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| Programme Norms |
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| History |
| The Norms Committee, set up by the Credibility Alliance Governing Board in December 2006, has worked over five sessions during the period between December 2006 and July 2007 to evolve a Draft Document of Programme Norms for the Credibility Alliance. |
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| These Programme Norms were circulated as a draft to all members of the Alliance to seek feedback, comments and critical engagement. They have been thoroughly discussed in State Meetings or other relevant forums of the Credibility Alliance membership, face-to-face meetings and a questionnaire that have been circulated to member organisations so that the Draft Programme Norms can have broader inputs and can be finalised through a process of wider discussion, debate and consensus building. |
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| The Credibility Alliance, through a consultative process, has already developed its Norms and Good Practices around Governance and Public Disclosure that were finalised in May 2003. These are available in the Norms Booklet (2006). These Norms are focused on Governance and Finance and only very briefly touch upon Programme areas. |
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| The urgency for developing Programme Norms has been placed before Credibility Alliance by donor agencies as well as government. Also, members of the Alliance have been feeling that an appraisal of a Voluntary Organisation must necessarily look at programme, which is the core of the NGOs work. While substantial work has already been done by Credibility Alliance on norms pertaining to finance and governance, programme criterion has not received adequate attention. This led to the recognition of the imperative need to establish Norms on all counts: Programme, Finance and Governance with the understanding that, ultimately, good governance and management are intrinsically connected with the real impact and difference that organisations make to the lives of people and communities they work with. |
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| Overall, these norms were developed through collective deliberation as well as review of existing national and international literature of various norm frameworks, codes of ethics and accreditation material. The Committee found all this information extremely valuable in taking the discussion forward on Programme Norms for the Voluntary Sector in the Indian context.
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| About Programme Norms |
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| These Programme Norms are generic norms applicable across different types of organisations, working on various issues in the Voluntary Sector. The framework used to develop these norms is the programme management cycle of planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, linked to the vision and mission of the organisation. The Norms are not developed for assessing the substantive content of organisation’s work. They are directed towards assessing whether the organisation has the essential programme management processes in place for the organisation’s programmes to be effective. However, the programme content is viewed in relation to the value framework. |
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| These Norms will serve to educate and inform NGOs on Minimum Norms and Good Practice Norms around Programme aspects. |
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- It will help NGOs assess what level they are functioning at today.
- It will help NGOs realise what are the best practices, even if they are not implementing them currently, so that they have the possibility to raise their standards of functioning.
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| This is in keeping with the principle of Credibility Alliance – of working towards a self-regulatory framework that will help the Sector establish transparency, set quality standards in what we do as well as take forward our commitment to share openly and clearly with the public, information on questions such as why we exist, how we work and how we utilize our financial resources; thereby ensuring credibility. |
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| Credibility Alliance will use these norms to Accredit NGOs that may request or volunteer for Credibility Alliance Accreditation. |
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| Following the process of feedback on the Norms from members, the Norms will be finalised. A questionnaire guide for assessors will be developed around the Minimum Norms so that assessment can be objective and follow uniform parameters. This Questionnaire Guide for assessing Minimum Norms will be sensitive to organisational differences including age of the organisation, scope of work and size. |
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| Vision and mission |
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| Minimum Norms |
- The vision and mission of the organisation are articulated and known to internal and external stakeholders.
- The vision and mission informs the objectives, programmes and activities of the organisation.
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| Best Practice Norms |
- The organisation periodically reassesses its mission and operations in light of the changing internal and external environment.
- The organisation involves internal and external stakeholders in reviewing its mission statement.
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| Objectives |
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| Minimum Norms |
- The organisation formulates clear objectives.
- The objectives of the organisation are communicated to internal and external stakeholders.
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| Best Practice Norms |
- The objectives are formulated in consultation with internal and external stakeholders.
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| Programme planning and development Needs assessment |
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| Minimum Norms |
- The organisation undertakes needs assessment.
- The design of the organisation's programmes takes into account the needs of the people - the marginalized and vulnerable groups including women, children, dalits, tribals, disabled, minorities and economically deprived sections of society.
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| Best Practice Norms |
- Relevant and effective methods are used for needs assessment.
- The organisation involves its stakeholders in needs assessment.
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| Planning |
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| Minimum Norms |
- A plan of action based on needs assessment, sets out how the organisation will realize its objectives.
- Programme planning does not discriminate against disadvantaged sections of society and fosters participation.
- The staff is involved in the planning and designing of programmes.
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| Best Practice Norms |
- The organisation has a plan of implementation with timelines.
- The constituencies are to the maximum extent possible included in the process of planning.
- The organisation utilizes the results of previous assessments and performance outputs in planning.
- The organisation defines qualitative and quantitative.
- The stakeholders are involved in the performance assessment process beginning with setting performance indicators.
- Projects are designed to enhance sustainability through peoples' involvement.
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| Implementation |
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| Minimum Norms |
- The organisation adheres to the implementation plan while carrying out activities.
- The organisation has appropriate methods and techniques of intervention to implement its plans.
- The organisation is flexible and has corrective processes to review and revise defined plans in the process of implementation to respond to changes in the internal or external environment and improve its effectiveness.
- The organisation makes efforts to obtain adequate human, financial, informational, physical and infrastructural resources for the planned intervention.
- The organisation promotes and supports effective peoples' participation by empowering them to take responsibility and ownership.
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| Best Practice Norms |
- The organisation encourages teamwork, a spirit of cooperation, reciprocity and collaboration among its stakeholders.
- The organisation appropriately engages with different stakeholders in a transparent way.
- The organisation has practical systems for documenting and storing information which are appropriate to stakeholders concerns.
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| Monitoring |
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| Minimum Norms |
- The organisation has decentralised processes for monitoring. (such as staff meetings).
- The organisation has mechanisms to monitor and resolve any discrimination during the process of implementation.
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| Best Practice Norms |
- The organisation monitors progress based on set qualitative and quantitative indicators.
- The organisation has a system to assess whether it is achieving its immediate, short term outputs through its programmes in accordance with set indicators. (Up to one year).
- The organisation has a system to assess whether it is achieving its outcomes in accordance with set indicators. (Three to five years).
- The organisation conducts regular and ongoing consultations with stakeholders to monitor work and seek feedback from them and provides a grievance procedure to address complaints of its constituencies.
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| Evaluation |
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| Minimum Norms |
- The organisation uses processes for evaluating, both qualitatively and quantitatively the efficiency and effectiveness of its programmes.
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| Best Practice Norms |
- The organisation periodically engages in evaluation of its programmes by an independent third party or parties either self - initiated or initiated by a stakeholder's.
- The long term work of the organisation has made a positive impact on the lives of the constituencies they work with and is in consonance with the aspirations set out in the mission.
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| Reporting |
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| Minimum Norms |
- The organisation provides the constituencies, donors and government, timely feedback and updates on projects affecting them, in addition to donors, government and others.
- The organisation periodically prepares and disseminates reports, including an annual report and financial statements, to update stakeholders on its programmes.
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| Best Practice Norms |
- The organisation reflects the views of stakeholders in its reports.
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