The ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme (AYVP)
Call for In-Country Projects (CICP No. AYVP-12-001)
Issuance Date: 30 November, 2012 Closing Date for Applications: 15 February 2013
Address: Please insert E-mail: Please insert
1 | P a g e BACKGROUND ON THE AYVP In the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis in 2008, ASEAN ran the ASEAN Volunteer Programme (AVP) in Myanmar to support reconstruction in three villages in the Irrawaddy Delta. Overall, 40 volunteers from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand participated in seven projects that were implemented with five civil society partners. This successful one-off initiative, which brought together citizens from ASEAN Member States to support disaster risk reduction initiatives, indicated the need for a more sustainable programme or facility that could efficiently and effectively coordinate and manage the deployment of ASEAN volunteers for regional community development. It was with this background that the proposal came for an ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme (AYVP) to be established. The proposal to develop the ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme was presented by the Minister of Youth and Sports Malaysia, Dato' Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, during the Seventh ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Youth (AMMY VII) on October 20, 2011 in Hanoi and was subsequently endorsed. The proposal to develop the ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme was supported and presented by the Minister of Youth and Sports Malaysia, Dato' Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, during the Seventh ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Youth (AMMY VII) on October 20, 2011 and was subsequently endorsed by the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Youth (SOMY). After the endorsement, the secretariat for AYVP was set up at UniversitiKebangsaan Malaysia (The National University of Malaysia - UKM). The AYVP Secretariat is housed under the umbrella of AsiaEngage1, and works in close partnershipwith the ASEAN Secretariat and the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports to identify, develop and implement impactful knowledge-driven youth volunteerism projects involving multiple stakeholders. The function of the AYVP Secretariat is to centralize the administration of the program, which includes recruiting, project identification, orientation training, volunteer mobilization, evaluation, and fundraising. The AYVP Secretariat will be the centralized hub for all financial transactions for in- country projects.
1AsiaEngage is the regional arm of the Office of Industry and Community Partnerships UKM and a regional alliance that maximizes the strengths of the Asia-Talloires Network of Industry and Community Engaged Universities (ATNEU), the ASEAN University Network (AUN) Thematic Network on University Social Responsibility and Sustainability (AUN-USR&S) and the ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme (AYVP). All these networks/programme under AsiaEngage aim to create mutually beneficial partnerships between multi-sector stakeholders (Higher education institutions, youth organizations, government agencies, NGOs, industry and foundations and communities) across ASEAN and Asia.
2 | P a g e Mission Statement
The mission statement of the AYVP is as follows: The AYVP is a dedicated youth volunteerism platform to implement regional volunteerism projects that mobilize ASEAN youth to develop innovative solutions to the social, cultural, economic and environmental challenges facing communities across ASEAN, while forging a sense of regional identity and cross-cultural understanding among ASEAN youth.
Vision and Values The AYVP’s vision and values can be summarized in five key points: 1) Inculcate the appreciation and application of volunteerism and forge a sense of regional identity among the young people in ASEAN, while enhancing the quality of life for communities in ASEAN; 2) Unite youth from across ASEAN to work together to help communities in the region; 3) Build a caring and sharing ASEAN community through collaborative volunteer assignments and people-to-people connectivity between the host country and volunteers from the region; 4) Develop knowledge-driven volunteerism and expertise to help solve problems and support development needs in ASEAN. 5) Promote awareness of ASEAN at the grassroots level within every ASEAN Member State; 6) Deliver opportunities for ASEAN nationals to build expertise and support development goals in the region; and 7) Provide a platform for regional higher education institutions and youth organizations to collaborate actively with multi-sector stakeholders in the public and private sectors.
AYVP IN-COUNTRY PROJECTS The local implementing partner for the ICPs will serve as the primary day-to-day implementers of the work of the AYVP and as such play a key role in the delivery of AYVP assistance and services. The relationship between the AYVP Secretariat and the local implementers of the in-country projects will function as a partnership. Interested Member States/Partners/Donors that are keen to support the programme will be allowed – with permission from the AYVP and ASEAN Secretariats - to access available ASEAN resources such as use of recruiting databases and ASEAN/AYVP branding.
3 | P a g e B.1 In-Country Project Themes Submitted applications with accompanying concept notes should describe knowledge-driven youth volunteerism projects across the region under one of the of eight thematic areas: 1) Rural Development and Poverty Eradication 2) Social Enterprise; 3) Youth-friendly Health services; 4) Education Development; 5) The Environment 6) Protecting ASEAN’s Heritage; and 7) Disaster Response, Risk Reduction and Recovery 8) Sports and Recreation In every project under these eight thematic themes, youth from across ASEAN will come together in small teams (4-6) to respond to requested needs from local communities over a 2-3 month time period. The experience will open their minds to new livelihoods, perspectives and cultures by working with community leaders and volunteers from other countries in ASEAN
1) Rural Development and Poverty Eradication
The AYVP will undertake initiatives to change stakeholders’ perception of the youth population ‘as a solution and not a problem’ – as a promising resource that may be guided and mobilized to meet the service needs of the regional communities. AYVP In-Country Projects will support initiatives that provide opportunities for all youth to become self-reliant and contribute to members of the society while developing the human capital of ASEAN at the same time.
