MATRA PROJECT Community Organization in Poland
Detailed plan, approved by the Dutch
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Latest, short Internet version -
Introduction
This
document contains a project proposal for the MATRA Found of the Dutch Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. The "Standard project structure" of the Ministry was
the basic guideline for the way it is written. The proposal is developed in
mutual cooperation between the Dutch and Polish participants. It took some time
to formulate the technical and personnel aspects of the project, due to
academic holidays, the number of persons involved and differences between the
Polish and the Dutch system. It resulted, however, in a clear outline and
concrete agreements about details.
This
project proposal is written by the initiator and desired manager of the
project,
drs.
W.M.J. Blok,
lecturer of the NHL. He
was supported by financial assistant L.F. Rynja.
At Polish
side, a lot of preparation work was done by the desired local co-ordinator mgr.
P. Oniszczuk, teacher of SPPSS Gdansk and the desired researcher &
developper dr. P.A.Czekanowski, teacher of SPPSS and lecturer at the Gdansk
University.
All persons
and institutions involved, consider the project as a challenging framework for
continuation and extension of the since 1994 existing cooperation between SPPSS
Gdansk and NHL. They hope for and trust on governmental support for this
project. They are convinced that this kind of cooperation at workers level is
necessary and effective for the realisation of a democratic, united Europe with
an appropriate living standard for all citizens.
Leeuwarden and Gdansk,
11 November 1997
This publication
date is meaningful for three reasons:
- It's Saint
Martin's Day (Martinmas), the man who gave the poor a fair share of his wealth
- It's independence
day in Poland
- It's the birthday of the initiator of the project
Contents
Introduction
1. Core information
2. Framework
2.1. Region
2.2. Problems
2.3. Policy
2.4. Relevance of Social Work
2.5. Implementing
organizations
3. Objectives
3.1. Long and short term objectives
3.2. Products and dissemination
4. Approach
4.1. Tasks and activities
4.2. Phases/time schedule
5. Resources
5.1. Human resources
5.2. Contribution of the recipient region
6. Relevance
6.1. Relation of the project with MATRA
objectives
6.2. Importance and desirability of Dutch
involvement
6.3. Expected positive results and effects
7. Conditions and effectiveness
7.1. Personnel
7.2. Effectiveness and costs/benefits
8. Organization, management and control
8.1. Projectorganization
8.2. Responsibilities
Literature
This short version of the projectplan, differs from the original as
follows: paragraphs 4.2 and 7.1 are shortened.Paragraph 8.3, chapter 9 (with
financial overview) and the supplements are not included.
1. CORE INFORMATION
Project
name: Community Organization in
Poland
Location: Poland / Gdansk region
Sector: education / social work /
citizen organization and participation
Target
group: Polish Social Work students,
teachers and Social Workers
Submitted by: Noordelijke Hogeschool Leeuwarden,
Institute of Care and Welfare, Social Work Department (NHL).
To be
implemented by: X Szkola Policealna Pracowników Sluzb Spolecznych = Gdansk School of
Social Work (SPPSS)
X
Miejski Osrodek Pomocy Spolecznej = Gdansk Municipal Social Welfare
Centre (MOPS)
X
Wojewódzki Zespól Pomocy Spolecznej = Gdansk Regional Social
Welfare Office (WZPS)
X
Stowarzyszenie na Rzecz Rozwoju Edukacji Socjalnej (Association for the
Development of Social Education)
X Noordelijke Hogeschool Leeuwarden (NHL) = Northern University for
professional education Leeuwarden,
Institute of Care and Welfare, Social
Work Department
Project
number: PL/96/11
Duration: 2,5 years (October 1998 - April
2001)
Commited
amounts: NLG 829.916 (approx. PZL
1.500.000). Average costs per annum: NLG
331.966 (approx. PZL 600.000)
2. FRAMEWORK
2.1. Region
Gdansk is
situated at the Northern Coast of Poland. It's the main town of an urban area
with a million inhabitants. It is very much a working class area, with a
relatively small, but growing presence of middle and higher classes. Gdansk
people had an initating and important role in the recent transformation of
Poland into a democratic society with a free market. It was and is the home
base of Solidarnosc and other democratic forces. Well known urban problems as
housing, crime, unemployment, congestion and addiction are fully there. The
area has its neighbourhoods in decline and there is a lack of facilities and
provinces for vulnerable social groups as children, elderly and disabled
people. Local and regional policy to tackle these problems is in a developping
stage, hampered by modest means and depending on the decentralisation policy of
the National government.
