1. August – visit to
LIN CENTER FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Project Advice and Training Center (PATC)
Mr. Johannes Nordentoft
Danish NGO / CSO Consultant
Web:

2. PATC – Project Advice and Training Center (“Projektrådgivningen”)
Established in 1995 as a capacity building center for small and medium-sized development NGO/CSOs
Now 250+ member organisations
Independent association – but core activities funded by Danida/HUC
Core activities:
Training and meetings
Advise
networking
Since 2002: Granting “minipuljen” now “Projektpuljen”
Since 2006: assistance to Diaspora organisations

3. PATC – two key roles Capacity building
Advice on any proposal that will be submitted for Danida CS-funding
Organisational development of member organisations
Training and workshops
Facilitate networking
Key staff:
NGO-consultants (advisers, has no say in granting process)
Granting
Separate body for appraising applications is a core principle (out of house)
Administration (in house)
Follow up during implementation (in house)
M & E
Key staff:
Independent consultants appointed by PATC-board (takes decisions on granting)

4. Tematic LEARNING visit - Factors of relevance in choosing Vietnam include:
Danida Partner Country
14 of PATC’s member organisations work in Vietnam
7 active projects financed through PATC through the following Danish organizations and their Vietnamese partners: The Danish Beekeepers´ Association, Danish Vietnamese Association, Danish National Organisation of Shelters for Battered Women and Their Children, Landsforeningen LEV, NGO Fontana, Danish Society of Polio and Accident Victims and World Wide Fund for Nature
SustainableEnergy  CARE Denmark, ADDA - Agricultural Development Denmark Asia and The Danish Family Planning Association are other Danish NGO’s active in Vietnam

5. Tematic LEARNING visit - The objective:
Enhanced knowledge in PATC and its members working in Vietnam on the context for CSO operation in Vietnam
Shared understanding among PATC, including her members, and CSO networks in Vietnam about how CSOs in Vietnam understand and make use of the terms “Added Value and Mutual Contributions” in relation to Partnerships between Danish and Vietnamese CSOs.

6. Tematic LEARNING visit - Output:
Initial mapping of Danish organisations’ activities in Vietnam, including organisations that work with own funds and Danish Frame-organisations
Mapping of the status of Vietnam civil society and emerging Civil Society including:
Overview of existing civil society analyses’
Available basket funding mechanisms for civil society organisations
The general organisation of Vietnamese civil society, including existing civil society networks
The Danish Embassies engagement with civil society, including support to basket funds, use of local grant authority and support to Civil Society Organisations through various bilateral sector or programme modalities. In this relation a particular focus will be given to the gradually phase out of traditional sector programme collaboration and the eventually consequences for the support to civil society.
Exit strategy regarding
Visits and interviews with a number of Vietnamese CSOs (primarily partners to members of PATC).
Findings on how Vietnamese CSOs understand and make use of the terms “Added Value” and “Mutual Contributions” based on discussed with Vietnamese CSO networks and members of PATC involved in Vietnam.

7. Tematic LEARNING visit - Stakeholders to be involved in the visit:
The journey will include contact and dialogue with the following main stakeholders:
Danish CSOs involved in Vietnam
Vietnamese organisations who are partners to Danish CSOs involved in Vietnam
Vietnam Union Friendship Organisations – NGO Resource Centre (VUFO)
The People's Aid Co-ordinating Committee (PACCOM)
The Danish Embassy and Danish supported programmes in Vietnam

9. Civil Society Strategy
” The long-term overarching objective of Danish civil society support is to contribute to the development of a
strong, independent and diversified civil society in developing countries.” 9

10. Civil Society Strategy
” The vision is that the support should contribute to expanding dialogue, democratic processes and poverty reduction both at a local, national and global level, and even stronger partnerships must be created between civil society organisations in Denmark and the developing countries..” 10

11. SOCIETY
STATE
CIVIL SOCIETY
MARKET

12. SOCIETY STATE CIVIL SOCIETY MARKET
…Civil society is an umbrella term for a very broad and complex myriad of groups, organisations and networks positioned between the state and the market because their purpose and mandate is primarily to represent and express group interests, rather than produce for commercial gain.
MARKET

13. WHAT IS CIVIL SOCIETY ? – EXAMPELS: NGOs: Organizations that for humanitarian, political or religious reasons work to help others. The group of NGOs whose primary goal is to participate in development assistance is termed development NGOs.   Popular organizations: National or regional organizations and movements where people are organized in order to serve and protect their own interests (e.g. trade unions or farmers’ movements).   Church and other religious organizations   Grassroots organizations: People at local level who are organized in order to serve and protect their own interests, for example, in the form of self-help groups, women’s groups, etc. Also known as CBOs (Community Based Organizations).   Traditional organizations: So-called “traditional” political, social cultural and ethnic structures at village and local level.   Cultural organizations: Cultural and sports groups.