2) Social Entrepreneurship
Social entrepreneurship is the recognition of a social problem, and using entrepreneurial principles to organise, create and manage a social venture to achieve social change. Some of the notable classic entrepreneurs were Florence Nightingale, developer of modern nursing practices and Robert Owen, founder of the cooperative movement. Today, social entrepreneurship uses the disciplines of the corporate world to tackle daunting social problems while synergising multiple stakeholders for the benefit of the community at large. Social entrepreneurship has many benefits that have helped change the world greatly over the last sixty years. Many people have been willing to take the risks and accept them as a small price to pay in order that millions of people would have significant impacts in their lives. (eg: Grameen bank by Muhammad Yunus). The AYVP will support vibrant and innovative social entrepreneurship initiatives that transform regional communities in ASEAN and advocate the youth’s voice for positive social change. These in-country projects will be undertaken in partnership with like-minded stakeholders from industries, INGOs, CSOs, foundations and/or government agencies. The benefits of such initiatives are many, including reducing and preventing poverty, providing training and re-
4 | P a g e skilling for employment opportunities, as well as providing other critical services to improve the quality of life for marginalized communities across ASEAN and Asia. AYVP In-Country Projects in this area will focus on:
Enhancing employment opportunities and income generation in regional communities; Empowering at-risk youth through social entrepreneurship; and Developing and sustaining innovative social entrepreneurship models to address the needs of marginalized communities.
3) Youth-friendly Health Services
The lack of basic and affordable health services is a challenge in many areas in ASEAN. In this way, availability of health services directly contributes to social equality and the betterment of the community. With the fast approaching deadline of 2015’s Millennium Development Goals (four out of eight goals relate to health betterment), the AYVP will help change perceptions in health and provide sustainable health solutions at the same time. In-country projects in this area will focus on improving environmental and living conditions that will have a strong impact on reducing the occurrence of diseases, in turn improving health and vitality. For instance, there is a lack of affordable health services for ASEAN youth. A majority of the health services are oriented to adult populations, which hinders health accessibility for young people especially information on sexual reproduction, sexually transmitted diseases, life skills and advocacy related activities. The peer education approach in which young people are trained on how to provide comprehensive information and youth friendly services to their peers has been highly successful, especially with sexual reproductive health and HIV/AIDS. The AYVP will focus on a peer education approach in which educators would be AYVP volunteers. AYVP In-Country Projects in this area will focus on:
Promoting ASEAN Peer-to-Peer Youth-Friendly Health Services, especially sexual reproductive health and HIV & AIDS; Educating the community with knowledge and tools to manage health issues; Facilitating improved and sustainable community health facilities (e.g. sanitation, access to healthcare, immunization & vaccination programmes, adequate supplement and nourishment, effective treatment for infectious diseases etc.); and Empowering women’s role in the family, especially on prevention of infectious diseases such as HIV & AIDS and enhancement of maternal health.
4) Education Development
Education is the pathway to any nation building as knowledge leads to efficient usage of a nation’s resources, which then enables transformation to take place. Education also shapes the attitudes, behaviors and values of citizens. These are qualities needed for nation building.
5 | P a g e The youth is a nation’s resource as they are the future leaders and therefore need to be knowledgeable and possess skills that will ensure their employability. Hence, AYVP will support innovative education-based community engagement to provide education services and empower communities by working with universities, INGOs, and other organizations in the surrounding area. The AYVP will also work with INGOs and the private sector to deliver education services to rural communities. AYVP In-Country Projects in this area will focus on:
Developing knowledgeable youth and ASEAN awareness; Impacting gender inequality and empowering women in ASEAN communities; Increasing youth knowledge and skills on the application of ICTs; Impacting the academic achievement of rural and urban-poor youth; Implementing educational initiatives that impact youth leadership and empowerment; and Enhancing social integration through initiatives to foster awareness of ‘unity in diversity’ among youth.
5) The Environment
The AYVP will support in-country projects that cover a wide range of activities in this area, from caring for the environment by recycling and switching off lights when not in use, to bigger and more sustainable actions like using ‘green’ transportation or building ‘green’ homes. The AYVP will help connect people with the ecosystems that support them, and to utilize the knowledge, technology and resources available to live sustainably. These activities will help increase understanding of how changing behaviour and practices to live sustainably with the surrounding environment will result in the betterment of the communities we live in, and the world at large.
6) Protecting ASEAN Heritage
Preservation measures are imperative not only for sites already on the “In-Danger List” but also for all World Heritage sites. The most significant feature of the 1972 World Heritage Convention is the idea that heritage in a single country can be the responsibility of the world, or the region. Through the AYVP, youth will do their part to ensure that these natural and cultural wonders will continue to awe and inspire future generations, and make a commitment to ensure the protection of ASEAN Heritage sites. This volunteerism support to heritage sites in ASEAN will also support efforts in the tourism industry throughout the region.
7) Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery
6 | P a g e The AYVP will support post-disaster recovery initiatives pertaining to the longer-term activities to recover from a disaster. The AYVP will also support in-country projects to improve a community’s resilience to a disaster by encouraging and facilitating necessary adjustments to reduce disaster risk. Projects of this nature will be undertaken in disaster-prone communities through collaboration with the ASEAN Centre on Humanitarian Assistance for disaster management (AHA Centre).
8) Sports and Recreation
Over the years, sports as a promoted endeavour of society have seen tremendous growth, progress and development. Sports today, has been thrust into the mainstream development agenda as an important and vital component of national development perspectives. The UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Sport for Development and Peace defined sports for the purposes of development, as ‘all forms of physical activity that contribute to physical fitness, mental well- being and social interaction, such as play, recreation, organised or competitive sports and indigenous sports and games. Sports is definitely known to own a unique power to attract, mobilise and inspire younger generations towards building a high level of integrity such as respect for the opponent, acceptance of binding rules, teamwork and fairness. The AYVP will recognise the role of volunteers and their contribution to sports and leisure by creating more opportunities to contribute towards the society through sporting events. The value of volunteers will be measured in order to receive much greater attention by developing some form of training and support to volunteers within sports and leisure-related fields. Suitable programmes will be developed to empower volunteers by engaging them in sports and recreation activities to ensure they are delivered in an integrated manner locally and internationally. This will ensure far greater recognition of the time, effort and contributions made by volunteers. AYVP In-Country Projects in this area will focus on: Engaging the community in major sporting events and volunteers;
Helping in major Para sporting events
Engaging the youth in physical activities to strengthen social ties and network
B.2 Funding Mechanisms
Both UKM and the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports are providing financial and in-kind support for the AYVP Secretariat’s core funding. Member States, ASEAN Strategic and Dialogue Partners, and other potential partners will provide project-based funding. The purpose of this CICP is to identify partners to implement in-country projects. Please indicate in the application if funding is provided or required to implement the project. In addition, please indicate the number of volunteers that would ideally support the specific ICP. For your information, the approximate cost per each volunteer is $7,000 to $8,000 for a three-
7 | P a g e month project. For additional budgeting information, please refer to the AYVP Terms of Reference Guidelines for Establishment and Operation on the AsiaEngage website.
ELIGIBILITY The partners may be a government organization, a capable and recognised CSO, an INGO, a foundation or a university affiliated organization. An in-country field office for the partner is imperative to ensure the smooth setup of an ICP and the day-to-day welfare of the volunteers. While there is a need for a centralized office for the ICP, partners may also use a network of grassroots organizations to support the implementation of an ICP, provided that there is a sound oversight system in place with the local implementing partner (e.g. an INGO overseeing local CSOs at the community level).
C.1 AYVP Partner Basic Criteria
The AYVP Secretariat is looking for partners that are capable, trustworthy, and have prior experience working with and using volunteers in their operations. The responsibilities of local implementing partners will vary by project, but at minimum, they must be able to provide: Identified room and board for volunteers An established in-country office with the necessary staff and capacity to handle day-to- day communication with the volunteers and AYVP Secretariat; Capacity to handle orientation for the volunteers at project site; Monitoring of volunteer assignments; Coordination of reporting and final evaluation of the volunteer; and Transport of the volunteer from the closest airport to the project site.
ROLE AND EXPERIENCE OF VOLUNTEERS In-country projects should be designed in which volunteers will respond to the demands of the community in small teams (4-6 individuals from different AMS) in concert with the local implementing partners over a 2-3 month-long deployment. Each volunteer assignment should complement on-going development programs in the country to ensure the greatest chance of success for the AYVP. In this way, community leaders and the local implementing partner should play an integral part in the role of the volunteers’ respective assignments. Volunteers should also actively engage with the community on a social level to build trust and enrich their experience, such as through sharing meals with local families, playing football with local youth, and having tea. Their experience will also form bonds with the other ASEAN nationals on the team through working together to solve problems and living in a new environment. At the end of the assignment, volunteers should have interacted and formed friendships with people from across ASEAN, including those within the local community of
8 | P a g e assistance. These new connections will facilitate a regional identity and support an ASEAN youth network on the formal and informal levels. The local implementing partner will be responsible for seeing that the volunteers will take a mid-term and final evaluation of their experience. Volunteers will also be requested to keep a journal of the experience with accompanying photographs and expected to participate in reflection sessions at the end of the assignment with the involved stakeholders, facilitators, and recipients to support the evaluation of the project. At the end of the assignment, volunteers will provide a 10-minute or less YouTube video of their experience serving as a volunteer for ASEAN. Select YouTube videos will be embedded on the AYVP website. If earning college credit, volunteers may also be responsible for additional deliverables depending on their respective university.
