twinning against AIDS Final Report: The Proposal

Twinning partnerships are a mix of services, support and resources provided to or between organisations working on AIDS related issues. In relation to existing twinning programmes such as those supported by CIDA, twinning has been defined formally as:

A formal, substantive collaboration between two or more organisations where

"Formal" means that there is an agreement or contract, verbal or written.

"Substantive" means that the interaction is significant and that it lasts for a period of time (i.e., it is not just a one-time interaction, such as a telephone call asking for information). And

"Collaboration" means that the two organisations work together on a specific project or to exchange information or skills.

However, the sharing of information, skills and experience also happens in less formal ways. In fact, a number of survey respondents pointed out how formal twinning relationships can grow from very informal initial contacts and how formal relations can become less formal though still important over time. Formal, contracted twinning partnerships are supported through mechanisms such as those developed by CIDA and while the expansion of such mechanisms through initiatives like Connecting the Grassroots or the involvement of new actors or donors would be welcomed and beneficial, this proposal focuses specifically on the introduction of ICTs as a support to twinning partnerships formal or informal, north to south, south to north, or south to south.

The survey and discussions also identified key issues that twinning can address along with a wealth of resources available to share and an extensive list of the challenges against which these resources can be brought to bear. The process identified the tools that people involved closely in responding to HIV/AIDS think will be most useful as ICT based supports for twinning/partnerships. It was emphasised that a balance needs to be found between the use of ICTs and maintaining human contact as a central element of twinning. The balance suggested is one that tips towards human contact and treats ICTs as a supportive adjunct to such contact. While this may evolve over time and with increasing use of ICTs in the day to day practise of more organisations, it is important to begin the process of increasing and improving the use of ICTs in twinning partnerships by ensuring that face to face contact remains a key component even of a proposal designed to enhance and increase the use of ICTs. What follows is a suggested set of programme elements, some face to face, some using ICTs, but all supporting increased access to, and innovative use of, ICTs by organisations seeking to share information, skills and experience to improve the effectiveness of their response to the HIV/AIDS crisis.

4.1 Goal and Objectives

Goal: To improve the capacity of organisations to respond to the HIV/AIDS pandemic through twinning partnerships that use ICTs to effectively share information, skills and experience.

Objectives:

1. To increase the effectiveness of formal and informal twinning relationships around the world through the use of ICTs.

2. To ensure that twinning partnerships have access to appropriate and useful ICTs that enable effective and timely sharing of information, skills and experience.

The programme proposed seeks to accomplish this by creating mechanisms that support the following:

Diagram 1.

This diagram depicts the set of communication principles that underlie this programme approach. Creating spaces for real time information sharing in ways that encourage horizontal rather than hierarchical linkages, peer commentary and review, and strategic thinking, coupled with mechanisms for capacity building should lead to more effective responses to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

4.2 Activities

This will be accomplished through increased opportunity for learning and exchange supported by ICTs in the areas of:

1. Capacity Building

• Staff and volunteer exchange
• Training programmes and workshops

The actual capacity building needs identified through the research process are diverse and include such things as training in organisational development, assistance in new programme development, support to reach out to new communities and target groups, and staff skill development in specialised areas such as counselling. As suggested in the findings it is important to avoid trying to predetermine the actual areas of twinning support and to allow these to be defined by the needs of each twinning relationship. The focus, therefore, is placed on providing spaces where twinning relationships focused on using ICTs more effectively can be developed and defined through face to face exchanges and training.

Secondments and exchanges

For some types of organisational capacity building the ability to bring skilled staff into an organisation to provide support, training, or other assistance is essential. Exchanging staff or volunteers between organisations can be an important component of joint programme development, research or strengthening mutual understanding and commitment. While these approaches are limited by their cost in staff time, travel and logistical complexity, and prone to the long documented dangers of parachuting in technical experts, it is clear from the findings that they are considered essential to many twinning partnerships and, properly planned, can be a critical catalyst for cementing relations, breaking through communication barriers, scaling up successful initiatives, or enabling on-site support and training. Mechanisms like this can be used to provide skills exchange to regional networks which can then be passed on to other members of the network or used to enable that region to increase its use of, and access to ICTs. They can also be used to share successful ICT innovations.

