- Understanding Poverty
- Impact Monitoring and Evaluation
- Working with Conflict Sensitivity
- Communications for Development
Below, we introduce the standardised training modules that CEPA offers. However, the content and medium of instruction of the modules and training programmes can be customised to suit specific requirements of organisations.
Understanding Poverty
CEPA's expertise and experiences in poverty assessment and knowledge management for almost a decade has clearly shown that working towards sustainably alleviating poverty requires a good knowledge of how it is defined and measured and an understanding of the dynamics of moving in and out of poverty,
The module aims to provide an introduction to the current global debates on poverty, the theories and concepts on poverty and how these have been translated into measurements and to share further readings and resources on understanding the issues raised. Moving beyond the theories and concepts on poverty the training module aims to deliver an overview of poverty in Sri Lanka.
The module fits well with the requirements of university students and development sector workers from project implementing agencies. Interactive training methods will be used and will vary according to the composition of the participants. Customised trainings can be designed as required.
Impact Monitoring and Evaluation
Despite the vast amount of resources and interventions targeting poverty reduction and wellbeing, a considerable amount of people continue to live in poor living conditions. It is because of this that project impact monitoring and evaluations are now being emphasised by project implementers and funding agencies. We at CEPA believe that impact monitoring and evaluation is a key component of project cycle development where the information generated from monitoring and evaluation is used to both "improve" the process and to "prove" the impacts.
CEPA's Impact Monitoring and Evaluation training complements the Understanding Poverty training and is also based on ten years of practical monitoring and evaluation experience. Current training programmes offer two modules. Module 1 is on Principles of Evaluation where rigorous, practical, short sessions on key aspects of monitoring and evaluation such as Identifying indicators, designing Programme Theory and developing Impact chains are included in addition to the often used theories of evaluation,. The former is followed by a Module 2 on using Combined Methodology (Q2) in Monitoring and Evaluation where, intensive, practical sessions on Quantitative methods, Qualitative methods and questions of when why and how to combine quantitative and qualitative methods are discussed.
The modules are targeted at project monitoring and evaluation professionals, staff members of research organisations, government and non government organisations and others interested in/working in the area of impact monitoring and evaluation.
Working with Conflict Sensitivity
Given the current context of government, non government and private sector actors beginning to work in the war affected North and East in post-conflict reconstruction and development, there is a need for greater understanding of how these interventions can be more conflict sensitive.
CEPA will use its knowledge and expertise acquired through advisory services and training of of organisations working in these areas, to provide support to development organisations and other institutions seeking to engage with conflict affected communities. CEPA has adapted the theoretical frameworks of conflict sensitive approaches to suit the Sri Lankan context, recognising that the absence of overt conflict does not necessarily mean the absence of conflict triggers. The conflict sensitivity training will draw on CEPA's experience of studying inequalities between culturally defined groups which can act as potential triggers of conflict. These can exist in any part of the country and it is important to be sensitive to these tensions in order to ensure project sustainability as well as avoid causing harm to the people living in the project area.
CEPA has developed two standardised modules and training material based on Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment and Do No Harm approaches that are illustrated with Sri Lankan case studies which can be customised to suit the needs of the client. Training can also be offered at the basic level with the aim of sensitisation and raising awareness, and at a more advanced level of mainstreaming Conflict Sensitivity to projects and monitoring systems.
These training modules will be suitable for organisations planning to work or who have already started working in the war affected areas of the country. They could also be useful for development organisations that seek to minimise tensions which are sometimes created when engaging in development activities.
Communications for Development
CEPA recognises that for research to be useful, researchers need to communicate their work to a wider audience. Communication is also important for development practitioners who have established good practice and want their work to be scaled up and have a wider impact. The target audience for CEPA's Communications for Development Training Programme are those researchers and development practitioners who are keen to share their findings and the lessons learned with a wider audience.
The training programmes support organisations to develop communications strategies, provide practical guidelines for developing knowledge products (e.g. print and electronic newsletters, policy briefs, web content) and networking, and suggests tools for advocacy in terms of influencing change.
For further inquiries please contact Gayathri at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 0112-676955-8.
Completed Projects
- Selection Manual for prioritising sites for construction of connectivity related infrastructure
- Quantitative and Qualitative Methods of Impact Monitoring: Survey and Case Methods
- Rapid Self- Assessment of Impact Orientation (RASIMO)
- Introduction to Poverty Impact Monitoring
- Developing a monitoring system with in-service advisers of the guidance and counselling unit.
- Target Group Differentiation in Poverty Impact Monitoring
- Rapid Self- Assessment of Poverty Orientation (RASAPO)
- Formulation of a Training Manual on Social Impact Assessment
- Discussion with project for customised trainings
- Guide to Social Impact Assessment for State Sector Monitoring and Evaluation Officers
- Developing a monitoring system with in-service advisers of the guidance and counselling unit
- Development of a Community Capacity Building Module to Strengthen Communities' Stake in the Tsunami Rebuilding Process
- Introduction to Results Based Monitoring for Plantation Communities Project (PCP) Staff Members
- Sensitisation Workshops
- Continuous Learning for Practitioners: Trouble Shooting in Impact Monitoring
- Understanding Poverty in Impact Monitoring
- Training of Trainers Workshop on Impact Monitoring
