Organization: Empowerment Learning Development Training
We all know how hard development work can be. Despite all our good intentions and efforts, we often fail to see real, positive change for the communities we serve. Somehow progress is elusive. While some projects are poorly planned from the start, they don't have to be. But even if they are well-planned, somehow they often lose momentum and lose sight of their real purpose - the intended positive results for our beneficiaries.
And it's a team effort. So why are we always chasing staff for information, and rushing to get our reports to our donors on time? Can't the right information be collected at the right time and flow smoothly through the project so project managers can get on with actually managing?
And how to we demonstrate the value of what we do? Not just to our donors, but to other stakeholders and the wider society?
SO HOW DO WE GET THERE?
Successful humanitarian projects focus on results - every process, product and service is intended to bring us closer to the outcome, what the project promises to deliver. Results-Based Management (RBM) has been around since the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness back in 2005, and yet still projects are failing to take this opportunity to deliver projects that actually bring about real change on the ground.
When the project team is focused on results (and not just implementation), it increases transparency, accountability and value - and donors like that. And who can argue with better outcomes for target communities?
Compliance - following the project plan - is easy; but how do we measure performance? How do we create projects that can actually measure progress and change, projects that are able to adapt themselves over time to ensure results are achieved? **
ARE YOU READY TO BECOME A RESULTS-BASED MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL - AND PLAN AND IMPLEMENT PROJECTS THAT ACTUALLY DELIVER WHAT DONORS AND COMMUNITIES NEED?
An RBM approach makes for better planning, monitoring and evaluation of projects - leading to development projects that create real change for communities and beneficiaries.
RBM also means that project teams also work together more effectively - continually applying learning to keep projects focused on delivering the best results possible.
WHAT CAN YOU DO AFTER TAKING THIS COURSE?
Understand the philosophy and principles of RBM
Develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of the Logical Framework Approach (LFA)
Be able to use the LFA and RBM to plan, implement and monitor projects
However, this course is about much more than acquiring knowledge. It's a practical course designed to improve your skills. As well as many smaller practical tasks and work produced along the way you are going to create several major outputs, such as:
Creating your own project from scratch
Creating and M&E Toolkit for your project
Building a Monitoring & Evaluation plan
**
NOT SURE ON-LINE TRAINING IS RIGHT FOR YOU?**
This is what we are doing here.This course is based on thousands of hours training development professionals like you throughout Europe, Asia and Africa on RBM and M&E.
All the steps are covered logically in short, clear and practical videos (all downloadable and yours to keep so you don't miss a thing), all the handouts and templates, and all the reference materials you need. So far, so good, right?
But this course is also participatory and responsive. As a practical course, it is task-based, and you will be involved at every step as you develop your own project and M&E plan.In the discussion tasks you can also share ideas on key issues related to the theory and practice of Results-Based Management with other participants. And if this is enough for you, the Standard Level course will meet your needs. And for those who join the Professional Level course, there's even more. At this level, you become a lifetime member of our ELDProfessionals Forum where you can share work done, challenges faced and questions for feedback from our team and from other participants.
And you can continue to participate in the forum after you have completed the course. This means that as you continue to apply the tools and skills, you can keep coming back to get advice and to advise others.
Participants at Professional Level and above will also be invited to weekly live video classes where you can share and interact, where we will be answering questions raised in the forum, walking through new case studies, getting to grips with how to apply RBM for better project effectiveness - the kind of stuff that face-to-face workshops don't allow time for - questions raised and problems solved in the real world. Oh, and yes - you can keep coming to the live training sessions even after the course is 'over'. All the live sessions are also downloadable for watching later.
And if you want to add personal coaching into the mix, register at Expert Level and get two work reviews. You can send your course work - for example, your Logframe and M&E Plan - to us for detailed personal feedback and guidance.
