Red Social para Amrica Latina y El Caribe

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Report on Puente in the Caribbean Phase
I 2007-2009
Puente in the Caribbean Program Phase
II Introductory Workshop Castries, St. Lucia May
27 - 29, 2009
Julie Nurse, Specialist Department of Social
Development and Employment Organization of
American States
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Outline

• Background to the program
• Pilot approach
• Design considerations
• Program implementation
• Strategies employed
• Main activities and emerging lessons
• Evaluation Results
• Conclusions
• Considerations in applying the lessons
• General Lessons for Phase II

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Background
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Implications of a Pilot Program

• Learning by doing
• A continual process of reflection and
  programmatic adjustment
• Ongoing documentation of the processes
• Lessons applied for future programming

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Design Considerations

• Differences between Chile and the Caribbean
  countries
• Cultural and linguistic differences
• Differences in size and scale
• Vulnerability issues crime, migration, natural
  disasters
• Differences among the Caribbean countries
• Development needs
• Institutional realities
• Distinction between the transfer and the
  application of the lessons from the transfer

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Comparative Country Profiles
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Program Implementation
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Strategies employed

• OAS Role as Facilitator
• Bridge between FOSIS (Chile) and the Caribbean
  partners
• A rich history and effective experience in
  horizontal cooperation
• Follow-up support and monitoring
• Mentoring by FOSIS Tutors
• Bridge between the Puente Program and Caribbean
  participants
• Technical advice in the transfer of lessons and
  design of local programs
• Virtual Connectivity
• Creating a multiplier effect through the
  selection of a small group of key individuals
  from Caribbean implementing agencies
• Country Work Plans

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Activities and Emerging Lessons
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Evaluation Results
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Achievements

• Strengthened institutional and human capacity in
  more effective social protection strategies
• Targeting
• Inter-institutional collaboration in social
  protection and establishment of social networks
• Family-oriented, rights based approach
• Creation or enhancement of 3 local programs which
  have integrated lessons of Puente while
  reflecting distinct country needs
• Bridge Jamaica
• Koudemain Ste. Lucie
• STEP-UP
• Political endorsement of local programs
• Development of a replicable model of a community
  of practice

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Strengths

• Mentorship
• Interactive and dynamic learning methodology
• Promotion of cultural awareness and appreciation
• Encourages innovation
• Promotes interaction and exchange in social
  protection among Caribbean countries
• Capacity building in virtual connectivity

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Shortcomings and Challenges

• Language differences
• Limited use and functioning of the Virtual Forum
• Need to explore opportunities for broadening and
  deepening academic involvement
• Delays in production and distribution of
  educational tools and materials for family
  interventions
• Need to assign human resources for implementation
  of work plans multiple portfolios of local staff
  can be burdensome.
• Limited timeframe for learning and applying
  lessons
• Difficulty in creating the multiplier effect
  through training of trainers because of turnover
  of trained personnel.

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Conclusions
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Considerations in the Application of Lessons

• What are the requirements and implications of a
  shift from demand-driven to supply-side approach
  e.g. supply and quality of public goods and
  services?
• Finding appropriate strategies to address
  specific problems of rural and urban poverty
• The adequacy of current local government
  structures to support a decentralized approach to
  social development
• Transferability and applicability of current
  Puente Pillarsneed for Caribbean-specific
  pillars
• The effectiveness of a family-based approach to
  community-based, or national problems e.g.,
  unemployment, natural disasters, squatting
  crime?
• Implementing agencies are responsible for
  identifying and allocating financial resources
  for program execution
• Local partners should be identified and involved
  from inception

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General Lessons of the Program

• The success of a program such as the Puente,
  requires strong political will and support.
• A pilot initiative with very real implications
  for the countries involved stakeholders, budget,
  human resources, institutional demands.
• The need to allow local programs to evolve based
  on local reality and needs and encourage
  innovation
• The importance of an effective monitoring and
  evaluation system from the design stage of the
  program
• There is value added in fostering collaboration,
  support and sharing among Caribbean countries
• The Puente cannot and should not be transferred
  in its totality. It is important to identify the
  key and critical components of the Puente that
  can and should be applied to the Caribbean
  context.
• Continuous learning, reflection and revision of
  country work plans

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Young member of graduated family shows off her
achievements
Another satisfied Puente Family
Launching in Jamaica
FOSIS team meets St. Lucia Social Network
FOSIS tutor shares the Puente board game with
Jamaican social workers
Trinidad and Tobagos Team meets with Family
Intervention Unit and Mayor of Molina