I INTRODUCTION

1. CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR AFRICA (cefa) BACKGROUND

Continuing Education for Africa (cefa) was created in 2004 as a non-profit specialist Further Education and Training Company. cefa equips largely unemployed young people with the skills they need to become constructive members of society and to enhance the core values of their communities in the area of social welfare.

The mission of cefa is to "ensure that there are enough well motivated and appropriately trained educators, mentors and management teams in the locations where and when they are needed".

The vision is for "all in need irrespective of gender, race, faith, financial or other bias, shall be educated so as to empower them to develop to the fullest extent of their own capabilities. This will include personal life skills together with enhancement of family, community and national welfare in a comprehensive and meaningful enjoyment of life".

In order to provide the required quality and quantity of education, training, development and mentoring skills to meet the demands of the vision and mission – cefa has the following objectives:

• Earn a meaningful living by legal means;
• Contribute to environmental stability and community development;
• Respect the rights of others;
• Combat – and assist others to combat – the impact of adversity and disaster, both manmade and natural.

Aligned with the vision, mission and objectives above, cefa training is based on its commitment to believing in the core values of:

• Leadership in the provision of top quality empowerment education, training and practical application skills;
• Education and training as the key to human development in contributing to the quality of life of individuals and their communities;
• The capability of all people to learn and enrich their lives;
• Investment in social capital through equipping learners with the necessary knowledge, skills and qualities to become highly qualified self-reliant practitioners in the fields for which they have been trained.

The learnership training model of cefa is defined as 'on the job practice". Classroom theory (30%) is combined with practical workplace experience (70%) in an interactive learner support system of qualification related occupational employment. Employers commit to ongoing paid employment of learners-in-training and qualifying learners. Learnerships therefore combine structured learning with work experience, leading to a nationally
recognized qualification. On the job training enhances employability and career development.

South African training is provided in terms of the Further Education and Training Colleges Act (No.16 of 2006). Learnerships are put in place by a local SETA. Qualifications are standardised by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 4. Principles of mobility, progression, integration and articulation are applied in an integrated framework of learning modules indicating how learners obtain entrance to NQF levels. Training is implemented in close accord with relevant governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the relevant fields of operation.

2. THE SOCIAL AUXILIARY WORK (SAW) TRAINING PROGRAMME BACKGROUND

A national priority in South Africa is to address the many social development needs prevalent amongst individuals, families, groups and communities. Social auxiliary work and social work are acknowledged as being essential to address these priority social needs. Social auxiliary work and social work are in the frontline of social development and transformation, particularly in traditionally under-resources communities (SAW SAQA, 2009: ID 23993).

The need for social auxiliary workers in South Africa was identified more that ten years ago. Leading to the role and functions of Social Auxiliary Work being defined in the Regulations to the Social Service Professions Act, 1978. These Regulations define social auxiliary as "an act or activity practised by a social auxiliary worker under the guidance and control of the social worker and as a supporting service to a social worker to achieve the aims of social work". This implies that social auxiliary workers are assistants to social workers, providing support services and working under the supervision of social workers. Social auxiliary work complements and supports social work in all focus areas with services to individuals, families, groups and communities.

In order to provide this assistance and support to the social work team a qualification in social auxiliary work and registration with the SA Council for Social Service Professions are necessary (SAW SAQA, 2009: ID 23993).

A social auxiliary worker is:

• Dedicated to the social welfare of people as a key element of human development.
• A good listener, with strong empathy for others, who can match up human needs with practical solutions within community and national structures and resources.
• Able to empower people to help themselves to achieve to the best of their capabilities within an effective understanding of their communities and the world around them.
• An interventionist at grass roots level in communities, guided by and expanding the scope and effectiveness of professional social workers.
• An effective contributor to research and development in the enhancement of social welfare.
• An essential support for the social workers in assisting with all preventative and social care tasks.