And for those who join at Masterclass Level, there's 2 hours personal coaching on Skype (spread over 2 or more sessions) where we can really go deep into helping you get to grips with applying RBM / M&E in your own context.
Have a look at the curriculum, and at the Frequently Asked Questions for more, but first hear what some development professionals like you have to say.
"As a result of the training RBM is now our in-house tool for project evaluation and appraisal and we mainstream RBM in all our 37 project offices across Nigeria. Neil opened my eyes to critical issues of linking activities to results and impacts, and his ability to deconstruct and demystify M&E made the training a life-changing experience"
Dr Steve Ogidan
National Coordinating Consultant
Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending
“Neil is a wonderful trainer who lets the participants have in-depth knowledge of the course. And the way the course has been designed and is conducted really helps to grasp a good knowledge on the subject matter”
Kanchan Ojha Monitoring and Evaluation Associate
WORLD WIDE FUND FOR NATURE (WWF) NEPAL
"Having 9 years field experience in the most disadvantaged part of Turkey, the training helped me to improve my knowledge on how to develop social projects more efficiently. Neil presents the material with expertise, humor and genuineness. The course provides good learning on how to develop projects/programs with better performance and greater accountability by applying a clear logical framework to plan, manage and measure an intervention with a focus on the results you want to achieve."
Elçin Demirel
Regional Coordinator
TAMEB (German-Turkish Partnership for Vocational Skills Development)
WELCOME FROM COURSE AUTHOR AND INSTRUCTORNEIL KENDRICK
Hi and thanks for checking out our course! I am really excited to be sharing this with you - but first a little about me.
For over 20 years I've been helping development professionals around the world with the challenges of getting better results for their projects and beneficiaries. I didn't start off an an 'expert' - I was pretty much thrown in at the deep end when the British Council assigned me to train a UNICEF team in Nepal for 100 hours with, basically, no materials and no plan! So I had to learn from the ground up what issues development workers were facing and how to solve those.
This grew into ELD Training, an organisation I founded in 2000. Through 100s of training courses and consultancies, with partners such as UNICEF, Save the Children and Oxfam, as well as many national level and community-based organisations, I've since worked with thousands of development professionals like you in all sectors in over 20 countries.
One thing I have learned is the challenges remain the same, whether you are leading a regional child rights project, helping smallholder farmers grow more efficiently or assisting displaced people in an emergency. (And, no, it's not about language skills - the proposal, report or M&E plan is the result of analysis, thinking and planning!)
I'm delighted - in fact thrilled - now to be able to share my collected experience of what works and what doesn't, and help you, step-by-step, deliver projects that understand and respond to your beneficiaries needs.
In the end it's all about results - and I am very ready to help you on your journey to becoming an RBM / M&E professional, so you can deliver better results for your beneficiaries, keep getting support from donors and management for the great work you do and get your teams focused on creating positive change. Join us and I'll see you on the other side!
MEET COURSE TUTOR DR. BHOLA PRASAD DAHAL
Dr. Bhola is visiting faculty for MPhil/PhD students in Development Studies of Kathmandu University and Nepal Country Director for USA-based INGO Search for Common Ground.
Previously he has supported the Royal Norwegian Embassy as Governance Advisor, and worked as a Programme Coordinator for the Finnish Embassy. For 10 years he held various positions with Save the Children including Programme Director, and worked with the Red Cross for 7 years as Programme Coordinator.
He supports ELD as a facilitator specialising in Project Management, RBM, Monitoring and Evaluation, Risk Management and Conflict Management and is considered one of the most inspiring and knowledgable trainers in Nepal.
On Measuring for Results Dr. Bhola is active in the forums providing insightful feedback, facilitating discussions, responding to questions and co-facilitating the live video sessions.
SO WHAT'S IN THE COURSE?
The course begins with an orientation module that gives an overview of the course and gives you an opportunity to share your expectations and personal objectives. It also clarifies how to work with the material, especially if you are a member of the RBM Professionals Forum, so you can get the most of what's to come.
