NGOs get assistance with top Local Economic Development workshop

The Department of Local Economic Development, in conjunction with the transversal issues unit in the Office of the Executive Mayor, hosted an NGO consultative workshop at the Madiba Banquet Hall on Thursday, 29 February.

The workshop aimed to assist local NGOs in their preparedness and build towards sustainable growth and operation as an extension of the state.

Selected NGOs will also get assistance from the NWU Social Science Faculty regarding monitoring their sustainability and impact.

After a diagnosis and consultation workshop, a three-month monitoring and evaluation (M&E) intervention (designed by the NWU School of Social Sciences) will follow, and possible voucher funding for selected NGOs.

According to Vincent Engelbrecht, Chief Socio-Economic Development Officer in the LED, one of the main aims is to aid NGOs with compliance, administration and fund sourcing.

“The objective is to holistically diagnose the challenges and effectiveness of their existing direct and indirect partners or beneficiaries by implementing a monitoring and evaluation mechanic that will supply us (as government) with the knowledge and data to determine the special zones of servicing, specified social ills/community assistance provided by NGOs.

This includes the required up-skilling/training, dealing with the white paper, obstacles faced through the phases of growth/development and resource/market linkage for full functionality,” added Engelbrecht.

“The scope is to reach NGOs within our municipality who struggle to pass compliance, understanding the importance of record keeping and reporting, sourcing sustainable funds and implementing solution-oriented projects that target the full diaspora of our communities.

This project serves as a mediatory intervention that seeks not only to assist in resolving the preparedness of the NGOs but also to build them towards being resolute and sustainable in their growth and operation as an extension of the state.”