2.2. Problems
The Polish
sociologist Lena Kolarska-Bobinska describes in her article "Civil
Society and Social Anomy in Poland" (Acta Sociologica 1990 (33), 4,
p.277-288) the transition of the social system in her country. The
state is withdrawing and a new social space is created; a space that has to be
filled up by the citizens themselves. That new space, or freedom, is confusing
and challenging at the same time. The Polish sociologist describes the
problems. In public life people show patterns of learned helplessness and
dependency. In their private atmosphere they act with self-reliance and
entrepreneurship. She arguments the need to do something about it by creating
new structures and practices, and by developing new ideas and behaviour
patterns. She points out that (in Poland) "the advocates of change"
more frequently grouping themselves around common values, instead of (the more
integrating) common interests of social groups. She ends her article with the
hypothesis "that in the future the crystallization and representation of
group interests will play a more essential role in the self-organization of
society."
In Poland
one can see that the new developping social classes of "businessmen"
and other "nouveau riches" are able to cope with their situation and
to serve their own interests.The majority of the population however lives in a
quite different situation. It is a well known fact that elderly, disabled and
unemployed in Polish society are living in relatively poor circumstances and
that lower classes in society are in a vulnerable position too. It's for their
own sake, but also in the interest of democracy, that those social groups
articulate their needs and interests and that they translate those needs and
interests into self initiaves and into demands towards society. In this way
they can take part of society and support democracy.
2.3. Policy
Poland's
economy is doing quite well from the Western point of view (European Bank
for Reconstruction and Development EBRD: "Transition Report
1997", London 1997). Poland's social policy is changing (social security,
decentralisation) but is still far beneath the standards of the countries of
the European Union. Money, initiatives and participation are the keywords to
enhance the social system. Amongst Polish authorities is a growing
consciousness that Social Work is not only needed for helping individuals and
families but is also necessary and usefull to deal with social problems and to
stimulate innovation and enhancement of social structures and institutions.
This background explains the growing interest in and support for the Schools of
Social Work and for Social Work education at universities. In their efforts to
deal with these new demands and circumstances, Polish Social Workers and Social
Work teachers and lecturers are in need for the more developed expertise in the
European Union and the USA.
2.4. Relevance of Social Work
Self
organization and participation of (vulnerable) social groups in society is
supported by Social Work, especially by - what in the
American literature is called- the "third major method" of Community
Organization. "Community Organization practice includes planning and
coordination of social welfare services, citizen organizing and action, and
community development. The (..) emphasis in practice is directed to
problem-solving methods and strategies. The practice of community organization
in social work builds upon specialized knowledge and particular skills in
organizing and planning. A community organization social worker not uncommonly
finds that he works with individuals and groups as well as with community
agencies, institutional structures, and government agencies." (Morris
Cohen: "Community organization and illustration of practice", in Arthur
Fink: "The field of social work", Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New
York etc. 1978).
According
to Fred Milson ("An introduction to Community Work", Routkedge
& Kegan Paul, London and Boston 1974), the work of a community worker
includes: a. helping local people to decide, plan and take action to meet their
own needs with the help of available outside resources; b. helping local
services to become more effective, usable and accessible to those whose needs
they are trying to meet; c. taking account of the interrelation between
different services in planning for people; d. forecasting necessary adaptations
to meet new social needs in constantly changing circumstances." Milson
is of opinion that "(..) the essential purpose of all community work is to
enable people to play a more effective part in social affairs".
