Effectiveness of capacity building initiatives : a case study of Clowns Without Borders South Africa.

Abstract

Communities have social needs and problems that require institutions to provide responses. Academic institutions develop evidence-based programmes to ensure that the interventions provided to the communities positively affect the intended beneficiaries. Clowns Without Borders South Africa (CWBSA) is a non-profit organisation that is a case study for this research. CWBSA is an organisation that takes on an evidence-based programme researched by universities and build capacity of many other organisations to use these at scale, in their local communities. Whilst the programme content has evidence of effectiveness, the question remains if the organisation uses effective capacity building initiatives to best support other organisations reach out to the ultimate beneficiaries. Beneficiaries in instance being children and they parents or caregivers. The study uses exploratory qualitative methods to ascertain the effectiveness of the capacity building initiatives used by Clowns Without Borders South Africa. The study identifies capacity building strategies used to deliver capacity-building services. It assesses the organisation’s workforce as it renders the service, to see if it is effective. There is articulation of key competencies within the organisation as a whole and at individual level to see what really makes this organisation effective in its capacity building service delivery. Finally, the study determines the extent to which the organisation considers the contextual needs of organisations receiving capacity-building services. In-depth interviews of the organisation’s fourteen staff members are thematically analysed to see the factors viewed by the organisation personnel as important elements contributing to the effective capacity building initiatives it provides. The study findings align with the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation and Sustainment Model, with the focus of the inner level of the framework. The collaborative nature of delivery aligns with the Interagency Collaboration Approach where CWBSA delivers its services as a consulting agent to other organisations. The data presented provided thematic areas which inform the case study findings. Effective capacity building initiative for the case study includes capacity building for implementation and not just theoretical understanding. Effectiveness of such initiatives require competent human resource manpower able to deal with the forever changing environments. Contextual needs for capacity building require a comprehensive approach where other organisation capacities are also acknowledged.