5.3.4 Ensuring program quality

Ensuring that partners meet standards to which CARE is committed to is a tough task. Many have limited knowledge or capacity to implement best practices for activities like distribution, and a weak grasp of issues like Sphere standards, accountability mechanisms and gender sensitive programming. Suggestions to strengthen partner capacities and ensuring program quality include:

Checklist

• Foster common understanding on a programme by holding an inception meeting for CARE and partner staff to discuss standards, the objectives, activities, obstacles, programme management, etc.
• Run training sessions for partner staff at the earliest possible time. Ensure that they are relevant, concise and well targeted, and try to conduct them in the field.
• Provide tools and materials to support training. Preparing translated manuals prior to an emergency is a good practice.
• Follow up on training with field visits, meetings, or refresher courses. This will be much more effective than just one-off events.
• Consider seconding CARE staff to partners to mentor them for a defined period, or arrange for partner staff to learn by shadowing CARE operations.
• Ensure that programme monitoring covers quality and standards issues.
• Budget for partner capacity building interventions in project proposals.
• Give partners access to tools and materials such as the CET