Community
workers in the Western world proved to be capable to enable, stimulate and
support forms of self help, self organization, interest groups and citizen
activities. They played an important role in the construction of the Welfare
State In the United Kingdom, Community Organization is widely approached (it
involves also the second major method of "Social Groupwork" and adult
education) and is officially recognised as "Community Education", as
well in the field of University education as in that of local policy. British
"Community Education" includes neighbourhoodwork, categorical
community work, adult education and cultural and recreational work. The
situation in The Netherlands is more or less comparable. In Dutch one
talks about "Cultureel Maatschappelijke Vorming". The Netherlands are well known for the
expertise and experience in the (more specific field of) Community
Organization, concerning theory, methods, didactics and practice. (See
for an overview: H. Broekman: "Opbouwwerk, Methoden, technieken en
terreinen", Dr. Gradus Hendriks-stichting, Den Haag 1991, ISBN
9072846044). For that reason,
Polish institutions and workers are very interested in cooperation with the
Dutch.
2.5. Implementing organizations
The SPPSS
Gdansk is the first post 1989 new style School of Social Work in Poland. The
SPPSS Gdansk is established in 1991 and still functions as an example for the
twelve other Schools of Social Work in the country. SPPSS Gdansk has a number
of 181 fulltime day students and 176 parttime ("extra mural")
students. The school also takes care for the extra training and continuing
education of the Social Workers in Gdansk region with its own, integrated
Regional Center for Social Welfare Training. In 1996 a number of 800 Social
Workers participated in the courses. SPPSS Gdansk has a staff of 28 fulltimers
and 12 parttimers.
All Schools
of Social Work are financed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in
Warzawa. The Schools have a 2,5 years curriculum (5 semesters) and offer at the
end an official recognised diploma. They also take care for the further
training of Social Workers. On national level the Schools of Social Work are
united in the Association for the Development of Social Education (Slowarzyszenie
na Rzecz Edukacji Socialncj) The director of SPPSS Gdansk is chairman of
that association. SPPSS Gdansk is very well embedded in the regional welfare
structure, in which the other two implementing organizations - MOPS and WZPS -
are the main actors. All managers of SPPSS, MOPS and WZPS have important
functions and contacts on the national level, which can be very helpfull for
dissemination of material and results of the MATRA Community Organization
project.
The NHL
department of Social Work is actively involved in Poland since 1991. The NHL
was the leading partner in a succesfull TEMPUS-project with the UAM University
and the Social Service in Poznan (1992-1995). During and after that period the
NHL initiated a number of activities (teaching, a "Dutch Week" in
Gdansk, students-exchange) and maintains relations with the Universities and
Schools of Social Work in Gdansk, Poznan and the Baltic Social College in
Koszalin. This Polish network of NHL can also be very helpfull for the
dissemination of MATRA results. The NHL Department of Social Work offers
education that is rated as one of the best in the country by the official
external visitation committee. The department offers a range of
specialisations, including a long existing specialisation Community
Organization. Two of the lecturers have full expertise in this field, and at
least three lecturers can offer supporting know how. The formal head of the
department ( de Wit) is willing to offer educational consultation for the Polish
colleagues and a qualified community worker, director of a local institution
for Social Work (P. van Zwol), is willing to participate in the project too.
The desired projectmanager (drs. Blok) is qualified and experienced in
teaching, in Social Work theory and Community Organization, in
projectdevelopment and in management. He teaches three to four times a year in
Poland since 1992 and initiates and coordinates the department's activities in
this country.
