Monitoring and evaluation specialists

Men, women and children with disabilities all experience a number of challenges in Guyana; there is effectively no support system and few opportunities for them to enhance their existing circumstances by gaining an education, getting a job or accessing appropriate care or therapy. You’ll be working with the National Commission on Disability (NCD) to monitor the implementation of their strategic plan. Their work is part of a wider EU-funded programme, called ABLE. This programme supports people with disabilities and their organisations so that they are better able to participate in society and are included in Guyana’s development plans. You’ll assist ABLE to prepare for upcoming external evaluation of the project (March-April 2010). Although M&E systems are in place, ABLE require support to analyse the information and report on progress towards the overall objectives. Your skills will directly influence the work of the 23 active disabled people’ organisations that are currently involved with ABLE. These DPA’s all benefit from ABLE’s work through training and workshops to enable them to work more effectively and better represent their target groups.

What does the role involve?

Strengthening NCD’s M&E systems:

- Advising NCD on the correct data gathering processes necessary for monitoring the implementation of their strategic plan.
- Training NCD staff to implement and maintain an M&E system and writing reports.
Assisting the ABLE project team in the preparation for the evaluation and reporting to the European Union
- Assisting in collection and analysis of data relating to the ABLE objectives.
- Training and supporting ABLE volunteers on reporting outputs for their placements.
- Maintaining and refining VSO’s system for monitoring ABLE activities.

Skills, qualifications and experience required

Educated to degree level qualification in Social Research, Project Management or similar subject you’ll have at least two years’ experience of developing and implementing monitoring and evaluation systems and project reporting. You’ll have conducted both quantitative and qualitative research and are able to advise on M&E processes. You’ll be confident in working with different programme staff and communities and adapt your knowledge to local needs. Confidence in your skills is essential, as you’ll be working with limited supervision.

Patience, flexibility and a good sense of humour are important qualities in all VSO volunteers, as you’ll need to get used to living and working in a new culture with limited resources and facilities.

And the rest...

You’ll be based in Georgetown, where many other volunteers can be found. Georgetown, known as the ‘Garden City’, lies on the East Bank at the mouth of the Demerara River. You’ll find a wide range of sports and leisure activities, ranging from free DVD shows in local bars to theatres and sports clubs.

We’ll ask you to commit to five months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

You’ll be supporting Christian relief and development association (CRDA), whose membership operates throughout Ethiopia, covering both urban and rural areas emphasizing food security, rural and urban development, health, HIV/AIDS, education, water and sanitation, infrastructure, good governance, environmental protection, civic education, etc. Though they are varied in their organization, activities and scope of intervention, all CRDA members envision a society where human dignity, justice, peace and equality prevail and needs are satisfied. You’ll be training staff at regional and national levels to develop systems of programming and monitoring their work. You’ll be responsible for introducing and enforcing the PME system within CRDA and will provide reports to VSO on how well the organization is achieving its partner objectives.

What does the role involve?

• Introducing participatory planning, monitoring and evaluation systems to CRDA.

• Facilitating the development of the annual and three year plan.

• Developing appropriate M&E tools and providing technical training to staff.

• Providing feedback on the progress of planned activities.

• Using M&E results to encourage learning and accountability with the organization.

• Facilitating the preparation of periodic plans and reports submitted to Government Offices and donors.
  

Skills, qualifications and experience required

Educated to degree level qualification in economics, statistics or social science you’ll have at least 10 years’ experience of developing and implementing monitoring and evaluation systems and project reporting. Your experience will include working with diverse social environments (social and religious). You’re able to advise on M&E processes and will have confidence in your skills, as you’ll be working with limited supervision. You’ll need integrity a positive attitude and willingness to contribute to the organisation’s mission. Patience, flexibility and a good sense of humour are important qualities in all VSO volunteers, as you’ll need to get used to living and working in a new culture with limited resources and facilities.

And the rest...

You’ll be based in Addis Ababa where you will be provided with accommodation close to your workplace. There are many things to do in Ethiopia when you have a little free time. In general Ethiopians tend to spend their leisure time with their families and they will often invite you to join them. There is also a café culture – you while away the hours drinking coffee, tea or cold drinks. The staple Ethiopian food is injera, which is a large circular pancake made from a small grain called teff. Cooked stews and vegetables (collectively known as wat) are placed on the injera, and the whole is eaten communally by hand.

We’ll ask you to commit to 12 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

Harvest Help is a non-governmental organisation working to improve the livelihoods of people in rural communities in Zambia so that they have enough food and money to pay for necessities like medicines, clothes and school fees. Its vision is for rural communities to be able to manage their own future without having to rely on hand outs at times of crisis. Harvest Help is a well-established organisation but has been working without proper monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems in place for a long time. This has had a negative effect on reporting procedures, donor processes and internal management systems.

