PAM: Project Accountability and Monitoring Helen Frost YCI M&EO

Vision and mission Y Care International’s vision is of: a world where the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable young people are transformed a Y Care International that is a leader in youth development and global youth work a YMCA movement that is socially relevant and youth-focused Mission Y Care International works in partnership with young people worldwide through the YMCA movement to help them enrich their lives and to build a more just world, free from poverty.

What is PAM and why was it developed? -Designed to ensure easy and intuitive data storage and management -To build partners’ capacities for data storage and analysis -YCI want to provide partners with a means to store data safely and analyse information easily without having to have technical knowledge and understanding of Access or SPSS, or other database systems. -Require a system which facilitates internal learning and promotes strong analysis

Fundamentally about the individual beneficiary…(also includes community based activities, organisational strengthening and monitoring across themes and strategies)

We want to understand if our projects lead to change in people’s lives…

The software - Whilst PAM is an Access database, using Access 2010 software, we have tried as much as possible to move away from a traditional access design. -We have also taken into account the varying capacities of our partners and have tried to ease the complexity of running queries or reports in Access. - Not utilised cloud based technology due to intermittent internet coverage in partner countries.

Has the same functionality as Access but is much simpler to use…

Time -The initial process ran from October 2010 to Sep 2011: this period saw the design and roll out of the database to 4 projects. -In Oct 2011, with the recruitment of a new consultant, the database was completely redesigned with more focus on the usability of the end product and creating a more intuitive product. Have created a much more user friendly interface.

Expertise -Our consultant effectively plays a ‘face’ to the programming world through which we have a sounding board for our ideas and who can shape our requirements into tangible specs for the programmer. -YCI have limited expertise with database development; day to day responsibility for driving development and implementation comes from the M&EO with oversight coming from the Director of International Programmes. -Our database is being designed to ensure partners are comfortable using it whether they have knowledge of expertise in Access or not.

Strengths of the system -YCI have adapted how we approach the database. - Continuous development: The database is not a finalised product and will continued to be developed over the next year. Improvement and updates will be applied to the database to ensure highest level functionality. - We value having a good working relationship with our consultant. He has sought to understand our goals, vision and beneficiaries to ensure that the database fulfils the role we want it to. -Our partners have been extremely impressed with the simple nature of running complicated reports; the standard readymade reports can be completed with the click of four buttons. This allows for increased time analysing the data and asking the important ‘so what?’ questions.

Simplifying reporting…

Providing ready-made reports for instant feedback on the project…

Challenges - Need to be able to show partners and YCI staff the value of PAM. YCI staff will interact with PAM more regularly and will begin to absorb it into their working routines. - YCI’s original vision for a database was not coherent enough.

Lessons Learnt -Ensure you have a clear vision for your database and can articulate this. -Developers should be given a clear ToR with lines of responsibility defined. -Don’t be afraid of questioning your M&E systems- developing a data management system can help to refine your methodologies - Room for some changes: Partners should be able to feed into the database development by providing feedback on challenges and successes. - MIS can be innovative and creative; they should be more than just figures.