Proposed Action:

By March 31 2006 there will have been at least 10 substantive exchanges or secondments with at least 6 used for regional capacity building and at least 4 for sharing ICT innovations.

Training programmes and workshops

There was general acceptance that formal training programmes with universities or through distance education were not important enough priorities to be considered in a twinning/ICT programme. However, short duration training courses and workshops were seen as important because they allow for staff training in ways that are intensive enough to provide real skill development while not so time consuming as to be a drain on the organisation. They also allow for the exchange of experiences, lessons, and peer review in a face-to-face context. They can be used to support organisations to send staff and volunteers to ICT related short courses and workshops and to provide forums for exchanging information, skills and experiences from successful ICT innovation and use.

Proposed Action:

By March 2006 there will have been 5 twinning/ICT training processes with 3 focused on regional or local capacity building.

2. Networking

• Support for local and regional networks
• Regional satellite meetings

Networking was a significant theme running through the survey and discussions. It is referred to in the context of improving information sharing at global, regional and local levels and also as a tool to enable more southern access to the information, skills and experiences circulating via global and regional processes. The programme elements mentioned below focus on face to face meeting and support for bringing together potential twinning partners. They provide opportunities for regional and local sharing and learning about the application of ICTs to twinning partnerships as well as support in identifying potential partners.

Support for local and regional networks

Many respondents understood local networking and sharing of information between themselves and other HIV/AIDS orientated organisations in their district or country to be a significant and very important part of how they exchanged experiences. While twinning has normally focussed on relations between two organisations in different countries, and often different continents, the findings point to how important it is to use ICTs in twinning partnerships between organisations within the same region or country. This can promote localised exchange and planning and help establish effective platforms for regional and national work whether advocacy with government or religious leaders or coordinating awareness and education campaigns. There is much room at this level to use ICTs to reach grassroots organisations and to ensure that mechanisms are supported that can distribute information sitting on the Internet through to grassroots organisations and to get information, skills and experience from the grassroots onto the Internet or other ICT platform. The focus here should be on working with existing networks and structures such as regional AIDS umbrella organisations (LACASO, APCASO etc), the '7 sisters' in Asia, or in collaboration with like minded processes such as Connecting the Grassroots.

Proposed Action:

By March 2006 6 regional networks will have been identified and supported to act as regional centres to share information between grassroots organisations and the ICT processes to which they may not have direct access and to share regional information, skills and experiences across regions and the globe.

Note: These regional entities remain to be identified but the following basic list is assumed – Asia, Latin America, Africa, West Africa (French Speaking), Middle East, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Regional satellite meetings

This was mentioned by several respondents and was also discussed briefly at the Barcelona meeting. Many relationships between organisations begin with chance meetings at events and the opportunity they provide for formal and informal exchange of information and ideas. Supporting satellite meetings at other events to focus on regional or local aspects of twinning by making provision for per diems, accommodation, meeting space etc while keeping costs low by piggy-backing on the other events would provide a cost effective means to increase face to face discussion, promote/explain twinning to others, and review specific issues or projects. These meetings could be mechanisms providing regional feedback into other processes such as discussions on the web site, evaluations, or review of specific initiatives. Importantly they would also function as informal spaces for a variety of organisations to share experiences, identify partners, discuss resources they have to share, or explain their organisational needs.

Proposed Action:

By March 2006 15 regional satellite meetings discussing and promoting twinning partnerships will have been held.

3. Access to Resources

• Computers and connectivity
• Exchange, reproduction and translation of materials

While access to ICTs was 30% or higher among survey respondents (see Chart 10) there was a general consensus that for many in the south issues surrounding the costs of connectivity must be addressed directly and concretely. Specific issues such as high charges for being on-line coupled with very slow download speeds and the high numbers of smaller grassroots organisations with no connectivity at all were raised, as were issues surrounding the need to upgrade computer hardware to participate in the process. There were a number of comments made about the difficulties of sharing excellent educational and training resources across language and culture barriers. While neither connectivity nor large scale translation issues can be dealt with in a programme like this, both may be required as essential capacity building support focused on the regional networks mentioned above.