We then look at RBM itself - where it came from and what it is. We explore the concepts or results and the results chain and consider the practical considerations of applying Results-Based Management. (We come back to this topic at the end of the course, too, once we have had enough time to work practically through the course and are getting ready to apply to our own projects.)
You will also develop a thorough understanding of the Logical Framework Approach, and get started on the first part of your extended task when you start to analyse the context and problems facing your selected target group. Along the way you will learn the various key methods for Context Analysis how to use the Problem Tree tool to describe the causes and effects of a particular problem facing your target community / beneficiaries. Expect a number of tasks and exercises along the way, after which you will be able to build your own Problem Tree, creating a foundation for a successful project. We then turn to Stakeholder Analysis / Engagement, Setting Objectives and Planning a Strategy.
Stakeholder engagement is key to project effectiveness, and we will examine:
- The what and why of stakeholder analysis
- The four steps of stakeholder analysis
- Win-win strategies to keep stakeholders informed / engaged without negatively impacting project resources
- Stakeholder communication and engagement
You will also create a stakeholder management and communication plan for your project
You are also going to learn how to set objectives for your project - the outcome and impact, the higher level results of positive, intended social change you aim to bring about.
And you will learn the what and why of project strategy: how to identify approaches and use SWOT to analyse these so you can synthesise these into a prioritised strategy to bring about the intended results.
From here we start building the Logical Framework itself. For your own project you will define the outcome, impact, outputs, activities and inputs and test the results chain. You will identify external factors your project depends on - the project context - and be able to verify your own project's design. You will also develop Indicators and Means of Verification for your own project so your Logframe is complete.Next we go deeper into M&E - creating an M&E Toolkit and an M&E Plan. Here we examine results-based M&E and the various data collection methods we can use. We also learn how to group indicators for more efficient, smooth and synergistic data collection and analysis before creating the toolkit itself.
You also build an M&E Plan for your project. This is a master document that everyone in the project can refer to and captures the entire M&E process, including detailed descriptions of all indicators and how data will flow through the project to ensure timely decision making.
The course wraps up with exploring how to establish an M&E system within your own project and how to operationalise RBM.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHEN DOES THE COURSE START AND FINISH?
The course starts whenever you want and ends whenever you decide. For sure, you can 'finish' in 3 weeks or even less - but you will continue to have access to course materials - and new sessions as they are uploaded - for as long as you like after the course has ended.
HOW MUCH TIME DO I NEED TO STUDY EACH WEEK?
It's up to you. You will be working on your own project ideas - some projects can take longer than others. The lessons themselves are intentionally short and to the point - how long it takes depends on how long you spend on developing your own project.
HOW LONG WILL I HAVE ACCESS TO THE COURSE?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to the course on all your devices for as long as you want. You can also download videos and course materials for future reference and off-line study. And at the Professional Level and above you can continue to be a part of the private forum and join the live video meetings for as long as you want. HOW MUCH TIME DO I NEED TO STUDY EACH WEEK?
It's up to you. You will be working on your own project ideas - some projects can take longer than others. The lessons themselves are intentionally short and to the point - how long it takes depends on how long you spend on developing your own project. WHAT IF I AM UNHAPPY WITH THE COURSE?
We wouldn't want you to be unhappy. If you are unsatisfied for any reason, contact us within 72 hours and we will give you a full refund.
HOW DO I KNOW IF IT'S RIGHT FOR ME?
If you are still interested and have read this far, this course is probably right for you. Typically, around 75% of our participants already work in development / humanitarian work - they may be field staff or managers. Some may be more involved in implementation and M&E, while others may have responsibility for planning.
Other participants are usually from governments, academicians with an interest in development, or students planning to work in relief / humanitarian work in the future.
Participants come from all types of organisations - UN agencies, bilateral development agencies and international NGOs; as well as local NGOs and CBOs.
