Examples of Community Needs Assessment: 1) Needs and Capacity Assessment of PLHIV NGOs in Central Asia 2) Technical Support Needs Assessment of MSM NGOs Gennady Roshchupkin, Seminar and Working meeting “Meaningful Involvement”, Sofia, 22-24 November, 2009

Example 1: Needs and Capacity Assessment of PLHIV NGOs in Central Asia (1) Assessment was conducted to solve the following problem: The number of NGOs involving PLHIV is rapidly growing. These NGOs possess limited capacity but have strategic relevance to ensure effective and sustainable performance of existing and future services. PLHIV Network is being created in Central Asia. But if PLHIV NGOs are not integrated into the work in the nearest future PLHIV initiative can be lost. Reformulate the Problem to a Task: To identify necessary support for effective step-by-step integration of the local PLHIV organizations into the work and development of PLHIV services already existing or planned for the nearest future in the countries of the region.

Example 1… (2) Initiators and donors: Procedure: Initiative of the local and national PLHIV organizations with a leading role of Kazakh Union of PLHIV. Support in development and implementation – from CAPACITY-USAID and CSAT (EHRN). Procedure: The expert interviewed over 100 respondents in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. A number of local PLHIV NGOs are trained in Needs Assessment and have conducted mini-mapping of the services and interviewed community representatives. Based on these data, technical support recommendations and specific project recommendations have been developed. Prior to publication, the report has been submitted for revision to the key partners that can provide technical support to PLHIV NGOs. What groups of the population were represented by the respondents?

Example 1… (3) Most relevant conclusions and recommendations: PLHIV NGOs provide support to vulnerable PLHIV and their families. This makes the NGOs a relevant possible partner of the governments and international organizations in providing universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support. PLHIV NGOs, like PLHIV community, is just being formed now. Practically all PLHIV NGOs are leader-driven, that is why PLHIV leaders support is essential for further development of PLHIV NGOs, strengthening of PLHIV community and building its capacity. PLHIV NGOs work at the local level. But many important decisions are taken at national or regional levels. To contribute to decision-making PLHIV NGOs have to build national and regional networks. This would require transparent coordination of priorities among PLHIV NGOs and a democratic delegation mechanism of the representative functions.

Example 1… (4) Today, main partners of PLHIV NGOs are international organizations and local state institutions. PLHIV NGOs should develop constructive partnership with each other, governmental structures, as well as NGOs of other communities affected by HIV epidemics. Today, PLHIV NGOs receive funding from the international organizations. Due to that, PLHIV NGO work is not sustainable. To ensure sustainability of work and more accurate community needs assessment PLHIV NGOs should use internal resources of the community, developing cooperation and mutual aid among its members. It is also important to contribute to broad and meaningful involvement of PLHIV into decision making and programme implementation at all levels.

Example 1… (5) Using the results: Planning the work: Strategic Planning for CA PLHV Network (joint projects at national and regional levels), Advocacy: Proposals Substantiation for partners and donors Wide distribution of the report (building attitude to the situation) Community development: Involving local leaders into data collection including their training in Needs Assessment. Using the report as the starting point when discussing the situation with local PLHIV leaders and developing coordinated approaches. See the complete test at www.ecuo.org in “Publications”.

Example 2: Technical Support Needs Assessment of MSM NGOs that received amfAR grants(1) Assessment was conducted to solve the following problem: Absence of government support for MSM NGOs and decrease in support from the international funds have caused the danger that after the end of the amfAR grants the NGOs will have to stop their activities started with by amfAR support. Reformulating the Problem to a Task: Building MSM NGO capacity to continue the work started with amfAR support independently. * Decrease in international funding was due to the beginning of the Global Fund grant programme.

Example 2… (2) Initiators and donors: Procedure: Initiative of the community Supervisory Board (deliberately formed for the support of amfAR MSM initiative) whose members are gay leaders and MSM experts. Supported by amfAR. Procedure: Managers of the organizations that received amfAR grants filled out the questionnaire that helped them to analyze their capacity in service development, administration and fundraising. The expert interviewed the managers of the organizations that received amfAR grants. At interviews, issues determined by the managers as needing support and development were given priority. What groups of the population were represented by the respondents?

Example 2… (3) Priority issues in need for support and development: Fundraising including business structures involvement, and development of volunteer programmes, Strategic organization management including community members involvement into decision making, and development of structures like Governing Councils. Advocacy and other forms of affecting policy making in the sphere of MSM social well-being and health care. Support in learning communication technologies (first of all, those connected with Internet).

Example 2… (4) Using the results: Planning the work: amfAR is planning to build consultants network (technical advisors) that would provide support to the grant recipients in priority areas development. Advocacy: amfAR has addressed international organizations and funds to support fundraising and provide technical support to the grant recipients. Community development: Involving managers of the grant recipient organizations into the assessment of development priorities. As a rule, managers hardly ever have time to think of development as they are overloaded with current work management and grant proposal writing. Explain, why these examples were given: not only because they are related to CSAT but primarily as good examples of TS and capacity building coming together with NGO involvement and not just waiting aside till community NGOs become highly professional.