CSPE-Services
CSPE provides a range of strategic services to guide and support partners in the development of effective PE programmes. These include:
Capacity building and systems development for partner organizations:
The Centre will continue to serve as a national resource initiating improvements in how PE is used in the field. Based on an understanding of the methodology's strengths and weaknesses, the needs of different populations, and the experiences of its partners, the Centre convenes diverse groups of expert practitioners, policy makers, and researchers to develop materials it then makes available with appropriate training. For example, some CSPE tools - the 'Sexuality Time Line', an activity on 'How is HIV Transmitted?' and methods addressing PE roles and 'Code of Conduct' - have recently been produced and disseminated to a variety of partners.
Providing M&E, database, and evaluation and research assistance to partners:
In South Africa and globally, PE has lacked common measurable indicators for reliable documentation of where, how, and for whom PE is working. CSPE is developing a set of indicators and an accessible database with its partners (PEPFAR and otherwise) in various sectors. Because it is often PEs themselves who must contribute to verifiable M&E, our partners require tools that are easy to use. CSPE tested its tools for user-friendliness with a group of 30 Anglican Church supervisors and PEs.
Providing M&E, database, and evaluation and research assistance to partners:
In South Africa and globally, PE has lacked common measurable indicators for reliable documentation of where, how, and for whom PE is working. CSPE is developing a set of indicators and an accessible database with its partners (PEPFAR and otherwise) in various sectors. Because it is often PEs themselves who must contribute to verifiable M&E, our partners require tools that are easy to use. CSPE tested its tools for user-friendliness with a group of 30 Anglican Church supervisors and PEs.
Establishing a sustainable PE support network :
CSPE's first Partners Meeting in November 2007 was attended by more than 30 partner organizations at their own cost. Partners Meetings occur twice a year and are intended to update partners on HIV science and provide training and materials development workshops on topics such as grief and bereavement support for supervisors and PEs; lay counselling; and communication skills for group encounters. Communication and networking will also be maintained through CSPE's quarterly newsletter, Face to Face, and this website.
Monitoring and Evaluation :
To demonstrate the effectiveness of CSPE's own services, CSPE needs to persuade and prepare its network of PE partners to use a common MIS that is flexible, affordable, practical, and efficient and can contribute to evidence-based practice, quality assurance, accreditation, and sustainability. A consultative process with selected partners led to agreement on key indicators and iterative development of data collection instruments with quality assurance safeguards. The system captures PE activities across settings, while enabling individual programmes to adjust tools downstream to suit their goals and context. A combination of paper and computer-based tools accommodate varying conditions on the ground. An open-source-based online MIS allows participating organizations to align 'up' to PEPFAR and other donor systems and 'down' to site level. With training from CSPE the evolving national database system enables partners to participate in a data feedback loop for documenting, reporting, analyzing, planning and evaluating resource allocation and programme activities, allowing measurement of the reach, outputs, and eventually the impact of PE across sectors. The CSPE PE database will contribute to other national M&E systems (Departments of Health, Education, Global AIDS Programme). Costs and burden to partners are minimized because the open-source online design requires no licensing, is loaded at organization level, is flexible and easy to use with basic training, and centralizes data management at CSPE.
Capacity building and systems development for partner organizations:
- Advocacy:Help leaders consider their organization's strategic and operational requirements;
- Situation Analysis and Intervention Design: Assess potential, challenges, opportunities, and constraints and design programmes for specific contexts;
- Training and Technical Assistance (T&TA):Conduct training workshops for administrators, trainers, supervisors, and PEs in the context of commitment to ongoing TA;
- Materials Development:Adapt and develop curricula, training materials, and other tools
- Monitoring and Evaluation: Train people in use of CSPE M&E tools specifically for PE.
The Centre will continue to serve as a national resource initiating improvements in how PE is used in the field. Based on an understanding of the methodology's strengths and weaknesses, the needs of different populations, and the experiences of its partners, the Centre convenes diverse groups of expert practitioners, policy makers, and researchers to develop materials it then makes available with appropriate training. For example, some CSPE tools - the 'Sexuality Time Line', an activity on 'How is HIV Transmitted?' and methods addressing PE roles and 'Code of Conduct' - have recently been produced and disseminated to a variety of partners.
Providing M&E, database, and evaluation and research assistance to partners:
In South Africa and globally, PE has lacked common measurable indicators for reliable documentation of where, how, and for whom PE is working. CSPE is developing a set of indicators and an accessible database with its partners (PEPFAR and otherwise) in various sectors. Because it is often PEs themselves who must contribute to verifiable M&E, our partners require tools that are easy to use. CSPE tested its tools for user-friendliness with a group of 30 Anglican Church supervisors and PEs.
Providing M&E, database, and evaluation and research assistance to partners:
In South Africa and globally, PE has lacked common measurable indicators for reliable documentation of where, how, and for whom PE is working. CSPE is developing a set of indicators and an accessible database with its partners (PEPFAR and otherwise) in various sectors. Because it is often PEs themselves who must contribute to verifiable M&E, our partners require tools that are easy to use. CSPE tested its tools for user-friendliness with a group of 30 Anglican Church supervisors and PEs.
Establishing a sustainable PE support network :
CSPE's first Partners Meeting in November 2007 was attended by more than 30 partner organizations at their own cost. Partners Meetings occur twice a year and are intended to update partners on HIV science and provide training and materials development workshops on topics such as grief and bereavement support for supervisors and PEs; lay counselling; and communication skills for group encounters. Communication and networking will also be maintained through CSPE's quarterly newsletter, Face to Face, and this website.
Monitoring and Evaluation :
To demonstrate the effectiveness of CSPE's own services, CSPE needs to persuade and prepare its network of PE partners to use a common MIS that is flexible, affordable, practical, and efficient and can contribute to evidence-based practice, quality assurance, accreditation, and sustainability. A consultative process with selected partners led to agreement on key indicators and iterative development of data collection instruments with quality assurance safeguards. The system captures PE activities across settings, while enabling individual programmes to adjust tools downstream to suit their goals and context. A combination of paper and computer-based tools accommodate varying conditions on the ground. An open-source-based online MIS allows participating organizations to align 'up' to PEPFAR and other donor systems and 'down' to site level. With training from CSPE the evolving national database system enables partners to participate in a data feedback loop for documenting, reporting, analyzing, planning and evaluating resource allocation and programme activities, allowing measurement of the reach, outputs, and eventually the impact of PE across sectors. The CSPE PE database will contribute to other national M&E systems (Departments of Health, Education, Global AIDS Programme). Costs and burden to partners are minimized because the open-source online design requires no licensing, is loaded at organization level, is flexible and easy to use with basic training, and centralizes data management at CSPE.
