The impact of changes to the New Zealand aid policy on non-governmental organisations

<p>The election of the National Party Government in 2008 led to a significant reshaping of the New Zealand aid programme. The changes became the subject of strong criticism from the New Zealand aid community in terms of the main policy underpinnings, funding schemes for (Non-Governmental Organisation) NGOs and the altered relationships between the government and development NGOs. While the literature reveals some critical observations about such changes, not much is known about the impacts of New Zealand’s Official Development Assistance (NZODA) policy on New Zealand development NGOs. This research aims to better understand the impacts of the changes to NZODA policy on the NGO sector to improve knowledge about the subject that could be applied in order to strengthen the long-term partnership and increase the effectiveness of NZODA. To achieve this goal twenty one New Zealand NGOs were interviewed regarding their views on the policy, impacts on NGO operations and policies, effects on in-country partners and relationships with the government. The criticisms of the aid community were also analysed and compared with the research findings. The research findings showed that the expressed views of NGOs indicted a wide variety of opinions on the policy changes and there was a diverse range of negative, neutral and sometimes positive views on the effects on NGOs. While the National Government’s policy agenda has dramatically affected development work of NGOs and their relationships with the government, NGO policies were less affected in some aspects. It is concluded that, whilst the relationship between the official government aid programme and the NGOs has been altered and adversely affected, there is still the basis for an effective partnership that can be reshaped and strengthened in future.</p>

The impact of changes to the New Zealand aid policy on non-governmental organisations

<p>The election of the National Party Government in 2008 led to a significant reshaping of the New Zealand aid programme. The changes became the subject of strong criticism from the New Zealand aid community in terms of the main policy underpinnings, funding schemes for (Non-Governmental Organisation) NGOs and the altered relationships between the government and development NGOs. While the literature reveals some critical observations about such changes, not much is known about the impacts of New Zealand’s Official Development Assistance (NZODA) policy on New Zealand development NGOs. This research aims to better understand the impacts of the changes to NZODA policy on the NGO sector to improve knowledge about the subject that could be applied in order to strengthen the long-term partnership and increase the effectiveness of NZODA. To achieve this goal twenty one New Zealand NGOs were interviewed regarding their views on the policy, impacts on NGO operations and policies, effects on in-country partners and relationships with the government. The criticisms of the aid community were also analysed and compared with the research findings. The research findings showed that the expressed views of NGOs indicted a wide variety of opinions on the policy changes and there was a diverse range of negative, neutral and sometimes positive views on the effects on NGOs. While the National Government’s policy agenda has dramatically affected development work of NGOs and their relationships with the government, NGO policies were less affected in some aspects. It is concluded that, whilst the relationship between the official government aid programme and the NGOs has been altered and adversely affected, there is still the basis for an effective partnership that can be reshaped and strengthened in future.</p>

A qualitative Pastoral Care Model on teenage care in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa

This paper sought to explore the perceptions of and the experiences of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA) on teenage care in territories of the Port Elizabeth North Circuit. It is during adolescence that religious beliefs and values are anticipated to begin to assume the same meanings that they have in later life. The study, from which this paper is derived, was informed by a qualitative approach using a case study design. The study also used interviews complemented by focus group discussions as data collection methods. The study comprised 22 participants who remained anonymous, that were selected through the use of a purposive sampling technique. This paper revealed the following thematic findings: Convictions on the lives of teenagers, teenager’s habits that affect behavior, observation of teenagers’ aggressions. Furthermore, this paper employed a pastoral care approach as a theoretical or conceptual framework and made the following recommendations: There is need for the MCSA to have committees that will formulate structures for sustaining projects and give an account of finance utilization as many teenagers drop out from school for financial reasons. The MCSA, Department of Social Development, NGOs and the Department of Health should work together to strategize on structuring the welfare of children in communities general. The MCSA should take into account all the special conditions that are associated with child abuse. The Methodist should develop a teenage care policy and integrate it into its existing polices.

“Felt responsibility”: a mediator for balancing NGOs’ upward and downward accountability

Purpose This study aims to investigate how non-government organisation (NGO) managers balance accountability to donors and beneficiaries and the role of felt responsibility in this process. Design/methodology/approach Using concepts of accountability theory, practices of microenterprise development NGOs are examined in two countries – Bangladesh and Indonesia – through interviews with managers of 20 NGOs and analysis of NGOs’ publicly available data. Findings Findings show a shift in emphasis from a vertical view (upward to donors and downward to beneficiaries) to a horizontal view of NGO accountability. Under this view, a selective approach to donors whose mission and approaches to poverty alleviation aligned with those of the NGOs played an essential role in supporting NGOs’ internal accountability. Further, felt a responsibility to beneficiaries is identified as an important mediator balancing both upward and downward accountability. While accountability to donors and beneficiaries was interrelated, accountability to donors was considered a short-term objective and accountability to beneficiaries was considered a long-term and overriding objective. Originality/value Findings contribute a further understanding of the role of felt responsibility to beneficiaries as a mediator for balancing upward and downward accountability based on the perspectives of NGO managers. Reframing accountability through a horizontal view helps to balance multiple directions of NGO accountability: to self, donors and beneficiaries.

Global citizenship and the global citizen/consumer: Perspectives from practitioners in development NGOs in Portugal

This paper makes an empirical contribution to the debate about the pluralism of global citizenship. This is considered a crucial aspect for research, not only because charity and social justice standpoints coexist, but also in the light of growing examples of neoliberal understandings about global citizenship education and the global citizen. Informed by critical and postcolonial thinking and with a special focus on Andreotti’s discursive orientations, this paper analyses discourses of practitioners of global citizenship education who work in development NGOs in Portugal. Findings suggest that humanist views are predominant, although intertwined with neoliberal and postcolonial perspectives. They also point to an archetypical vision of the global citizen and a prevalence of the responsible citizen-consumer as an agent of social change.

Indigenous Women Social Entrepreneurship; Poverty Alleviation Tool Used by Development NGOs in Ghana

This research paper examines the role of Non-Government Organizations (NGO) in the use of indigenous women social entrepreneurship as a means of reducing poverty in Northern Ghana. The study focused on an Estonian NGO working in significantly poor-rural districts of Northern Ghana. The study employed case study design where face to face semi-structures interviews were used to gather data from local women entrepreneurs, NGO staff and local government officials. A sample of twenty-one (21) respondents was gathered purposefully to achieve the aim of the study. The study found out that, most poor communities in Northern Ghana are endowed with resources needed for production. What are however lacked are managerial training, financial and technical support as well as market access. Development NGOs connect indigenous resources such as raw materials, human capital and social capital together through provision of equipment and skills training to produce internationally certified products for both local and international market. The study found out that producing local products for international market increases the rate of poverty alleviation since many local people get involved and the financial returns is higher than producing for the local market. The study also identified the creation of new macro-micro international relations between the NGO’s home country and the indigenous communities. Keywords: Indigenous Social entrepreneurship, Women, Poverty alleviation, Development NGOs, Northern Ghana.