D.1 Targeted Volunteer Demographic
The AYVP Secretariat will be the lead on volunteer recruitment and mobilization, which will be open to individuals between the ages of 18-30. The AYVP will therefore target youth volunteers from higher education institutions, colleges and working professionals. In selecting volunteers, the AYVP Secretariat will look volunteers that have or have the potential to develop the below values, skills and competencies: Criteria for Selected Volunteers Essential Values for Inter-cultural understanding, respect and appreciation Volunteers Team player Altruistic – devoted to the welfare of others Open-minded, positive attitude and flexible Skills and Strong written and oral communication skills Competencies Proficiency in English, ability to communicate in English across cultures Strong interest and/or experience required by the specific project / theme Mental and physical readiness to live in a harsh natural environment Sense of initiative and leadership Sociocultural competencies to connect to the community and ability to motivate others
D.2 Orientation and Training
Before deployment, the AYVP Secretariat will send each volunteer an information packet on ASEAN’s background and the history/ideals of the ASEAN Youth Volunteer Program. Participation in AYVP projects will offer important opportunities for socialization and learning
9 | P a g e since it will provide youth a non-formal learning environment that helps them develop critical life skills, foster citizenship, and promote leadership. The AYVP Secretariat will provide one-week orientation in Kuala Lumpur before volunteers are then sent to their assignments. At least one-day before the training begins, the identified youth leaders of each ICP will come to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to prepare for the trainings and the subsequent in-country projects. The youth leaders will participate in the week long training at the AYVP Secretariat to build their capacity and bond with their assigned volunteers. The first 1-2 days of the training will address the necessary background information, including a special session on ASEAN and the significance of being an ASEAN volunteer. The next 2-3 days of the training in Kuala Lumpur will focus on key life skills and behaviours to enable them to adapt to and deal effectively with the demands and challenges of life. The final 3-5 days of the training will focus on their respective thematic area, their assignment and their role with the local implementing partner and the targeted community. By the end of the orientation program, the volunteer will be aware of his/her role and how s/he is expected to interface both with the local partner as well as with the targeted community and/or the ultimate consumers of the assignment.
D.3 In-country Project Onsite Training
In order to reinforce the training in Kuala Lumpur, the local implementation partner shall design an orientation and training appropriate to the specific volunteer project and location for the following week. The concept note should address the organization’s capacity to carry out an orientation program that includes: 1) Cultural orientation 2) Basic language training (when appropriate) 3) Background on the community that the volunteer will be working in plus a detailed briefing on the development problem and the ultimate goals of the assignment 4) Specific information on the role of the volunteer on this assignment 5) Reporting lines—who is the volunteer’s direct supervisor and mentor; who do they approach if they have a problem or concern 6) Code of conduct 7) Emergency procedures contingency plans 8) Field/Geographical orientation of onsite assignment 9) Evaluation criteria for a “successful” assignment 10) Reporting requirements.
INELIGIBLE EXPENSES In-country projects must not be utilized for the following:
10 | P a g e 1) Purchases of restricted goods, such as: agricultural commodities, motor vehicles, pharmaceuticals, contraceptive products, used equipment (without the previous approval of the Facility) or prohibited goods, including but not limited to the following: abortion equipment and services, luxury goods, etc. 2) Alcoholic beverages. 3) Any purchase or activity, which has already been made. 4) Purchases or activities unnecessary to accomplish project purposes as determined by the AYVP Secretariat. 5) Prior obligations of and/or, debts, fines, and penalties imposed on the local implementing partner. 6) Creation of endowments.
APPLICATION TO BE AN AYVP PROJECT PARTNER TEMPLATE INSERT ADDRESS AND CONTACT INFO
In-kind funding or financial funding available for project: YES / NO
Page Limit: The total application should not exceed 30 pages inclusive of the application form, budget, concept note, and appendices.
Date of this application: ______/______/______
1. Contact information about our organization:
a. Name ______
b. Mailing Address ______
c. Street Address (if available) ______
d. Phone ______Fax ______E-Mail ______
f. Organization Contact Person ______
2. Organizational Information Related to Eligibility
a. Year Established ______b. Type of Organization: For Profit Not for Profit
11 | P a g e c. Legal Status (check only one):
Private or public shareholding company, whether for-profit or not-for-profit, that have company objectives that are consistent with the broad objectives of the Program and the specific objectives of the AYVP, or Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), professional organizations, research institutions, and other institutions that have organizational objectives that are consistent with the broad objectives of the AYVP. Others (if other, use the following space to clarify): ______d. In order to demonstrate our organization’s eligibility, we have attached (choose all that apply): A copy of our organization’s formal registration as evidence of the above selected legal status; One or more copies of board of directors’ resolutions, strategic plans or other documentation indicating our organization’s managerial commitment to implementing objectives that are consistent with the broad objectives of the Grants Program.