Whether you work in forestry, child rights, maternal health, agriculture or emergency relief - you will find the tools and step-by-step process something you can easily and quickly apply to your own working area.
HOW DOES THE COURSE WORK? AND WHICH LEVEL IS RIGHT FOR ME?
At Standard Level you get access to all the videos and study materials, all downloadable, yours to keep forever. If you are someone who wants to learn all the key steps of RBM and are self-motivated, this will be enough for you.
However, there's a lot more to the course than that. The Professional Level - which I personally recommend - is where it gets interesting - as we add on-going responsive training and community into the mix.
At this level you become a member of the ELDProfessionals Forum, where you can share your experiences and work produced, as well as put forward questions. Neil Kendrick and co-facilitator Dr Bhola will be active in the forum on a regular basis.
Live video training sessions will be based around Q&A sessions, extra case studies and walk-throughs and allow for ongoing interaction with the trainers and other participants.
Expert Level includes two personal work reviews (you send us work produced and you get personal, detailed feedback and support). So if you want to get one-to-one feedback on your work, choose this.
At Masterclass Level there's 2 hours personal coaching via Skype thrown into the mix. Perhaps you are a manager who wants coaching or someone to discuss ideas with - or you are working on designing a project and want some guidance and inputs. Or maybe you just want to get a deeper understanding through one-to-one sessions on how to integrate RBM into your working area. If that's you, go for this.
WILL I GET A CERTIFICATE?
Yes.
At Standard Level you will get a PDF Certificate of Completion as long as you:
- Complete all sections of the course
- Join in all the compulsory discussion tasks (contribute and comment one other participant's post in each discussion)
For Professional Level and above, hard copy certificates will be mailed to your postal address within a week of completing course.
WHAT IF I CAN'T JOIN THE WEBINARS / LIVE SESSIONS?
We know that timing and internet speeds can be a problem for some, with participants spread over many time zones and often in remote areas.
While we agree the most suitable times / days in the private forum, if you can't be there in person you can always download the webinar when you get back to the office.
And don't worry if you miss them - the course material is enough in itself.
WILL I GET FEEDBACK?
The Standard Level is a self-study programme, so you are very much on your own with that. However, you will be able to check your progress as you work through the course and share your thoughts with other participants in the discussion tasks. Dr Bhola and I do like to join in the discussions, too, but you can expect a lot of dialogue with other participants.
If you are enrolled at Professional Level you can also share your work in the RBM Professionals Forum for comments and feedback, both from other participants as well as the instructors / facilitators. (This may not be as detailed as a work review, though.)
Do, however, be prepared to contribute and support others. While you can usually expect direct feedback from our team, it's important just as often to give and receive feedback with each other in a participatory way.
We will also sometimes use work shared during live sessions - for example, to walk through a Problem Tree or Logical Framework.
HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM FACE-TO-FACE TRAINING?
We all know what face-to-face training can be like. When it's good, it's transforming and inspiring - and it can also be just as quickly forgotten.
Or the course is over, we get back to our projects and wish we had asked 'that question', or we find we a problem applying what we have learned and don't know how to solve it.
And sometimes the learning is all too fast to integrate and we end up going back to 'business as usual'.
Our online training course offers:
- A clear, structured step-by-step approach that can be referred to time after time - downloadable videos, handouts and templates
- Learning and applying what you learn while you work
And at Professional Level and above:
- Time to try out the tools and ask for help when you get stuck
- Supported learning - our Forum is a place where you can seek guidance, and learn from others what worked for them
- Responsive live video training - the 5 sessions will be based on comments and discussions raised in the Forum addressing issues as they come up and answering all those questions that usually end up either unasked or unanswered during a workshop
- A responsive curriculum - you will already have seen the detailed, step-by-step learning pathway that has been used successfully in many of our RBM workshops. But this will grow and change as we respond to questions that come up and build a wealth of examples based on your work.