3. OBJECTIVES
3.1. Long and short term objectives
The MATRA
Project Community Organization (CO Project) is aimed to contribute to the
transformation process in Poland into the direction of democratisation and
participation, by initiating, developing and implementing (education for)
professional support of vulnerable groups in Polish society to improve their
life circumstances and social position. To realise this, the CO Project
generates a wide range of (related) activities and products in Gda˝sk region with a pilot function for
Poland, illustrating the potention, possibilities and effects of community
organization, from within the existing Polish educational and institutional
infrastructure and implemented by local workers. The positioning within
existing frameworks is done on purpose, because it is essential for
continuation and dissemination of efforts and results of the CO Project.
The
concrete products are listed and described in par. 3.2.
The CO
Project's objectives are directly related to the aims of the MATRA Programme,
because they generate structures, forms, knowledge and methods for public
involvement in the process of social transformation. See for further
explanation paragraph 6.1
3.2. Products and dissemination
The CO
Project generates a wide range of activities and results. The project can be
characterised as a concentrated effort to generate multiple effects on Polish
Social Work education and practice concerning the introduction and
implementation of theory, methods and practice of Community Organization.This
approach is necessary for two reasons: the pilot character of the project for
Poland and the long term consolidation and continuity of the activities in
Gdansk region.
The CO
Project will realise:
a. An one year specialisation
Community Organization at SPPSS Gdansk - At least 15 of the 60 second year
fulltime students and a later to be determened number of parttime students will
do this specialisation during the 4th and 5th semester. This specialisation
takes up to 50-60% of the total available teaching hours of the official curriculum,
includes a practical placements and results in an official registration on the
diploma (see supplement 1 with an overview of the official curriculum).
The Polish Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (financer of SPPSS Gdansk) is
informed about the CO Project, has a positive opinion about is and agrees with
incorporation of the CO specialisation into the curriculum.
b. Three small practical Community
Organization Projects in Gdansk region - MOPS will initate and support three
small CO Projects in Gdansk: one categorial project with and for elderly and
two neighbourhoodprojects. These projects have a pilot and training function:
they show how community organization is done and offer the opportunity to
gather experience.
c.
Practical places and coaching for CO students in the practical CO-projects -
The CO students of SPPSS Gdansk will gather practical experience in the
projects mentioned above
d. A reader Community Organization for
students - Relevant books, articles, descriptions and examples concerning
theory, methods, practice and didactical approach of Community Organization
will be gathered, edited and translated before the CO Specialisation starts.
Lectures and trainings are (from a development point of view) considered as
"try outs". Critical reflection and evaluation will result in a
definitive reader that can be used in following years and elsewhere.
e. Manual and description of a Polish
curriculum Community Organization - The CO specialisation, as to be developed
at SPPSS Gda˝sk, will be described afterwards and includes a manual for
teachers/lecturers of Polish Schools and Colleges of Social Work
f. Two courses Community Organization
for Social Workers - Within the existing infrastructure of the Regional Centre
for Social Welfare Training, two CO courses: a basic course and a follow up
one, will be prepared, implemented and evaluated
g. A course package Community
Organization for Social Workers - The courses mentioned under f. will be used
as try outs for relevant theoretical, methodical, practical and didactical
material about CO for Social Workers. Together with a programme description,
didactical advice and CO examples, it will result in a course package, meant
for trainers elsewhere in Poland.
h. Teachers training Community
Organization - In the framework of the Association for the Development of
Social Education, there will be organised two intensive CO courses for Social
Work teachers: one in Gda˝sk region and one for teachers of all Polish
Schools of Social Work. These courses include an introduction to theory,
methods and practice of CO, demonstrations of effective didactical materials,
approaches and exercises.
i. A regional and national conference
Community Organization - The introduction and promotion of Community
Organization in Poland will be supported in a direct and explicit way by
conferences. The regional conference and the national conference have three
functions: (1) platform for presentation of practice and experiences in Gdansk,
(2) transfer and exchange of CO information and (3) platform for debate about
necessity and possibilities for Community Organization in Poland.
j. A videofilm and/or photoreport about
the project activities and results - These media are very usefull for CO
promotion (showing why, what and how) and are part of the report of MATRA
results. The NHL has professional personnel to do it effectively and
efficiently.
k. A final MATRA Project Report - This
report gives an overview and evaluation of the proces and the results. It will
be produced at the end of the CO project. Every MATRA worker will contribute to
this report.