Your role as an M&E adviser is to develop an M&E plan and to put systems in place that will allow the organisation to move forward sustainably. Harvest Help has offices in Lusaka and other districts such as Siavonga where this post is based. You’ll be working alongside the team of 10 programme staff in Siavonga who support activities in areas such as agriculture, education, water and sanitation.

What does the role involve?

• Developing monitoring and evaluation systems for Harvest Help
• Training staff in M&E systems
• Training community groups in various M&E systems
• Working with programme staff to include M&E in their work
• Supporting programme staff and other volunteers in the placement with various M&E related duties

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll have a degree level qualification and at least two years’ experience of developing and implementing monitoring and evaluation systems and project reporting. You’ll be confident in working with different programme staff and communities and adapt your knowledge to local needs. Confidence in your skills is essential as you’ll be working with limited supervision. Patience, flexibility and a good sense of humour are important qualities in all VSO volunteers, as you’ll need to get used to living and working in a new culture with limited resources and facilities.

And the rest...

Landlocked Zambia is located between the southern rim of the Zaire Basin and the Zambezi River. The country is home to the majestic Victoria Falls as well as excellent national parks teeming with a huge variety of wildlife. Siavonga District is within the Lusaka Province and about 130 km from Lusaka, the country’s capital. Siavonga borders Zambia. There is a good market in Siavonga where you can buy groceries and other essentials. Motorbike riding will be required (and training is provided by VSO) for you to get around the district.

We’ll ask you to commit to 12-24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

VSO works in West Timor to improve health care, particularly in maternal and child health. To succeed at this, hospitals need to operate efficiently and a structured organised information system will be at the heart of this. Working within VSO’s Making Pregnancy Safer project, this placement with a regional public hospital will strengthen the data management of the hospital, providing good reliable information for service planning and preparing the hospital for taking part in new government policies.

What does the role involve?

• Facilitating an assessment of the existing hospital management information systems
• Training, mentoring and coaching medical record staff in information management
• Assisting the hospital in developing a work system, standard operating procedures, and workload indicators as needed for the medical record department
• Assisting medical record staff in monitoring and evaluation

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll have at least two years’ experience in the management of data, either in a hospital or a large organisation with complex information systems. You’ll also need experience in facilitating participation, training and building capacities of others, and the ability to prepare training materials and plans. You should have experience in developing work plans, procedures, and workload indicators for information management and have experience of monitoring and evaluation. Skills in IT such as databases is also essential. In addition, you’ll need to be flexible, adaptable and have a good sense of humour.

And the rest...

You’ll be based in Kupang in a district located on West Timor, the western half of the island that is shared with the newly independent nation of Timor Leste. Kupang District consists of 27 islands, nine of which are not yet named. From the 27 islands, only five are occupied. The facilities in Kupang city are relatively easy to access and as provincial capital, Kupang city has the best access to internet facilities, entertainment options such as badminton courts and even a karaoke palace. Food is plentiful and fresh, with fruit being sold in the street.

This is an urgent placement and we’ll ask you to commit to 12-24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

Chongwe District Farmers Association (CDFA) was formed in 2002 to support the economic development of its members. They aim to develop agriculture as a sustainable business, improve food security and the livelihoods of farmers. They aim to fight poverty by providing training and extension services and by building market links for farmers. Your role as an M&E Adviser is to develop an M&E plan and to put systems in place that will allow the organisation to move forward in a sustainable way. The Association has a total membership of 1300 of which 40% are women, 20% are youths and 40% are men. Membership consists of small-scale and large-scale farmers, youth clubs, women clubs and cooperatives. By introducing M&E to the Association you’ll enable its members to plan and evaluate their work more accurately, thereby focusing resources in a more efficient way.

What does the role involve?

• Developing Monitoring and Evaluation strategy for CDFA.
• Training board members and staff to use M&E systems.
• Ensuring that documentation and training is in place to ensure knowledge is retained after the end of your placement.
  

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll have a degree level qualification and at least 2 years’ experience of developing and implementing monitoring and evaluation systems and project reporting. You’ll be confident in working with different programme staff and communities and adapt your knowledge to local needs. Confidence in your skills is essential, as you’ll be working with limited supervision.
Patience, flexibility and a good sense of humour are important qualities in all VSO volunteers, as you’ll need to get used to living and working in a new culture with limited resources and facilities.

And the rest...

Landlocked Zambia is located between the southern rim of the Zaire Basin and the Zambezi River. The country is home to the majestic Victoria Falls as well as excellent National Parks teeming with a huge variety of wildlife. Chongwe is a quiet town lying 40kms from Lusaka. You’ll find all basic facilities and in the town and local transport by bus is plentiful both in and around Chongwe.

We’ll ask you to commit to 12 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.