I CAN'T PAY WITH PAY PAL OR BY CREDIT CARD
We realise that for some potential participants in certain countries purchasing this course by credit card or using PayPal may not be possible. In such cases, you would either need to ask someone else to make the payment for you, or contact us to arrange to pay by bank draft to our UK bank.
MY ORGANISATION HAS CERTAIN PROCEDURES FOR PAYING FOR CAPACITY BUILDING
Some organisations, we know, want to receive an invoice in advance so it can be processed by their finance people. Yes, we can do this if you contact us, but we may not be able to enroll you right away in such cases. Discount coupons, when available, however, can only be applied when purchasing the course via the checkout links on this page.
WHAT ABOUT SCHOLARSHIPS?
We get asked this a lot, and I'm afraid we can't offer any free places under any circumstances. WHAT ARE DISCOUNT COUPONS?
A number of discounted places are available and we share the discount coupons from time-to-time through our news list at www.eldtraining.com. However, the number of discount codes is limited, and is on a first-come first-served basis. Discount coupons cannot be applied to offline payment, however, and are only valid when signing up through our secure checkout.
WE WANT TO ENROL A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
If you want to enrol several members of your team you have two options - either to sign up each participant individually below or to contact us directly so we can ensure we have sufficient space.
ISN'T THIS EXPENSIVE FOR AN 'ONLINE COURSE'?
I think you will agree that this isn't a static course or an e-book. The RBM Professionals Forum, live video classes and lifetime access to an ever-developing bank of world-class instruction - these are precious resources, and under continuous development. Our costs in terms of time is huge.
How much would you pay for a face-to-face workshop? ELD courses fill at 1500 USD per person (and there are plenty of others who charge double that!) - and then add on your flights, accommodation, and time.
And for what? Something that is forgotten within 3-4 weeks by most. I LOVE to train people and in most cases the results are a transformation, but these days? Do we really need to go to such expense and inconvenience?
And consider the benefits that this investment will make in terms of:
- Better projects
- Better results for communities
- Donor's and supporters seeing what real change your efforts are bringing
- And having a team that is all working from the same page - data collected smoothly, verified, reported and acted on
Plus you get to be one of us - the RBM Professionals!
PRICING
STANDARD LEVEL US$ 249.00
- Lifetime access to all videos and workbooks, regularly built on and developed to reflect your needs
- Everything downloadable, yours to keep forever
PROFESSIONAL LEVEL (RECOMMENDED) US$ 399.00
- Lifetime access to all videos and workbooks, regularly built on and developed to reflect your needs
- Everything downloadable, yours to keep forever
- Certificate
PLUS
- Live Q&A-based video classes (explanations, examples, walkthoughs, extra content and information based on your need - can also be downloaded)
- Lifetime membership of the ELD RBM Professionals Community for posting questions and sharing feedback and seeking support
EXPERT LEVEL US$ 599.00
- Lifetime access to all videos and workbooks, regularly built on and developed to reflect your needs
- Everything downloadable, yours to keep forever
- Certificate
- Live Q&A-based video classes (explanations, examples, walkthoughs, extra content and information based on your need - can also be downloaded)
- Lifetime membership of the ELD RBM Professionals Community for posting questions and sharing feedback and seeking support
PLUS
- Work Review: get two personal reviews (feedback by email) of your ongoing work (e.g. Log Frame or M&E plan)
MASTERCLASS LEVEL USD 849.00
- Lifetime access to all videos and workbooks, regularly built on and developed to reflect your needs
- Everything downloadable, yours to keep forever
- Certificate
- Live Q&A-based video classes (explanations, examples, walkthoughs, extra content and information based on your need - can also be downloaded)
- Lifetime membership of the ELD RBM Professionals Community for posting questions and sharing feedback and seeking support
PLUS
- 2 hours personal one-to-one Skype coaching
How to register:
Sign up page at https://eldtraining.teachable.com/p/mfr