3. Statistical and other Information: a. Our members pay dues on the following basis (Choose only one): For Profit For Voluntary Mandated by law or regulation Other (Specify): ______b. Fiscal year end:______(for your accounting purpose) c. We have an operational accounting system in place? Yes No d. Our accounting system is computerized: Yes No e. Our total membership if applicable is: ______members. f. As of the above date of application, the number of our members (if applicable) who have fully paid their annual dues for this year is ______members g. Our organization chart is attached: Yes No h. Our organization has an office near the location of the proposed assignment Yes No
Address of field office: ______Contact information:______
12 | P a g e 4. Information related to the proposed Project or Activity a. Our Organization’s mission and/or objectives are the following: ______
5. Concept Note *Requirements: Submitted in-country project concept notes must address the following:
. Identification of the project theme that matches one of the eight above; . Short-term and long-term goals of the project and how they align with the AYVP mission; . Duration of the assignment for the volunteer and the duration for the project if different; . Area where work will take place, with information on the local conditions of the environment; . Proven statement on organizational capacity to implement and monitor the project, which includes identified staff with the local knowledge, capacity and abilities to support the mission and objectives of the AYVP; . Identified group leaders for AYVP groups to serve as translators, problem-solvers, and on-the-ground team leaders; . Number of volunteers and size of groups for volunteers outside the country; . Expected role of the volunteer and anticipated experience of the volunteer; . Timing and availability of the project; . Day-to-day management oversight plan of the volunteers to ensure their health, safety and well-being; and . Realistic budget to achieve the technical goals of the project.
13 | P a g e Concept Paper Template
For your convenience, please find below a concept paper outline that can be used at your discretion. Please attach the concept note to your submitted application. *Concept notes should not be any longer than 6 pages (Paper Size: A4, Margins: Normal (Top/Bottom/Left/Right: 2,5 cm = 1 inch); and Font: Times New Roman or similar, 11 pt.)
1. Applicant:
Full name of applicant Organization, and acronym Country Legal Status Creation date Official Address Postal address Contact person (telephone, and e-mail address)
2. Title of the In-Country Project:
3. Expected project duration (months):
4. Geographical regions(s) where the action is to be implemented:
5. Summary of the proposed action (maximum 3 pages):
Brief description of the challenges or issue to be addressed, proposed project objectives, main activities and anticipated results and impact.
6. Relevance
How does the project align with the statement, visions and values of the AYVP @ AsiaEngage? How relevant is your project to the needs and constraints of the targeted regions and groups? What are the problems to be resolved and the needs to be met? Who are the actors to be involved in the proposed project (beneficiaries, target groups, other stakeholders and partners, etc.)? What are the project objectives (overall, specific) and the anticipated impact?
14 | P a g e 7. Methodology and sustainability
What are the main project activities? What are the key anticipated results? How will the project achieve long-lasting impact, and sustainability
8. Estimated budget
Submitted concept notes will be reviewed and scored by members of the AYVP Selection Committee. Estimated Budget and Timeline Information o Please include a detailed budget as a separate attachment that estimates: . The total cost of implementing the proposed activity including labor, other direct costs, as well as general and administration fees. . Please also indicate the average price per volunteer for the proposed project
o The total value of the proposed project is US$ ______at a foreign exchange rate of ______
o Scheduled start date for proposed project/activity: ______
o Scheduled end date for proposed project/activity: ______
o Our organization or a third party will contribute to the funding of the following specific activities/items (specify the activity or cost item as well as the amount for each and whether the contribution is in cash or in kind): ______
Monitoring and Evaluation We will measure the success of this proposed Project/Activity (project indicators) as described below (please refer to the M&E chapter on page - below). ______
We would appreciate your timely consideration of our application to be an AYVP partner.
Sincerely,
15 | P a g e (Signed by Managing Director or person in similar position within the Applicant organization)
16 | P a g e AYVP Selection Committee
The AYVP Selection Committee will review all submitted ICP applications and will consist of: Host Country ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Youth (SOMY) Focal Point AYVP Secretariat Executive Director SOMY Chair and Co-Chair Two ASEAN Secretariat Representatives Strategic and Dialogue Partners (if directly funding certain projects) Chair and Co-Chair from Relevant Cross-Sectoral Bodies, if applicable The final decision to move the project forward will ultimately be based on consensus of the group through an ad referendum approval process. All proposed projects will be channelled to the AYVP Selection Committee and then to SOMY as part of the project management cycle (if Dialogue Partners Funding is required). The Task Force will be co-chaired by the AYVP Secretariat and Host-Country SOMY Focal Point.
SCORING CRITERIA FOR SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS CONCEPT NOTES TO THE CICP
17 | P a g e Evaluation/Selection Criteria (100 points total).
The AYVP Selection Committee will score each application using the criteria below.