As stated
before, all products of the CO Project are directly or indirectly aimed to
dissemination of the activities and results.
4. APPROACH
4.1. Tasks and activities
To realise
the project, there will be a coordinated division of tasks. The projectpartners
agreed to the following:
SPPSS:
a. Local
coordination of the CO Project
b.
Initiation, development, preparation and realisation of products a, d, e, f, g,
h and i (see
3.2c);
c.
Contribution to the final MATRA Project Report
MOPS:
a.
Initiation, development, preparation and realisation of the products b and c
(see 3.2.);
b.
Assisting SPPSS with the realisation of products a, f, g and i (see 3.2);
c.
Contribution to the final MATRA Project Report, containing a description of the
work, the problems, the results and the possibilities for continuation.
WZPS:
a.
Assistance of MOPS;
b.
Assistance of SPPSS with the realisation of products f, g and i (see 3.2.);
c.
Contribution to the final MATRA Project Report
NHL:
a.
Management and financial control of the project;
b.
Providing SPPSS and MOPS with necessary CO materials, didactics and know how;
c.
Consultation and support of Polish MATRA personnel (all products mentioned in
3.2);
d. Training
of Teachers and Social Workers (products f and h);
e. Active
participation in the regional and national CO Conferences (products i);
f.
Videofilm and photo-report (product j);
g. Edition
and production of the final MATRA report (product k)
The
consultation for and support of Polish MATRA workers by the NHL is an on going
activity throughout the whole period of 2,5 years. The use of fast, reliable
communication by email between the core workers (see chapter 5) is essential.
So is the availability of a sufficient budget for travelling.
4.2. Phases/time schedule
The
activities to realise the goal of the project, will be structured along the
lines of the following phases:
|
Revised
time table MATRA COP Project - starting 1 October 1998 |
||
|
Phase |
Activities |
Results |
|
Initiation (2 months) 98.10-11 |
Orientation, study, translation of basic texts production of an English-Polish
website, consultations, contacts, work planning |
Introduction, project team, workplanning, basic Polish texts, MATRA
COP website |
|
Preparation (4 months) 98.12- 99.03 |
98.12-99.03: research, data collection, editing work, translations, contacts.
99.01: start preparation and development of 3 practical COP Projects in
Gdańsk region. 99.02 (7-13): working visit to NL. 99.03: Dutch
consultants in Poland and start development of COP curriculum |
98.12-99.03: Polish texts. 99.01-99.03: overviews and reports of literature, didactic materials
and relevant practices |
|
Development (4 months) 99.04-07 |
(continuing preparation and development) 99.04: start of the first COP
project. 99.04-07: development of COP curriculum. 99.04/05: try-out lessons I.
99.05: basic COP course for social workers. 99.05/06: Dutch consultants in
Poland. 99.04-06: students exchange (1-2 weeks). |
99.04: one final and two draft COP project plans. 99.07: COP curriculum plan. 99.07: brochure about COP for students,
teachers and social workers. |
|
Development & realisation (15 months) 99.08 - 2000.10 |
99.09/10: informing and recruiting students, working visit to NL.
99.09-11: start of the 2nd and 3rd COP projects, try out lessons II.
99.10-12: regional COP conference. 2000.02-01.02: implementation of COP
curriculum at SPPSS Gdańsk (including practical placements for
students). 2000.03-04: first regional or national COP teachers training.