The purpose of the Social Auxiliary Work qualification is to equip qualifying learners with the following:

• Basic knowledge and understanding of the South African context within which social services function and are delivered.
• Understanding of social development in terms of the needs, policies and the role of social auxiliary worker.
• Basic knowledge of human behaviour, relationship systems and social issues and the ability to address social needs using appropriate social auxiliary work methods and techniques.
• The skills to work as a team member and as a provider of support services to the social work team. (SAW SAQA, 2009: ID 23993).

The SAW qualification has the following exit level outcomes:

1. Demonstrate basic understanding of the South African social welfare context, the policy and practice of developmental social welfare services and the role of the social auxiliary worker within this context.
2. Define and demonstrate understanding of the purpose of social auxiliary work and the role and functions of a social auxiliary worker in relation to a social worker within the South African context.
3. Consistently reflect the values and principles contained in the Bill of Rights and the social work profession’s Code of Ethics in service delivery as a social auxiliary worker.
4. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the South African judicial system and the legislation governing and impacting on social auxiliary work and social work.

   Range: Legislation includes the Social Service Professions Act, Non Profit Organisations Act, the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the Skills Development Act, and the Labour Relations Act.

5. Demonstrate a basic understanding of human behaviour, relationship systems and social issues.

   Range: Social issues include poverty, unemployment, HIV/AIDS, crime, child abuse, domestic violence, drug abuse, housing, etc.

6. Implement appropriate social auxiliary work methods and techniques to address the social needs of Client Systems 1.

   Range: Social Auxiliary Work methods and techniques include individual care, family care, group care, community care and introductory research.

7. Use appropriate resources in service delivery to client systems.

   Range: Resources include human, financial, public and private sector organisations, multisectoral structures and bodies.

8. Work effectively with social workers and members of multi-sectoral teams in social service delivery.

   Range: Teams include the social work team consisting of social worker, student social worker, social auxiliary worker and volunteers.

9. Work effectively as a social auxiliary worker to address the special needs and problems experienced by at least 3 of the priority focus groups in social welfare.

   Range: Special needs include those experienced by people affected by mental, physical and sensory disabilities, chronic illnesses, drug abuse, crime, unemployment, poverty, family disintegration, child abuse and neglect and street children. Focus groups include children, older persons, the youth, women, people with disabilities, the poor.

10. Keep precise records and compile accurate reports on social needs and social auxiliary work activities and file them appropriately.

    Range: Records and reports include process notes, process reports, summary reports, evaluation and team reports linked to the various interventions; minutes of meetings.

11. Provide an efficient research and administrative support service to the social worker.
12. Demonstrate basic knowledge of financial matters related to social auxiliary work.
13. Demonstrate self-awareness regarding personal capacities, attitudes and skills and a willingness to develop them further under the supervision of a social worker. (SAW SAQA, 2009: ID 23993).

The above-mentioned exit level outcomes relates to the following critical cross-field outcomes:

• Identify and solve problems using creative thinking. (Exit Level Outcomes 6 and 9)
• Work effectively with others as a member of a team, group, organisation and community. (Exit Level Outcomes 2, 7 and 8)
• Organise and manage oneself and one’s activities responsibly and effectively. (Exit Level Outcomes 10 and 13)
• Collect, analyse, organise and evaluate information. (Exit Level Outcomes 6, 10 and 11)
• Communicate effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written presentation. (Exit Level Outcomes 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10)
• Demonstrate cultural and aesthetic sensitivity in dealings with clients, colleagues and communities. (Exit Level Outcomes 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9)
• Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation. (Exit Level Outcomes 5, 7,8 and 9)
• Demonstrate ethical and professional behaviour. (Exit Level Outcomes 3, 6, 8 and 9)
• Lay the foundation for life-long learning and ongoing competency. (Exit Level Outcome 13)

(SAW SAQA, 2009: ID 23993).