Provision of computers and support to improve connectivity

A key and obvious issue for many of the southern organisations involved in twinning is the lack of computers and the expense of connecting to the Internet. Even though respondents had fairly high levels of access, for the twinning against AIDS programme to make the best use of ICTs it makes sense to include provision to enable regional networks in the twinning against AIDS process to gain or improve their access. This may involve assistance in purchasing computers or support with connectivity such as subsidisation of set-up or monthly connection costs.

Proposed Action:

6 regional networks will have adequate access to ICTs to enable them to participate in the process.

Exchange, reproduction, translation and dissemination of materials

There were a number of comments regarding the importance of gaining access to materials specifically developed to promote the exchange of information between organisations. There were also comments regarding the importance of identifying strong materials and being able to translate and adapt them across language and cultural barriers. For the purposes of this proposal it may be necessary to translate ICT training materials across languages and cultures along with other essential ICT related twinning partnership documents emerging from satellite meetings or regional initiatives.

Proposed Action:

By March 2006 a significant number of substantive training materials and other documents have been translated for use in all participating regions.

4. Web Base Real Time Information Sharing

• 4.1 Documents and Materials
• 4.2 Networking Tools
• 4.3 Needs and Resource Exchange Bank
• 4.4 Outreach

Web based real time information sharing tools supported by the face to face capacity building and increased access to training materials and connectivity mentioned above, will act as an adjunct to other formal twinning processes funded by CIDA, a cost effective support to the multiple informal twinning partnerships functioning at many levels, and a tool which can adapted to support potential new initiatives such as Connecting the Grassroots. The web based process will have a single technical base but will operate in English, French, and Spanish

The goal of the web based ICTs will be to improve communication and information sharing amongst organisations involved or interested in twinning as a method for increasing the effectiveness of their own or other organisations response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

It will work using the following basic strategies:

1. Provision of real-time information on twinning between organisations responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic

2. Facilitation of direct horizontal linkages and information sharing between people engaged in twinning initiatives

3. Provision of tools to enable peer commentary, review, and mentoring of programmes and strategies that seek to improve information, skill and experience sharing among relevant organisations

4. Creation of opportunities for sharing strategic thinking and action addressing key issues of the HIV/AIDS pandemic

5. And distribution of information and resources on the web site via non-web based platforms such as e-mail and CD ROM to groups without Internet access.

Content identification, editing and uploading as well as user support will be situated wherever possible with regional networks. The content will, wherever possible, be submitted or recommended by users of the site and tools will be developed to ensure that review or weighting of this information can also be done by the users themselves.

4.1 Twinning Documents and Materials

• Programme and experience descriptions
• Training materials
• Evaluations and reviews
• Planning tools and strategies

There was strong support for a central repository of information available to anyone with Internet access. Key elements of this support were that it should provide a space for other twinning experiences, for evaluating and reviewing initiatives, and for quickly accessing tools that others found useful in their twinning work. This information will be gathered by web site content staff and also from documents and materials sent in by individuals and organisations involved in twinning partnerships. As time goes on it is expected that more information will be sent to the site than collected by site staff themselves.

Programme and experience descriptions

This will be a section containing summaries of twinning projects and experiences with contact information and links. It will be based on a combination of information submitted by users and research done by the web site. It will contain tools that enable organisations with Internet access to directly submit information and for people to rate and review the quality of information on a document by basis. It will also be possible to submit information by e-mail or post after which it will edited and uploaded.

Proposed Action:

By March 31 2006 there will be at least 1500 programme and experience descriptions available on the site – 500 per language.

Training materials

The survey respondents demonstrated significant interest in identifying training materials of particular use in twinning relationships. This section will also be developed through user submissions and site research and will contain summaries of materials with contact information and links. However, given the possibility of the development of specific ICT training materials under the umbrella of the twinning against AIDS programme it is also possible that downloadable training materials (likely in PDF or HTML format) will be made available directly from the web site.

Proposed Action:

By March 31 2006 summaries and links for at least 600 training materials will be available on the site – 200 per language.

Evaluations and reviews of twinning initiatives

This section is similar to the programmes and experiences section. It will have the same tools and approach with a focus on identifying evaluations of key areas of twinning and promoting discussion and peer commentary on these via the networking tools described below.

