SECRETARIAT TO ROLL OUT NEW ORIENTATION PROGRAM FOR CCMS

Author:

Gemma Oberth

Article Type:

Article Number: 6

The program has both online and face-to-face components

ABSTRACT The CCM Hub at the Global Fund Secretariat has developed a standard orientation package for CCM members. The purpose is to improve CCM performance by providing members with the knowledge and skills they need to effectively carry out their roles and responsibilities. The orientation package will be rolled out to CCMs in a phased approach, starting in April 2017.

The CCM Hub at the Global Fund Secretariat, in close collaboration with the USAID Leadership, Management, and Governance (LMG) Project, has developed a new standardized orientation program for country coordinating mechanisms (CCMs). The purpose of the program is to improve CCM performance by providing members with the knowledge and skills they need to effectively carry out their roles and responsibilities.

Following the roll out of the eligibility and performance assessment (EPA) during the 2014-2016 funding cycle, the Global Fund Secretariat identified the need for a standard orientation package for members of CCMs.

The Global Fund EPA is based on a set of minimum requirements which all CCMs must meet in order to be eligible for funding. Following the EPA self-assessment, which is guided by an external consultant, all CCMs must develop a performance improvement plan based on the results.

In their performance improvement plans, many CCMs said they would need to implement an induction and orientation process for CCM members. A vast majority of CCMs also requested technical assistance (TA) from the Global Fund Secretariat and technical partners for the induction.

In addition to the collaboration with LMG, contributions to the development of the orientation package were received from the USAID Grant Management Solutions (GMS) Project, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other Global Fund departments (Community Rights and Gender, Access to Funding, Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health, the Communications Team and the Information Technology Team).

“We are particularly pleased because we feel this is a project based on CCMs requesting it directly,” said Grainne Mc Daid with the CCM Hub at the Global Fund Secretariat. “There’s often quite a lot of turnover on CCMs, and it’s really important that all CCM members know what their role is and what’s expected. We hope this standardized program will alleviate some of that burden from CCM secretariats.”

Sixteen modules

The orientation package has eight core modules, which will be compulsory for all CCM members to complete. There are also two modules for CCM committee members; and six thematic modules, which are optional.

Core modules:

• Module 1 – Introduction
• Module 2 – Global Fund Basics
• Module 3 – CCM Basics
• Module 4 – CCM Governance
• Module 5 – CCM Structure and Functions
• Module 6 – Global Fund Funding Model and Cycle
• Module 7 – Oversight
• Module 8 – Being an Effective CCM member

Two additional modules for CCM committee members:

• Module for Executive Committee Members
• Module for Oversight Committee Members

Six thematic modules (optional):

• Resilient and Sustainable Systems fir Health
• Human Rights
• Gender
• Key Populations
• Communities Systems and Responses
• Climate Change in Health

“We hope it’s a flexible platform going forward,” said Mc Daid. “We are aiming to add more thematic modules to it in the future.” The CCM Hub intends to add a module on the new CCM code of conduct (currently in development) as well as a module on sustainability and transition.  Given that topics like transition might not be equally relevant to all CCMs, the thematic modules are optional so that each CCM can decide which ones are most applicable to it.

The orientation program has both online and face-to-face components. The online part will happen first, with all CCM members completing the modules through the Global Fund’s e-Learning platform (“iLearn”). The English versions of the online modules are available on the Global Fund’s website, while translation into French is still being finalized.

Following completion of the online component, there will be a face-to-face training process facilitated by an international consultant who will be provided by the CCM Hub. “The face-to-face component is about bringing to life what they have learned in the online modules,” Mc Daid explained. “It’s about bringing theory into practice.”

In September 2016, the CCM Hub identified and trained a group of 13 experienced consultants to facilitate the face-to-face component.

The online modules will take 10-35 minutes each to complete and the face-to-face training will be approximately 5-6 days long (two days for all CCM members, followed by 1.5 days for executive committee members and two days for oversight committee members).

While the program is mainly intended for CCM members, it is also relevant to CCM secretariats, CCM committees, consultants (i.e. TA providers) working with CCMs, and other stakeholders interested in learning about CCM processes.

Phillipa Tucker, Co-Founder and Research and Communications Director at AIDS Accountability International (AAI), says the method, content, and the timing of the CCM orientation program is excellent, as well as pivotal to improving CCM performance across the board. “AAI is fully supportive of the Global Fund CCM Hub’s Orientation Program initiative,” said Tucker. AAI has been running a CCM strengthening project since 2009 and is part of the Global Fund CCM Hub’s Working Group, an informal advisory committee which generally meets twice a year in Geneva.

AAI has successfully petitioned the CCM Hub to include broader civil society (not only CCM members or CCM members representing civil society) in the orientation program initiative. “This will be critical as a means of building capacity and ownership of the CCM at country level,” Tucker stated. “Training civil society organizations from outside the CCM on how the CCM works will ensure greater accountability and impact for those living with or affected by the three diseases.”

However, some people are concerned that the orientation program may advantage certain CCM constituencies over others, further entrenching existing CCM power dynamics. “Not all members have equal levels of computer literacy or internet access, so challenges with completing the online training could marginalize certain CCM members,” said Olive Mumba, the Executive Director of EANNASO. Mumba suggested that the Global Fund’s Community, Rights and Gender department, through its Strategic Initiative, might be able to provide support to prepare representatives of communities and civil society for the program.

The CCM Hub told Aidspan that there is an offline version of the training modules, which they can make available to CCMs on a thumb drive if there are members who require this.

The CCM Hub plans to roll out the program in a phased approach throughout 2017 and early 2018. They have already conducted a pilot of parts of the content in Timor-Leste, after which Kosovo became the first country to complete the program. Mongolia is the next country confirmed for the roll out. The CCM Hub told Aidspan that so far, the feedback from early implementation of the program has been very positive. In 2017, the CCM Hub aims to train approximately 15 CCMs in April-June, 16 in July-September and 10 in October-December. They will aim to reach another 13 CCMs with the training in the first quarter of 2018.

Aidspan plans to continue reporting on the orientation program, including providing impressions from CCM members and other stakeholders, as the program is rolled out.