use
  • I like how we layed (sic) out our plans.  It opens your thoughts out better.
  • I wish I had this for one of my classes.
  • A Fun workshop
  • It was fun learning
  • I was OK.
  • I thought overall it’s very informative and eye opening.
  • LEAP is a great method to structure the thoughts and present in a format.
  • It was a wonderful workshop
  • I thought this class is just excellent.
  • Very helpful info
  • Everything was wonderful.  Thank you very much
  • What was good about this workshop:  It was reaffirming
  • Positive: Clear outline of what I need to do;  group interaction; freedom of expression.
  • Very safe environment.  Supportive instructor; relevant information.  Do-able.  Not too lengthy.
  • I think more people should be in LEAP.
  • I can’t think of any improvements.  The LEAP program is pretty organized.
  • Improve? No suggestions.
  • What can be improved…nothing that I can see….
  • At this moment there is nothing that I would change about this class.  It is great and I would love to see this program more often.

Motivation

  • Made me feel positive
  • I like the class because  its another way how to give me a good motivation in life.
  • Motivation in life
  • Gives you a positive outlook
  • I liked the info I received and how to change a negative to a positive 

Small Groups

  • Fun innovative way to connect with yourself and others to be able to realize and achieve your goals throughout life.
  • I liked working in groups and getting to know more about each other
  • What I most enjoyed today was the comfort in feeling accepted as part of our group.
  • I learned patience.
  • I liked how active we were.

 

 

 

What didn’t you like?  What could have been improved?

 

More Time

  • I didn’t think there were any negative parts in the workshop.  I wish we had more time. 
  • More time to do more.
  • Time of this workshop could have been more; and it would be great to have a second follow up session to review and reflect, assess personal weaknesses and strengths.
  • To be improved…more time to learn from you.
  • More time for the class.  Lots of info goes into this.
  • More class time
  • More class time
  • More class time
  • More class time 

Directions, Explanations,  Instructions

  • More time and explanation
  • More time and explanation
  • More time and explanation
  • A better way of giving instructions
  • Picking one personal topic and not many so we can pin point our personal problems
  • Explaining the steps
  • I think that the visual aids that you use should all be readable and they should be from the same person so all the information goes together.
  • I didn’t like  the frustrating part of trying to understand the directions
  • Explained more in detail
  • Better explanation of the final paper
  • Maybe explained simpaler (sic).  But I thought it was well presented.  Thank you.
  • Simple and directions on how to begin
  • Simple more clear instructions with clear examples
  • Only thing that could have been better was perhaps a better set of directions as to what exactly the person is supposed to do.  Although some of the disagreement may be the person doing this putting up some resistance to putting what they are supposed to put down.

Sticky Notes

  • Stickier post its
  • Better Post its
  • Using sticky notes
  • The materials…and I have nothing I don’t like about it.
  • Could use more/bigger visual aids and post its
  • No negative, all pretty good
  • Maybe bigger post its
  • Stickier post its
  • Bigger post its.
  • No smelly childish markers and glue sticks.
  • Bigger post its.
  • Bigger post its.
  • Bigger post its.
  • Bigger post its.
  • Bigger post its.
  • Projector slides could have been bigger.

All Ten Steps

  • Would like to learn all 10 steps.
  • Doing all 10 steps would be nice.
  • Learn all 10 steps.  More time.  

Food

  • Improve?  Bring snacks? 
  • Could be improved by bringing donuts.

Process

  • I didn’t really like this way of thinking.
  • Thinking too much gives me headaches.
  • More one on one and make more things priviet (sic)
  • I’m good, I just wish you were here earlier in the quarter so it didn’t feel like a bit of a review
  • What could have been improved about it…gone slowly go people could understand better and keep up.
  • Possibly the sequence or too many self “category” listings
  • Less telling out loud
  • Didn’t like the group
  • We should all be facing you so we don’t have to turn to hear you
  • It was kinda hard for me

Steps

  • Take more time on drawing the future and present pictures.
  • Spent a lot of time in between steps.
  • Make sure everyone has completed one task before starting another

 

 

 

 
LEAP Program at Olympic College Comments: 
  •  I really liked the “LEAP’ program because I learned a lot about plans and how to organize them.
  •  I now know how many steps it will take to get to my goals. 
  •  I liked how I learned how to do positive stepping stones.  
  • The sticky note tree helped me plan my future. 
  •  It helped me visualize my future and the steps I need to get there.  
  • Fun, innovative way to connect with yourself and others to be able to realize and achieve your goals throughout life

LEAP Program at the RETSIL Facility for Homeless Veterans Comments : 

  • Great Job.  Outstanding class.
  • Was a good educational experience.
  • Gave light to the steps needed to achieve success.
  • Thank you for your time to set goals for achieving our life goals.
  • It was informing and education(al)
  • Thank  you
  • Thanks for helping me find  direction to move in  to move forward with my plans to become more independent.
  • I feel better informed on focusing on my goals.
  • Pretty well put together with good organization and presentation.
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TAP (Training Associates Pacific, LLC) is a human resource development organization registered in the U.S. in Washington State. TAP associates form a global network of professionals who advise on, design, and facilitate state-of-the-art participatory live- and on-line learning events, customized courses, and training materials in the United States, Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and Europe.