Proposed Action:

By March 31 2006 summaries and links for at least 75 evaluations and reviews will be on the site – 25 per language.

Planning tools and strategies

There was enough concern raised about the dangers and pitfalls of entering twinning relationships without proper pre-planning that a section providing tools and strategies that others found useful seemed essential. This section would be operated as all the others above.

Proposed Action:

By March 31 2006 summaries and links for at least 75 planning tools and strategies will be on the site – 25 per language.

4.2 Networking Tools

• 4.2 Networking Tools
• Calendar of events
• On-line mentoring
• Discussion forums
• Peer review processes
• On-line research
• Links to other sites and resources

Calendar of events

This calendar will provide a quick reference for identifying events around which it may be possible to find and meet with other people involved or interested in twinning. The need for such a calendar is directly related to the desire for twinning meetings held in parallel with other conferences, workshops etc. The calendar will enable quick identification of such opportunities and allow for lead time in planning events. Events will be submitted directly by users or identified via ongoing site research. Requests could be sent out through the data base described below to invite other 'twinners' to meetings. This could be used for formal or informal gatherings.

Proposed Action:

By March 31 2006 the calendar of events will be used regularly to promote events and coordinate meetings – there will be a different calendar for each language. (It is difficult to put an accurate figure on use levels at this time.)

On-line mentoring

This will be designed to enable such things as the sharing of documents online, real time discussions between several people at once and Internet based teleconferencing. Such mentoring can act as a stand alone form of support or be used as a cost-effective way to sustain processes begun through training, workshops, short courses, exchanges or other face-to-face communication.

Proposed Action:

By March 31 2006 at least 50 on-line mentoring processes will have occurred on the site – a minimum of 10 per language.

Discussion forums

These do not need a lot of description and can be set up easily and quickly. However, it should be noted that discussion forums generally require ongoing moderation to be successful. It is possible to set up an ongoing general discussion on twinning issues but shorter term moderated forums on issues of specific interest are often more effective and will be the central approach used in this process.

Proposed Action:

By March 31 2006 at least 40 substantive discussion forums on issues of specific interest and relevance to improving twinning partnerships will have occurred on the site – a minimum of 10 per language.

Peer review processes

There are a number of ways that such processes can be incorporated into the web site. Rating and review tools will be established on every page of the site enabling ongoing commentary on the quality and usefulness of the information provided. Peer review will also go on within discussion forums or through participation in on-line research as discussed below. It will be important to set up a number of different processes to enable peer review of materials and information on the web site, specific twinning initiatives, and the twinning against AIDS programme itself. These will be publicly accessible and will help in establishing an ongoing learning process strengthening approaches to twinning.

Proposed Action:

By March 31 2006 at least 3000 page rating reviews, 15 discussion forums, and 5 on-line research processes will have occurred on the site – a minimum of 750 page reviews, 5 discussion forums, and 1 on-line peer review research process per language.

On-line research

A number of the respondents referred to the need for sharing research findings and for collaborative research especially at the community level. On-line research tools would include the capacity for users to conduct surveys and questionnaires via the Internet and e-mail with data capture built into the web site as an archival and sharable resource.

Proposed Action:

By March 31 2006 at least 15 on-line research processes will have occurred on the site – a minimum of 3 per language. (This number includes the 5 mentioned under peer review processes above.)

Searchable data base of links

A number of respondents referred to the need to access resources such as training and education materials or to find organisations doing similar kinds of work. This section would be a searchable way to identify those resources and organisations.

Proposed Action:

By March 31 2006 a categorised, annotated and searchable list of at least 900 links will be on the site – a minimum of 250 links per language.

4.3 Needs and Resources Exchange Bank

• Searchable data base
• Discussion Forum
• User Support

One of the central roles expected from the application of ICTs to twinning processes is making it easier to identify potential partners and match resources to be shared with needs. This component works directly with web based tools mentioned below and can coordinate with existing twinning projects such as those supported by CIDA when there is a clear need for a formal funded twinning project. However, this component will also be useful for those seeking to make less formal connections such as finding other organisations willing to share experiences from specific areas of AIDS work or identifying what organisations might be attending a particular conference with an interest in twinning.