3. SOCIAL AUXILIARY WORK (SAW) TRAINING IN THE FREE STATE

The Department of Social Development, Free State Province, appointed cefa as Service Provider to train 56 learners and 25 mentors in the Free State Province. The Department sponsors the training as well as the boarding and lodging of the learners when they gather in Bloemfontein for the theoretical training sessions during the different training cycles. The mentors are all qualified social workers and employees of the Department and are also trained to guide the learners through the process and to be mentors. For this they can earn points for Continual Professional Development (CPD’s) as all training programs are registered with the South African Council for Social Service Professions for this purpose.

The schedule of learning is attached as Annex A to this document

II COMMUNITY WELL-BEING SITUATION ANALYSIS

1. PURPOSE

The overall purpose of the community well-being situation analysis is to provide all stakeholders with the data needed to effectively prioritise essential interventions and focus training and resources on the critical gaps hindering the attainment of "a better life for all". The document review and discussions with key stakeholders consistently highlight six critical weaknesses in the current national service delivery for poverty alleviation.

1. A lack of data to support evidence-based programme interventions.
2. A lack of data on who are the poorest and on what they need most, which significantly hinders effective targeting of resources.
3. A lack of baseline data for the national service delivery performance and community profiling M&E framework.
4. A need to strengthen and empower the relevant key stakeholders’ (i.e. public and private sector) resources and capacity to design, plan, manage, monitor and evaluate the response to essential interventions for poverty alleviation.
5. A lack of coordination across multiple sectors, hindering the ability to manage a cohesive, integrated multi-sectoral response to community well-being.
6. Limited engagement, resources, and partnering with civil society to directly support the national response.

The community well-being situation analysis will explore these specific gaps by providing unfiltered baseline information that can be used by the different role-players from their specific inputs. This information is to provide information that could lead to concrete recommendations expected to be filled by all stakeholders.

To address these weaknesses listed above, the community well-being situation analysis will include a baseline study driven by empirical data, using both quantitative and qualitative measures, with the purpose of yielding:

• An accurate and realistic description of the status of community well-being in each of the participating communities using the associative group analysis (AGA) technique.
• Clarity on knowledge and experience of current services being provided, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses and identifying key gaps in services to be addressed using the elements captured in the Community Index as point of departure. This information should include an estimate of the satisfaction with and extent that services are being rendered.
• Firm empirical thresholds from which progress (and later impact) can be measured over time. This will include sound data, disaggregated by (i) age, (ii) gender, (iii) district, and the (iv) status of the well-being of the target communities. This should include an estimate of the percentage of who, type of, and level of satisfaction with the service delivery being received. For this purposes the principles entrenched in measuring a Cohesion Index (CIndex) complemented with information from a prioritising of needs (P-Index), using the above mentioned four independent variables as criteria for focus group compositions, will be an advantage.
• A review of coordination efforts at the national, district and local levels, along with the authority over service mapping and overseeing service delivery with the C-Index as principle template.
• A review of key stakeholders’ current capacity to deliver services to the communities.
• An in-depth knowledge of key issues affecting community well-being as revealed by the information yielded from the P- and C-Indices and aga information.

2. OUTPUTS

The community well-being situation analysis will yield the outputs under the following five components, grouped into three parts:

PART 1 (P1)

• Operationalization of the definition of community well-being (C1)

1. A consensual operational definition of community well-being.
2. A prioritisation of well-being (social cohesion) categories to assist with identifying the priority categories.

• Leadership, Coordination and Management (C2)

1. Recommendations to improve and strengthen national response coordination mechanisms
2. Identification of gaps in capacity of the stakeholders and recommendations for a capacity building strategy to the agreed roles and mandates of stakeholders.
3. Identification of implementation capacity gaps (e.g. in reporting mechanisms and information management systems) in other line departments responsible for contributing to service delivery areas.

