In picture: Group photo of ACT Alliance Indonesia Forum members and YAKKUM units during the learning workshop on CHS Self-Assessment on 26 September 2023.

 

The learning journey of pilot self-assessment against Core Humanitarian Standards, supported by Kerk in Actie (KiA) and ACT Alliance.

 

BACKGROUND

The motivation towards Quality and Accountability has been cultivated since 2009, when YEU became a member of Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) with the aim of learning firsthand the accountability benchmarks and how to integrate those into our organizational instrument and in the operational works. Then in 2015, YEU became a full member of the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) Alliance. However, we had not yet carried out the verification process, until 2022 when we applied for Expression of Interest (EoI) for the CHS Self-Assessment Pilot supported by ACT Alliance and Kirk in Actie (KiA).

In November 2022, YEU was granted funds from Kerk in Actie (KiA) and ACT Alliance to do a pilot project on CHS self-assessment, after previously having applied for the expression of interest to conduct the self-assessment. The project began formally in March 2023 when YEU started to establish the core team for the process, and it ended in November 2023.

There were at least four areas (or advantages) around the self-assessment process which we explored throughout the different stages in our pilot project.

First, self-assessment allows us to develop our own accountability framework to Quality and Accountability, which provides constant guidance principles in YEU’s humanitarian work, in all stages of the program cycle.

Second, the self-assessment process helps us to identify the strengths and weaknesses of our performance in conducting humanitarian roles. By the end of the self-assessment, we can formulate an improvement plan which is key in improving the organizational and operational capabilities.

Third, self-assessment enables us to reflect how far we address the cross-cutting issues around PSEAH, gender, inclusion and localization in our programming.

And lastly, the self-assessment process requires participation at all levels. And bringing the majority of staff into the process is also seen as a way to increase their awareness on Quality and Accountability. 

This process is a significant achievement for YEU, as we are the first national organization from Indonesia to carry out a self-assessment against CHS. We’d like to take this opportunity as the benchmark for our organization, as well as a learning process that we can share with other organizations who want to carry out a similar process.

 

GETTING READY

Before getting ready with the self-assessment process, YEU had a series of internal discussions between the management personnel and the self-assessment team which consisted of 6 persons from different departments in the organization, like HR, finance, program, and comms.

The discussion was around identifying the timeline (where we aim for a 6-8 months journey), and the resources being mobilized to conduct the overall stages in the self-assessment. Of course, we were talking about:

• The control mechanism, how to jointly monitor the process with both ACT Alliance and CHS Alliance
• Assigning focal points, the team and enumerators to conduct the interviews to the community members
• Gathering necessary documents for the partnership survey, such as partnerships agreements
• and preparing the budget.

Once we identify those resources, we then further discuss the stages of the self-assessment.

YEU thinks that before any preparation, it is important to set the changes and impacts that we want to see once we complete the process. It was formulated into short-term change, which is the completion of the pilot CHS self-assessment process.

And the long-term change, which is the delivery of the accountability framework which will be in line with the delivery of YEU/YAKKUM strategic plan for 2021-2026.

Then, we prepare the formal launch of the self-assessment. We determine the scope and the methodology for carrying out the surveys to staff, partners, and community members. In doing so, we need to formally announce it to staff and partners. We did it in April 2023.

Data collection and analysis takes the most time in the overall timeline. It takes around 5 months to complete the data collection and analysis. Activities being carried out are:

• assigning the field team and enumerators to collect the data through online surveys and interviews,
• induction sessions to the field team and enumerators, in order for them to understand the survey questionnaires,
• and agree on the schedule.

 

Finally, it is on reporting to CHS and ACT Alliance, as well as formulating the agreed improvement plan.

 

RESULTS FROM THE SURVEYS

YEU conducted the overall surveys in approx. 5 months. The surveys target:

1. YEU staff in three offices (in the headquarter in Yogyakarta, and in field offices in West Java and in Central Sulawesi)
2. Local partners whom we still have active partnership agreements
3. And selected community members in the three provinces

Our achievements that have been recorded and reported in the new CHS online platform are as follows:

72 staff participated in the surveys based on the 95% of total staff at that time. Online sessions to guide the staff on how to fill in the online survey, in which the link has been provided by CHS. It particularly asks the 36 key actions set out in the CHS.

6 partners have been contacted to complete the survey link independently. Basically, the survey is on how YEU is implementing the partnership principles.

20 community members have been interviewed by the independent enumerators. The enumerators are volunteers who have been informed on the survey process and fill in the online survey link, as most community members are not adept in using the link by themselves.

 

WAY FORWARD

The key takeaways from the Self-Assessment will also guide us when we do a similar journey again in the future. It explores areas that we have been successful in doing, and things for opportunities and improvements in the process.

Regarding the relationship amongst YEU, ACT Alliance and CHS Alliance we found that the inception meetings and technical assistance are key, especially when this is the first time, we are using the new CHS online platform.

We’re glad that we’ll finally complete our journey. Most importantly, we have laid a foundation for the next generation in our organization to embark on the same journey in the future, to ensure quality and accountability in our humanitarian interventions.