A searchable data base matching resources being offered to resources needed

A major obstacle to the further development and expansion of twinning relationships has been the lack of information about what others are doing, willing to offer or in need of. This section of the site would provide categorised information on what's on offer and what's needed in a searchable form. It will be accessible to anyone with Internet access but will also be used by the site to match requests for twinning partnerships with potential partners in a moderated process.

Proposed Action:

By March 31 2006 a searchable list of several hundred (300 to 500 per language) needs/organisations and a similar number of resource/organisations will be on the site with substantial (difficult to estimate at this time) numbers of people accessing the search tool and submitting information.

Forum for posting twinning requests

This would function as a bulletin board where requests for twinning would be publicly available. This forum would be designed specifically as a support to those seeking more informal forms of assistance.

Proposed Action:

By March 31 2006 this bulletin board will be in regular use.

User Support

The processes mentioned above can function in an automated fashion but the Exchange Bank will work far more efficiently with the capacity to provide support to individual requests for support, assistance in identifying appropriate partnerships, and of course editorial maintenance of submissions and the data base.

Proposed Action:

English, French and Spanish user support in place for the Exchange Bank.

4.4 Outreach

• Electronic newsletter
• CD ROM
• Data base of users and twinners

Electronic newsletter

An e-mail newsletter will be sent out every two weeks to subscribers of the twinning against AIDS network. It will profile twinning projects, new materials or information on the web site (along with contact information for those without Internet access) and possibly items such as requests for twinning partnerships. It will provide contacts direct to the source of the information so that it can be disseminated widely, printed out, and used with or without ICT access.

Proposed Action:

By March 31 2006 3,500 subscribers will be receiving the twinning against AIDS newsletter every two weeks in at least one of the three languages.

CD ROM

On an occasional basis (perhaps once or twice a year) a CD ROM of essential site information will be produced for distribution to organisations without regular Internet access. This will allow the critical information on the site to be shared with groups provided they have access to computers with a CD ROM.

Proposed Action:

By March 31 2006 at least 750 (250 per language) CD ROMS of essential site material will have been effectively distributed to those who could not otherwise access the site on three different occasions for a total of 2250 CD ROMs distributed overall.

Data base of users and twinners

This will initially be built from lists provided by regional networks, donors, and supporters of twinning as a strategy against AIDS. Over time it will be further developed as individuals subscribe to the newsletter, submit information or become otherwise engaged. The data base will be used carefully and with respect for the privacy of individuals and organisations that have submitted information. It will be an invaluable tool for supporting regional meetings, promoting training events and discussion forums, and identifying resources and needs.

Proposed Action:

By March 31 2006 4,000 categorised and searchable names of individuals and organisations interested or involved in twinning will be in place for use by the twinning network.

4.3 Structure and management

There are clearly two quite different sets of specialised tasks listed above. One involves coordination and support to twinning capacity building, networking and access to resources. The other revolves around developing, maintaining and evolving the web site and its processes. While these tasks are in many ways separate they also need to be closely coordinated so that they are mutually reinforcing. This suggests a programme management structure involving at least two organisations with different programmatic responsibilities but working closely together.

In addition the issues of language and culture require another grouping to provide advisory input regarding content to be translated and ensuring regional representation for the direction and further development of the process. The following management structure is therefore suggested:

The Lead Agency will act as the Secretariat for the Steering Committee and will manage the face to face components of the process as described in the Capacity Building, Networking and Access to Resources sections above. The Lead Agency will contract another organisation to develop and maintain the web site and its tools and manage any staff needed to provide user support, content, and technical innovation. This organisation will also identify and coordinate two other regionally based organisations to maintain the content and user support for the French and Spanish language components of the process. The Regionally based French and Spanish sites will share the same technical base as the English site and will have the same tools. However, the regional organisations responsible for maintaining the sites will make their own decisions regarding content and focus based on regional needs and priorities.

The Steering Committee should include representatives from Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, North America, and Western Europe. Its role will be to provide strategic direction to the process, ensure that strong regional perspectives guide the process, and promote twinning partnerships through the use of ICTs and participation in other twinning initiatives.