2000.03-10: working visit to NL. 2000.05: follow up COP course for social
workers. 2000.09-11: video film and photo report. 2000.09-12: national COP
teachers training, Dutch consultants in PL and students exchange. |
99.09: two final COP project plans. 99.12: report of Regional COP Conference. 2000.02: COP Reader. |
|
Realisation, publications & evaluation (5 months) 2000.11-2001.03 |
2000.11-01.03: reporting, editing, translation / working visit to NL /
Dutch consultants in PL / students exchange / presentation and distribution
of the MATRA COP products. 2001.02: national COP conference. 2001.02: first
Polish students with COP on their diploma. 2001.03: final evaluation |
2001.01: COP Course Package. 2001.02: Report of the COP projects and
video film and photo report. 2001.03: Report of the national COP conference. 2001.03: COP curriculum publication and final COP project report |
5. RESOURCES
The total
costs of the CO Project to be met by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign
Affairs are mentioned in chapter 1 and described in the budget overview
5.1. Human resources
The main
resources to implement the CO project and to realise the objectives, are (as
always in the social field) human resources.
At Polish
side, the project will be implemented by the following team:
Core personnel:
- One
educational developer/local co-ordinator for 24 hours a week
- One
educational researcher & developer for 20 hours a week
- One
projectdeveloper/social worker for 20 hours a week.
Supporting personnel:
- One
social work teacher for 10 hours a week
- One
consultant / organiser (WZPS) for 8 hours a week
- One
management assistant/secretary for 12 hours a week
- One
financial assistant for 8 hours a week
- Pool of
translators/interpreters for a total of 12 hours a week
At Dutch
side the team consists out of:
Core personnel:
- One
projectmanager/developer for 14 hours a week.
Supporting personnel:
- Pool of 8
persons for 6 hours a week, to be hired on incidental, temporary base, existing
out
of four lecturers from different disciplines,
one educational manager and two community workers
- One
management assistant/secretary for 6 hours a week
- One
financial assistant for 8 hours a week
- One
filmer and photografer from NHL's Audio Visual Centre for 2 hours a week, to be
spend
in 1999 and 2000 (see 4.2.)
The
bilateral character of the cooperation involves frequent and intensive
communication, consultation and support and will be underlined by students
exchange. This results in an appropriate budget for travelling expenses,
communication costs, costs of monitoring and costst of
translation/interpreting. The use of fast, reliable communication by email
between the core workers is essential. So is the availability of a sufficient
budget for travelling, especially for the projectmanager and local co-ordinator
(travelling by plane gives them the opportunity to realise short stays). The
need for literature and materials, the wide range of products and the necessity
of dissemination (see 3.2) have also their financial impact. All these costs
are extra costs which can not be covered by the regular budget of the participating
Dutch and Polish institutions. They are non profit institutions, financially
tied to governmental budgets and regulations.
5.2. Contribution of the recipient region
The three
Polish partners offer a variety of necessary facilities (accommodation, equipment)
and services (support, contacts) for free. Based on Dutch experiences one can
say that they do this generously.This essential contribution makes it possible
to implement the activities of the CO Project from within the existing
infrastructure and frameworks.
The CO
courses for Social Workers and the teachers trainings will be embedded in
existing regular financing. Only teaching hours and travel expenses of the
involved MATRA workers have to be financed by MATRA.
The Polish
schools and Social Work institutions are operating with modest means, so they
have no other possibilities than mentioned for direct financial contribution.
6. RELEVANCE
6.1. Relation of the project with MATRA objectives
MATRA is a
programme of support for the process of social transformation in Central and
Eastern Europe. With social transformation is meant: "(..) the process of
change affecting the state, its instititutions and civic organizations (and
their interrelationship) towards a situation in which individuals are able to
assume primary responsibility for the shape of their society." (The MATRA
programme, p.1).
Community
Organization is and has always been meant to stimulate this kind of change
processes. In the words of Milton (see chapter 2.4.) "(..) the essential
purpose of all community work is to enable people to play a more effective part
in social affairs." In the MATRA programme social transformation is
approached from two angles: a public and a governmental one. The public angle
(quote) "(..) might take the form of promoting legal certainty and legal
protection, furthering active use of judicial processes, increasing public
involvement in decision-making and encouraging individuals to organise (sic!);
it also includes promoting awareness, pluralism and initiatives (sic!)."