14. Strategic goals of CSS
Promotion of a vibrant and open debate nationally and internationally
Promotion of a representative, legitimate and locally based civil society
Promotion of capacity development, advocacy work and networking opportunities
Promotion of focus on rights
Promotion of flexible and relevant interventions in fragile states and situations
Promotion of civil society support in Danish bilateral and multilateral assistance
Involvement of Danish civil society organisations in development assistance
Collaboration with other stakeholders
(Section – )
Broad definition of civil society:
Formal and informal organizations Defined in relation to authorities (section 3.1)

15. Civil society organisations: from project administrators to social and political actors
Danish working partners in civil society in developing countries will be those organisations that have the will, the capacity and the popular legitimacy to participate in the democratisation process as well as the formal and informal organisations that represent the poor. These organisations will be potential partners in all phases of cooperation, i.e. planning, formulation and implementation as well as the monitoring of programmes and projects.
Support to civil society could encompass the following focus areas:
Mapping of civil society and support for the creation of an enabling environment.
Dialogue with and support to capacity building of individual civil society organisations.
Strategic support to projects that seek to deliver specific services within areas such as education and health care.
Support to the creation of international networks.
Support to coordination.

16. Operational principles
Principles in content:
Capacity building
Advocacy
Service – strategic…
(income generation (micro finance))
Partnership principles:
Partners – legitimacy and accountability
Added value of Danish partners
(section 4.)

17. Civil Society can contribute to:
mobilising and organising local communities as well as marginalised population groups
promoting the rights of poor and marginalised people/groups
Monitoring that authorities and donors live up to their promises and adopted policy
access for poor people to basic services
building strong coalitions and networks for increasing civil society’s influence
inspiring and challenging public authorities through collaboration regarding innovative methods and a focus on particularly vulnerable population groups
raising new financial, knowledge-related and political esources through global cooperation.

18. Danida Civil Society Strategy 2008
Replaces strategy from 2000.
The 2000 strategy was marking some clear strategic changes: more focus on partnership, capacity building and advocacy.
The new strategy is an “update” not a “revision”! Meaning that core principles are the same! Therefore, not as big a challenge to implement as in 2000.
Changes are more in:
updated context analysis (e.g. Paris/Accra agenda),
adjustment of instruments (e.g. introduction of programme agreements), and
Elaboration on issues not covered in 2001 strategy (e.g. fragile states)

19. PATC perspective on updated CSS
Goals formulated: Strategic goals formulated – and more focus on follow up on implementation of strategy
Increased role of Embassies. Embassies are expected to play a more active and strategic role, based on some kind of civil society analysis.
Local partner legitimacy More focus on partners legitimacy and accountability (but few instruments to appraise it…)
Networking a higher priority More attention to participation in networking and international alliances. Funding for local partners participation in international networks given more attention.
Fragile situations More flexibility in fragile situations concerning partner criteria's, role of service delivery etc.

20. Added value: S :
Danish civil society organisations receive financial contributions which make it possible for partners to design and implement development activities. However, it is important that the contributions of Danish organisations are not solely financial. The added value of the partnerships must be evidenced in contributions within a number of different areas:

21. What do you expect that LOKK has learnt from the partnership?
Added value – question ????
What do you consider important in the partnership with your danish partnerorganisation?
What benefits from the partnership with LOKK have You achived – apart from the financial contribution?
What do you expect that LOKK has learnt from the partnership?

22. Popular contacts and information International agenda Rights
Danish civil society organisations receive financial contributions which make it possible for partners to design and implement development activities. However, it is important that the contributions of Danish organisations are not solely financial. The added value of the partnerships must be evidenced in contributions within a number of different areas.
Professionally
Popular contacts and information
International agenda
Rights
Protection
Diversity