Evaluation/Selection Criteria Alignment to vision & values of AYVP @ AsiaEngage 10 points Feasibility and Impact of Technical Approach 20 points Management Staffing and Structure 10 points Onsite Orientation and Training Programme 10 points Past Performance 10 points Branding & Marketing 10 points Impact and Potential to be Replicable in the Region 10 points Cost Efficiency of the Application 20 points Total 100 points
A. Alignment to Vision and Values of AYVP @ AsiaEngage (10 points) The extent to which the proposed activities correspond to the Vision, Mission Statement, Values and Strategies of AYVP as laid out in the AYVP TOR document.
B. Feasibility of Technical Approach (20 points) The quality and feasibility of the application in terms of the viability of the proposed technical approach, (i.e., the proposed technical approach can reasonably be expected to produce the intended outcomes), appropriateness of the proposed methodology, innovativeness, and the work plan for achieving project objectives to offer significant impacts to communities in ASEAN. The technical approach must directly contribute to the achievement of AYVP’s objectives and the expected results as listed in the RFA. Special consideration will be given to projects that can provide volunteers with university credit transfer (e.g. through the AUN ASEAN Credit Transfer System (ACTS) initiative).
C. Management Staffing and Structure (10 points) The organization has adequate management capacity to carry out the tasks outlined in the scope of work and assures the delivery of high quality services that meet the requirements listed in the RFA. The application should demonstrate the organization’s effectiveness in terms of internal structure, technical capacity, and key personnel in meeting the goals of the activity. In particular, the organization should have capacity to oversee the day-to-day care of the volunteers and have identified group leaders that can support with translation and community engagement. Preference will be given to organizations with a proven relationship with either the Host Government, ASEAN and/or other valuable partners. In addition, the organization must demonstrate adequate financial management capability to run a volunteers programme.
18 | P a g e D. Onsite Orientation and Training Programme (10 points) The organization has a sufficient plan in place to provide onsite orientation and training programme to the volunteers. The programme must have identified staff capable to train/inform the volunteers in their local surroundings and culture, position assignment, and what to do in case of an emergency.
E. Past Performance (10 points) Application has previous or on-going experience implementing similar activities. This section depends on the Applicant’s track record, which is a critical factor in assessing the capacity of the applicant to implement the activity.
F. Branding and Marketing Plan (10 points) The organization has a sufficient plan to brand and market the in-country project as part of the AYVP and ASEAN as based on the AYVP Branding and Marketing guidelines in the RFA.
G. Potential to be Sustainable and Replicable in the Region (10 points) The extent to which the proposed activity corresponds to the needs of target group(s) and the degree to which the activity has the potential to be sustained and/or replicated in the ASEAN region, or has a regional focus.
H. Cost Efficiency of the Application (20 points) This refers to the degree to which budgeting is clear and reasonable as well as reflects the best use of organizational and funding resources. Resource allocation shows a clear and logical relationship to activity objectives. The local contribution reflects commitment to the project by the targeted beneficiaries and local institutions.
19 | P a g e Monitoring, Evaluation (M&E) and Research
Monitoring, evaluation and research of all AYVP work is important to ensure continued quality. Likewise, regular monitoring and evaluation allows for assurances on the effectiveness of AYVP funds as well as confirming the soundness of approach and/or determine if changes need to be made to the program in order to improve outcomes for volunteers, partners and communities. In order to install appropriate and proper M&E systems, the AYVP Secretariat will hire a Monitoring, Evaluation & Research Officer to undertake the following measures for every project undertaken: 1) Evaluation of volunteer assignments will be conducted at least one month after the volunteer’s arrival and then at regular intervals during the assignment; 2) Monitor volunteer assignments with the local implementing partners and volunteers at least once a week depending on the remoteness of a volunteer assignment. Monitoring can include regular phone and/or emails with the volunteer and the local implementing partner; 3) Track project against predetermined success indicators for the project and volunteer assignment; 4) Recorded exit interviews with each volunteer for the evaluation report and future video campaigns; and 5) Collection of evaluation questionnaire upon completion of an assignment (template on page 25)
AYVP M&E INDICATORS Monitoring the AYVP in its pilot phase is essential for its sustainability. The AYVP M&E plan has been designed to generate outcomes by measuring an increase/decrease in: 1) Depth of partnership with the community;
2) Impacts to the personal development of volunteer and community members;
3) Range and scope of the acquisition of knowledge;
4) Development of competencies valuable for volunteerism;
5) Community champions and sustainability;
6) Sense of ASEAN awareness; and
7) Relationships with local community members and ASEAN volunteers.
Indicators to measure these outcomes are categorized by the following five areas: 1) Experience of Volunteer;
20 | P a g e 2) Increase in knowledge, competencies, and values for community and the volunteers;
3) Champions and Partnerships;
4) Community Development and Sustainability; and
5) ASEAN awareness.