(The MATRA programme, p.2). These last sentences can be considered as the hard
core of community organization, because "(..) Community Organization
practice includes planning and coordination of social welfare services, citizen
organizing and action, and community development." (Morris Cohen, quoted
in chapter 2.4.) Poland needs Community Organization in its process of societal
development. This is also emphasized by the three Polish participants in their
Letters of intend.
6.2. Importance and desirability of Dutch involvement
The
importance and desirability of Dutch involvement in this project is already
described in chapter 2.4. The Noordelijke Hogeschool Leeuwarden is able to
provide all necessary know how and assistance.
6.3. Expected positive results and effects
The purpose
of the CO Project is to create educational, organizational, ideological and
practical conditions for peoples organization and participation in Poland. The
CO Project implantates western materials, expertise, know how and experiences
in the existing Polish infrastructure. The implantation will be done in a
Polish way, because it is carried out by qualified Polish workers with local
knowledge, from within Polish institutions. The Dutch CO Project workers operate
as providers and supporters of their Polish colleagues.The CO Project can
fullfill the growing need for these kind of "modern" methods and
approaches in the social field. A growing need, also because of the coming
Polish membership of the European Union.
The Polish
implantation of Western Community Organization in Poland in a Polish way, is
the leading principle of the CO Project. Together with the basic approach of
the CO Project - a concentrated effort to generate a wide range of related
activities and products - it guarantees effective implementation and usefull
results. The pilot character and practical products of the CO Project and the
mobilisation of the existing national networks of the four participating
institutions (including the NHL with its Polish network) guarantee the
dissemination. From this point of view, the CO Project can have a big impact on
Polish Social Work and Social Work education. The CO project can become the
start of a professional and institutional infrastructure for the support of
social development and democratisation of the Polish society.
7. CONDITIONS AND EFFECTIVENESS
The
feasibility and sustainability of the CO Project depends on the availability of
sufficient means and the creation of optimal conditions in which they can be
used in an effective and efficient way.
7.1. Personnel
Human
resources are the decissive factor for successful implementation of the
project. The objectives, leading principle and basic approach of the CO Project
(see 3.1 and 6.3.) require a local projectteam of workers from inside
the participating institutions, not from outside. This causes three problems to
be met:
a. Qualifications for research &
development
(r&d). The three core workers need to have
qualities to operate as research
& development staff. Because r & d is not a common
task, this limits the selection.
Fortunate, in Gdansk we could find three qualified people
(see supplement 3).
b.
English language. The English (or German) language is no common skill of experienced
Polish higher educated people,
because they learned Russian as second language.
Fortunate, two of the three local
core workers (the desired educational developper/local
co-ordinator and the educational
researcher & developper) have English as their second
language. For all other members of
the local projectteam, the availability of translation
and interpreting is essential. This
problem is met with a flexible and sufficient budget for
translaters/interpreters.
c. Availability and salary. As a relic from the communistic period,
the salaries in the field of
education and Social Work are the
lowest in Poland. The majority of Polish workers in
this field are therefore forced to
have additional jobs. This creates an availability
problem.
It may be
clear, that the real availability of qualified Polish inside personnel, is a
conditio sine qua non for implementation of the CO project. There are two
connected conditions to prevent the occurrence of this availability problem:
(1) a proper salary, related to the specific and innovative character of the
job, following Polish inflation rate and (2) strict agreements and control via
the employment contracts.
7.2. Effectiveness and costs/benefits
As already
pointed out in paragraphs 2.5 and 6.3, all conditions are there to start a
durable, professional and institutional infrastructure for the support of
social development and democratisation of the Polish society. The need for
further social development and democratisation is described in chapter 2.
