1. Goran Pastrovic, ReSPA Training Manager
Capacity Needs Assesment Western Balkan experience ReSPA – Regional School of Public Administration
8-9 December 2014
Astana, Kazahstan
Goran Pastrovic, ReSPA Training Manager

2. ReSPA Activities ReSPA in Brief
Role, mission, definition, establishment, phases, membership, financing
Activities
Trainings, networking events, mobility schemes, conferences, season schools, publications

3. Human Resource Management-Community of Practice Network
Jointly FUNDED through annual contributions;
Jointly MANAGED by Steering Committee / Governing Board;
STAFFED from the WB region.

4. Relevance of regional PA initiatives - establishment objectives
To support closer cooperation amongst the PA in the WB countries;
To support development of the HR in line with basic principles of European Administrative Space;
To strengthen administrative capacities for EU accession;
To formulate standars for PAR and PAR indicators;
To facilitate standard implementation and M&E process.

5. Relevance Example of Core Activities Values in WB initiatives
Complementarity Excellence Innovations
EVENTS
TRAINING
NETWORKING
COMMUNICATION
RESEARCH AND
ANALYSIS
MOBILITY SCHEMES

6. Example of core activities – network / platforms for
E-Government
CoP on HRM /GAPA network
EUI (EU integration) / Monitoring & Evaluation
PAR network / Public Procurement /PPP
Ethics and Integrity - Anticorruption

7. Objectives of the CNA
Identification of preferred target audiences i.e. profile of participants: primarily middle to senior managers;
Determining the type of preferred events - regular training and ToT (train of trainers) etc;
Specifying the duration of the programs: e.g. training 3 days, networking events 2 days etc;
Additional qualities of the regional training activities with view to accreditation issues.

8. Paradigm Change of Capacity Facilitating multi-stake-holder
Development Approach
Demand Driven
Supply Driven
Facilitating access to knowledge
Facilitating multi-stake-holder
engagement
Technical
Assistance
Capacity
Development
Participatory policy dialogue & advocacy
Integrated approaches to
regional development
Creating space for
learning by doing
COMMON DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Input-based
Outcome-based
(Transformative)

9. A System Approach to Capacity Development The three dimensions of CNA
Enabling environment
(policies, legislation, power relations, social norms)
Organisational level
(policies, procedures, frameworks)
Individual level
(skills, knowledge, experience)

10. The three level of CNA
The three level of CNA have been analyzed with the following different tools:
Level 1 (enabling environmental): Public Administration Performance (PAP) Assessment
Level 2 (organizational level): Focus group meetings with guided interviews
Level 3 (individual level): Needs Assessment questionnaires

11. Capacity Development Approach
Step 1: Engagement with Partners and Building Consensus
Step 2: Assessing Capacity Assets and Needs
Step 3: Designing Capacity Development Strategies
Step 4: Implementing Capacity DevelopmentStrategies
Step 5: Evaluation of Capacity Development Efforts
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

12. Capacity Assessment STAKEHOLDER & SWOT ANALYSIS WHOSE CAPACITY?
CAPACITY TO DO WHAT?
BREAKDOWN OF CAPACITY
HOW TO DEVELOP THE CAPACITY
ENVIRONMENT
Governments and state administrations
Public sector accountability; resources and budget allocation; access to information, development knowledge and technology; inclusion, participation, equity and empowerment; and regional/international relations.
ORGANIZATION
Training institutions and public bodies
Systems of policy design and strategy formulation, resources and budget allocation, program and project implementation, human resources management.
INDIVIDUAL
Civil servants
Personal attitudes and readiness to use own competencies (knowledge, skills) for setting and achieving objectives.
STAKEHOLDER &
SWOT ANALYSIS

13. Types of Stakeholders There are different types of stakeholders:
Actors who are affected and can influence without direct involvement (citizens, customers, employees, parents, old people e.g.)
Actors or groups who are interested in the organization’s success in delivering intended results and maintaining the group’s viability, products or services and have influence (companies, banks e.g.)
Actors or groups who are directly involved in decision making processes of the organization (government
unit, environmental organizations, representatives
of trade unions e.g.)