The monitoring and evaluation of the AYVP will be largely based on qualitative indicators and methodology. The AYVP Secretariat will have each volunteer complete questionnaires before deployment, mid-way through deployment, and after they finish their assignment. This before, during, and after approach will help ensure a complete understanding of the volunteer’s assignment. Likewise, the community leader(s) will also be requested to complete a questionnaire before, during, and after the assignment in order to judge their perspectives of the AYVP. The AYVP in-country projects will be tracked through: 1) Questionnaires to identify needs of community, outcomes of the volunteers, and general experience working with other ASEAN nationals 2) Involvement of local volunteers - local community to take ownership to ensure sustainability 3) Feedback from all stakeholders 4) Monitoring through social media and updates by the websites
The table below lists the indicators that will be used to measure and evaluate the AYVP:
Target Area Indicators Expe Volunteer successfully connects with other organizations rience of within the community doing similar work Volunteer Volunteer reaches out to a broad array of organizations and individuals within the community (e.g. split by gender, age, wage, focal area Self-reports from volunteer/community/other stakeholders that volunteer is established member of the community Volunteer support viewed as beneficial to the community
Incr Volunteers report increased knowledge of community eased needs knowledge, Community members report that they place trust in the competencie information the volunteer imparts to them s, and values Community members report that the volunteer is for knowledgeable in a particular area community and the Volunteers report increased knowledge of successful volunteers
21 | P a g e community integration tactics
Volunteers report increased cultural competency
Volunteers report increased ability to function in difficult/new environment
Volunteers report increased ability for a particular skill
Cha Ability of volunteer to connect potential champions with mpions and mentors i.e. experts (self-report, stakeholder report) Partnerships Champions can identify what they have learned about a particular issue Volunteer connects with influential people within the community with decision-making ability/access to decision-makers Com Volunteer reports that community is hitting its targets for munity the in-country project Developmen Community reports increased civic engagement t and Sustainabilit Community reports change before/after the volunteer y engagement Stakeholders report effects lasting beyond the duration of the volunteer period Community reports activities advancing its agenda that it undertakes independently of the volunteer Volunteer/community reports increased civic engagement ASE Volunteer has increased knowledge in the goals and vision AN Identity for an ASEAN Community Volunteer forms friendships with other volunteers and community members Volunteer considers himself/herself as a citizen of ASEAN Volunteer would like to pursue a career supporting the objectives of the ASEAN community in the future
The collected information will be stored in a database managed by the AYVP Secretariat @ AsiaEngage. The AYVP Secretariat will also record (ideally video, but audio if only available) introductory and exit interviews to support both the final evaluation and efforts in outreach and marketing. At the end of each project cycle, the AYVP Secretariat will host a one-day workshop, preferably back-to-back with the SOMY, with all relevant stakeholders to reflect, adjust, and discuss the AYVP. The evaluation report and recorded interviews will be shared with the meeting participants to stimulate discussion. Representatives from SOMY, the ASEAN Secretariat, cross- sectoral bodies, local implementing partners, dialogue partners/donors, select volunteers, and AsiaEngage will be invited to participate in this exchange.
22 | P a g e The Role of the Local Implementing Partners in M&E: 1) Before volunteers begin their assignments, the M&E and Research Officer in concert with the local partner will establish baselines that can be measured against to determine impact and results of the volunteers’ work in concert with the AYVP Secretariat, respective SOMY focal point and cross-sectoral working group focal point if applicable. Such baseline indicators might include (and are dependent on the nature and ultimate goals of the assignment): Income levels in communities Production levels of certain agricultural products Sales/profits of farms/businesses Utilization of improved practices (business/farms/sanitation/etc.) Enrolment levels in schools/training/education programs Health and sanitation indicators (number of cases of certain ailments, institutionalization of certain sanitary practices, etc.) 2) After a volunteer finishes her/his assignment, the local partner needs to conduct an evaluation of the local community through interviews and measurements of pre- identified indicators. 3) As long as a country program is in place, local partners shall continue to report on these indicators in their regular reporting to AYVP Secretariat @ AsiaEngage.
LONG-TERM MONITORING AND EVALUATION A post-project follow up is an important, and often neglected, part of any volunteer assignment. It is essential in order to measure long-term indicators and impact of the work of the AYVP. After volunteer assignments are completed, the AYVP Secretariat will follow up with communities and local partners to gauge the impact of the assignments and measure longer- term results of the volunteers’ work. Conducting proper follow up will be the responsibility of everyone involved in AYVP implementation, from AYVP staff, to the ASEAN Secretariat down to local implementing partners.
Responsibilities of the volunteer alumni The responsibilities of the volunteer after their assignment are difficult to enforce but important. AYVP Alumni shall be encouraged to remain in contact with their clients (communities, individuals, businesses) after an assignment ends. In some cases, there may be opportunities for follow up volunteer assignments and a volunteer who has completed a successful assignment in that community and is willing to return should be given priority. AYVP
23 | P a g e staff and/or the local partner (when possible) will make an effort to follow up with returned volunteers and find out what, if any, follow up has occurred.
Responsibilities of The AYVP Secretariat When funding allows, AYVP staff will conduct impact assessments, in coordination with host governments and local partners, to perform a more detailed study of volunteer results and compare progress of indicators with respect to their baseline. Research on impact assessments will measure progress against baseline indicators as well as trying to establish attribution to specific AYVP initiatives/volunteer work for any improvement in these indicators.