Objectives, approach, character and principles of the CO Project are presented
in chapters 3 and 4. One can argue that the directly MATRA related CO Project
(see paragraphs 3.1 and 6.1) intervenes on the right time, with appropriate
means, in the existing Polish infrastructure. The durablility of the CO Project
intervention is guaranteed by the growing need for the desired products and by
the Polish implementation from within the existing Polish infrastructure
(paragraph 6.3). In term of costs/benefits, everything is present and all is
done to generate optimal and maximal effects on the Polish situation.
8. ORGANIZATION, MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL
8.1. Projectorganization
The
organization of the CO Project is showed in the figure below. The upper level,
is the institutional level. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is customer
and financier. The NHL is contractor, together with SPPSS, MOPS and WZPS in
Gdansk.
8.2. Responsibilities
1. All Dutch MATRA personnel is
contracted by the NHL. The NHL will be their formal
employer. All Polish MATRA
personnel will have an employment contract with SPPSS
Gdansk. The SPPSS director
will be their formal employer.
2. The projectmanager and local
co-ordinator are responsible for the preparation,
implementation, reporting and
evaluation of the Project. The projectmanager is responsible
for the project as a whole and
for the Dutch part of it. The local co-ordinator is responsible
for the Polish part of it.
3. The NHL delegates all tasks,
means and responsibilties for the MATRA project as a whole
and for the Dutch part of it
to the projectmanager. The SPPSS director delegates all tasks,
means and responsibilities for
the Polish part of MATRA to the local co-ordinator.
4. The local co-ordinator is in
charge of all Polish MATRA personnel and Polish MATRA
spendings. He is assisted by
the local financial assistant and the local management
assistant/secretary. The local
co-ordinator reports regularly on a three weeks base and
further as often as necessary
to the projectmanager. Contents of these reports are:
continuity, results, problems,
solutions and proposals.
5. The local financial assistant
has a by the local co-ordinator delegated responsibility for the
spending, registration and
reporting of all local MATRA money. He/she reports on a regular
base to the NHL financial
assistant who has final, by the projectmanager delegated,
responsibility for the
financiel part of the project (see also 8.3.).
6. All Polish MATRA personnel
participate in the Projectteam, managed by the local
co-ordinator. The Projectteam
has regular meetings on a two or three weeks base.
7. In case of conflicts and
problems concerning personnel, the local co-ordinator reports to
the projectmanager and to the
SPPSS director. The SPPSS director takes necessary
decissions, based on the
advice of the project manager and local co-ordinator. If this does
not work, and the project as a
whole is on stake, the projectmanager reports to the NHL
director.
8. Before the start of the MATRA
Project, a cooperation agreement between the four involved
institutions will be made and
signed. The directors of the four cooperating institutions meet
twice in Poland during the
project, together with the projectmanager and the local
co-ordinator. They evaluate
the continuity of the project and advice the projectmanager
and local co-ordinator. If
necessary, they take decissions based on the advice of the
projectmanager.
Literature
- Broekman, Harry: "Opbouwwerk, Methoden, technieken en terreinen", Dr. Gradus Hendriks-
stichting, Den Haag 1991,ISBN 9072846044
- Cohen,
Morris:
"Community organization and illustration of practice", in Arthur
Fink: "The
field of social work", Holt,
Rinehart and Winston, New York etc. 1978
- European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development EBRD: "Transition
Report 1997",
London
1997
- Henderson, Paul and Thomas, David: "Skills in
neighbourhood work", George Allen &
Unwin, London 1980
- Kolarska-Bobinska,
Lena: "Civil
Society and Social Anomy in Poland" in Acta Sociologica
1990
(33), 4, p.277-288
- Milson, Fred: "An introduction to Community Work",
Routkedge & Kegan Paul, London and
Boston 1974
- Rees, Wim van: "A
survey of Contemporary Community Development in Europe", Gradus
Hendriks-stichting, Den Haag 1991, ISBN 90-72846-06-0
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