14. Stakeholders of WB region initiatives
Stakeholder Analysis
Stakeholders of WB region initiatives
STAKEHOLDERS
EXAMPLES OF INTERESTS
EU COMMISSION
Funding donor; programmatic goals in the Region; directly involved; last decision about existence
Governing Board / Steering Committee
Executive power over related regional programme decision and personnel; directly involved; supervision; involved in decision about existence
MS institutions for PA/Training/EU
High influence on responsiveness towards related regional programme in the MS; e.g.delegation of trainning participants
Participants
Affected by related regional training programme and program activities; influence through seminar evaluation and their domestic response to senior officials, liaison officers and relevant institutions
Organization’s staff
Hub between GB and participants; high interest in good relations with GB and participants and sucessful program design and delivery;
Trainers
Professional interest in sharing related regional programme‘s reputation; good payments; affected by ReSPA‘s staff decisions
Parliaments
Limited liaisons yet
Local government

15. Analysis of Questionnaire for Capacity Needs Assessment
The deployed questionnaire was based on the multi level CAN approach.
Besides anonymous personal questions (age, gender, education, country of work, position and tasks in PA, duration of work in PA), there are related blocks of capacity development needs related questions combined with the regional cooperation and organizational aspects.

16. Focus Group Meetings
For the purpose of the CAN the focus groups were not just method or tool of inquiry.
They were in fact the way of integrating stakeholders into the CNA process with the goals to bring people of the relevant institutions of public administration sector together for interaction and for creating ownership of the process,
To create learning space, to raise awareness for the importance of dialogue, exchange and new learning forms
and to exchange about the mutuality of developments in problem analysis and designing better practice.

17. Results of Focus Group Meetings
Similarities between capacity development needs of PA in WB have been prevailing.
In the view of workshop participants of WB countries main needs have been determined in the following areas:
EU related topics
Strategic management and planning
Project management
Law implementation

18. The participants priority setting among the above indicated seven policy fields resulted in the following distribution

19. In which fields does your organization cooperate and coordinate with partner state units in the Western Balkans?

20. What are the biggest challenges for your organization in the next future with regard to regional cooperation?

21. Following recommendations
The CNA results advice to consider the following recommendations:
To keep up relevance and quality networking activities, regional studines and of training program by identifying upcoming new demands in related thematic areas i.e. HRM/HRD, eGovernment , EU issues, etc;
To keep up and intensify stakeholder relations with relevant MS institutions for PA/Training/EU to increase number of participants;
To limit program diversity and increase program coherence through concentration on HRM / HRD and EU related programs;
To use new financial and personnel means for establishing a Resource Centre and offering Train-the-trainer measures;
To create space for innovation and alternative program activities;
Other.

22. Impact Assessment
Timeframe
Implementation
Lessons learned

23. Impact Assessment Results According to Mid – Term Report 2014
Impacts at 3 levels :
Environmental
Organizational
Individual
Compilation of the ReSPA’s PoW 2015 will consider review of its activities and thematic areas in the light of the impact assessment report.

24. Types of ReSPA Activities
Networks
Trainings
Mobility Scheme Programs
Seasonal Schools
ReSPA Annual Conferences

25. Networks ReSPA’s most crucial activities
Aim: to exchange experience among participants
Participants: senior officials, on average 14 per event, 2 from each ReSPA member
Frequency: twice per year
Most recent networking event: PPP Network

26. Trainings ReSPA provides: Accredited Trainings:
Aim: soft skills development – leading and managing PA institutions
Duration: 5 days
Participants: 21 overall, 3 per member

27. Trainings ReSPA provides: 2) Training of Trainers (ToT):
Aim: to train the individuals to become trainers
Duration: 5 days
Participants: 21 overall, 3 per member

28. Mobility Schemes Tailor – made targeted exchange programs
Aim: to enable the participants to exchange regional experiences and good practice
Participants: 2 (or 3) per member
Duration: up to 5 days
Frequency: 3 in 2014 (2 in progress)

29. Seasonal Schools ReSPA provides: 1) Summer School in Luxemburg
2) Spring School in Bruges / Brussels
Aim: connecting ReSPA’s work with other EU institutions to follow-up on the already established cooperation
Participants: 14 overall, 2 per member
Frequency: annual

30. ReSPA Annual Conferences
Aim: to attract high level participations from ReSPA members, EU and abroad
Participants: 80 – 100
Frequency: annual
Thematic – topics previously agreed
Most recent ReSPA conference:
7th Annual Conference, in April 2013

31. Regional Comparative Studies
Aim: to use the EU expertise as well regional expertise and knowledge to produce studies with an added value to the EC activities
Income and Assets Declarations in Practice (Ethics and Integrity)
ReSPA Regional Comparative E-government study
Regional Comparative Studies on Methodologies Used for preparation of Public Administration Reform Strategies in Western Balkans
Abuse of Information Technology (IT) for Corruption

32. ReSPA's offices are located in Danilovgrad, Montenegro,
and boast modern training facilities and a Campus.

33. Goran Pastrovic, ReSPA Programme Manager
Thank you
for
your attention!
Goran Pastrovic, ReSPA Programme Manager