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING Reporting is a key component for all levels of AYVP activity. It is the mechanism by which AYVP management knows the status of the work and it is also the mechanism by which problems, or potential problems, can be communicated upwards and dealt with quickly and effectively. Regular reporting will flow upwards from the volunteer to the local implementing partners and then to the host governments, the AYVP Secretariat and the ASEAN Secretariat. Conversely, and just as importantly, reporting will also flow downwards from the AYVP Secretariat to the various projects and local partners in terms of dissemination of success stories, best practices and general progress reports on AYVP’s volunteer activities. Formal reporting between offices will follow a regular schedule—monthly reporting from the in-country projects to the AYVP Secretariat and annual reporting from the AYVP Secretariat for distribution to SOMY Focal points and to the ASEAN Secretariat and its Deputy Secretary Generals and Secretary General. In terms of regular reporting responsibilities, the following guidelines in the table below will ensure regular, consistent, and useful reporting between all levels of the AYVP: Reporting Requirement Responsible for: Volunteers will submit their Completing upon arrival, mid-term and final progress evaluations that outputs to local implementing detail progress with pictures, problems encountered and general partners. perceptions of the assignment and the conditions that persist at their worksite. Journal of their experience. Record and upload (if local internet allows) a 10-minute or less YouTube video on their experience as an AYVP Volunteer that should include interviews with the community and other volunteers. If earning college credit, they will most likely be requested to submit a final in-depth report. Local in-country partners will Compiling and summarizing volunteer inputs into a usable format for submit regular monthly reports to the AYVP Secretariat and the ASEAN Secretariat the AYVP Secretariat for distribution to SOMY and Reporting on the following indicators: relevant sectoral bodies. . How many volunteers mobilized? . How many communities/individuals assisted? . Project specific indicators relevant to the type of work being done (livelihoods, education, environment, etc.)
24 | P a g e . Financial reporting—spending rates, budget status, etc. The AYVP Secretariat will Compiling and summarizing in-country partner inputs into a usable provide quarterly and annual format for the ASEAN Secretariat reports to the ASEAN Secretariat Aggregated financial reporting—spending rates, budget status, etc. for the in-country projects and the AYVP Secretariat Aggregated M&E data from each in-country project
25 | P a g e Evaluation Questionnaire for Volunteer Of the ASEAN Youth Volunteers Programme
Your answers to this questionnaire will help us to improve our volunteer programs. Thank you for taking the time to fill it out.
Personal data Years of work experience standards Highest level of education degree: Country of Representation Male/Female
Presentations On a scale of 1 to 6, please rate your level of agreement with the below questions. A rating of 6 indicates that you agree strongly; a rating of 1 indicates that you do not agree.
Strongly Strongly Disagree Agree 1 2 3 4 5 6 A. EXPERIENCE OF VOLUNTEER Connected with other organizations within the community
Interacted with a broad array of individuals within the community (e.g. split by gender, age, wage, and focal area) Volunteer is an honorary member of the community Work under your assignment helped the community
Volunteer experienced “culture shock”
Volunteer adapted to the local culture
26 | P a g e B. KNOWLEDGE, COMPETENCIES & VALUES
Volunteer understands the needs of the community
Community members trust the volunteers
Volunteer has an increased knowledge of the community’s culture
Volunteer has learned how to adapt to the lifestyle of the community
Volunteer has developed new skills
C. PARTNERSHIPS
Volunteer had experts and leaders to help with the assignment
Volunteer interacted with decision-makers / leaders of the community
Assignment was done in partnership with the community
D. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
The community is on schedule for the in-country project
Volunteer has made a difference in the community
Volunteer would like to keep in touch with members of the community
27 | P a g e The in-country project will lead to long-term benefits
E. ASEAN IDENTITY
Volunteer understands and values the goals and visions of the ASEAN community
Volunteer formed friendships with other volunteers
Volunteer formed friendships with community members
Volunteer considers himself/herself an ASEAN citizen
Volunteer would like to pursue a career supporting the objectives of ASEAN in the future
F. AYVP IMPROVEMENT QUESTIONS Would you like to see more, the same, or less time devoted to the following parts of the volunteer assignment:
Topic More Same Less Orientation in Kuala Lumpur
Onsite Training,
Onsite assignment,
Free time
Debriefing
Anything else? ______
28 | P a g e G. General
1. What part of this assignment did you like the most?
2. What part of this assignment did you like the least?
3. How could the assignment be improved?
4. What was your experience like with the community and the other volunteers?
5. Did you develop or improve any skills on this assignment? If so, which ones?
6. How will this experience help you with your future?
7. Would you like to be an AYVP Youth Leader? Or Volunteer again?
8. What sorts of follow-up activities for this assignment would you find useful?
Thank you for filling out this questionnaire. Additional comments on your experience are welcome.
29 | P a g e