• Strengthening Civil Society Engagement (C3)

1. Mapping of services provided by civil society organizations by essential service
2. Review of the current state of government and civil society partnership and the extent to which civil society is effectively engaged in implementing and supporting the national response to service delivery.
3. Recommendations to increase the participation and impact of civil society in achieving the goals of Government.

PART 2 (P2)

• Data Collection and Analysis: M&E

1. Data to assess the extent of community well-being in the different categories.
2. Data on the type and level of satisfaction percentage with current service delivery.
3. Coverage of current programming and services highlighting strengths, weaknesses, and key gaps disaggregated by gender, age group, district, and vulnerability/poverty status.
4. Data to establish baseline estimates for the performance indicators detailed in the community well-being (cohesion) index.

PART 3 (P3)

• Dissemination of the community well-being situation analysis report

The findings and recommendations of the situation analysis will be disseminated widely to stakeholders. The dissemination activities (to be proposed by the consultants) will be organised by the team leader.

III SAW SUMMATIVE IMPLEMENTATION EVALUATION
3. PURPOSE

The overall purpose of the SAW summative implementation evaluation cefa and key stakeholders with the data needed to determine the extent to which the outcomes of the SAW training programme were met in the Free State.

In order to determine the above-mentioned, the SAW summative implementation evaluation should follow the following four-stage approach (Wholey, Hatry & Newcomer, 2004:70):

• Assessing the need and feasibility of the programme;
• Planning and design of the programme;
• Delivery of the programme;
• Improvement of the programme.

4. OUTPUTS

The SAW summative implementation evaluation must yield the following outputs for the above four-stage approach (Wholey, Hatry & Newcomer, 2004:70-91):

Stage 1: Assessing the need and feasibility of the programme

Component 1: An implementation research review indicating the implementation variables associated with programme success or failure.

Stage 2: Programme Planning and Design

Component 2: A programme template of the key aspects of the programme in that covers the following categories:

1. Need addressed by the programme
2. Programme target group
3. Rationale for the programme
4. Origin and history of the programme
5. Programme mission and major programme goals
6. Major service activities and programme components
7. Programme logic model
8. Programme flow chart
9. Programme organizational structure
10. Programme leadership and staffing
11. Programme implementation plan
12. Programme evaluation plan

Stage 3: Programme Delivery Stage

Component 3: This stage will encompass the largest part of the evaluation study. Both qualitative and quantitative data must be applied. Data sets must be developed for two major categories namely:

• Coverage analysis
• Component analysis

Stage 4: Programme Improvement Stage

Component 4: A report indicating the following:

1. Judgements on the achievement of the programme’s short-term outcomes
2. How well the programme services met participants’ expectations
3. Recommendations for programme improvement and future implementation.

5. GUIDELINES

This research study needs to demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness by applying sound programme evaluation research methodology. Samples must be representative and thus be sufficient to deem the findings statistically plausible.

The scope and depth of this study will yield valid and reliable findings for planning and action, using quantitative methodologies. To supplement the quantitative methods, qualitative data collection methods will also be used. This will include focus group discussions, and key interviews of learners and organizations. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection should address the programme outcomes and deliverables.

The results of the study are expected to support future planning & programming of training, targeting of resources, etc. They will also be used as a platform for advocacy and social mobilisation. The study therefore will not be an end in itself.

IV Deliverables of the Study

1. 1. A research proposal including a detailed work plan and budget and methodology.
2. 2. Comprehensive reports of findings for each of the four stages of the Summative

Implementation Evaluation including:

1. Narrative Report
2. Statistical Tables
3. Qualitative results
4. All tools utilised for data collection
5. Detailed Timeline

DATES

Announcement for proposals: May, 10th 2010
Deadline for receipt of proposals: May, 21st 2010
Awarding of contract: End of May 2010
Implementation period: June – September 2010 (Includes review of instruments and data collection)
Final Reports submitted: Mid October, 2010 & End June 2011

V APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Prospective applicants are advised that application instructions will be in the respective calls for proposals in relation to the various study components.