Together with trainer Mohan Dhamotharan, employees of municipal companies involved in operator partnerships participated in the online training course “Achieving Results through Effective Partnerships.” The aim of the workshop was to equip participants with solid knowledge and practical tools for planning, implementing, and measuring the success of partnerships, with a particular focus on capacity outcomes. The training offered an in-depth engagement with key concepts of results-based management (Managing for Development Results), strategic planning, and monitoring of partnership activities.
Key Focus Areas of the Training
The workshop concentrated on the following topics:
- Contribution of operator partnerships to the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals): What impacts can partnerships achieve?
- Results-based management: Basic principles, core concepts, and challenges in results-oriented project monitoring
- Project cycle: From strategy through implementation to monitoring and evaluation
- Operational vs. strategic planning: Targeted activity planning and focus on results
- Tracking capacity outcomes: How do activities concretely contribute to capacity development in partner organisations?
Participants had the opportunity to apply and deepen their learning through practical exercises in small groups.
Capacity Outcomes in Operator Partnerships
A central topic was the measurement of capacity outcomes, i.e. capacity development on the part of partner organisations. Last year, 15 categories for capturing the impacts of operator partnerships were established within the framework of the Outcome Reports.
Click here to download a PDF overview of the Capacity Outcomes in both German and English.
The Systematic Monitoring of Impacts in Operator Partnerships Serves to:
- Strengthen the motivation and sense of ownership of both partners in their collaboration
- Systematically evaluate the effectiveness of projects
- Secure the sustainable financing of partnerships through transparent and traceable results
Support Services Offered by the Utility Platform
During the workshop, various support services provided by the Utility Platform were also presented. These include:
- Templates for operation plans with step-by-step guidance
- Reporting templates
- Advisory services with Lisa Engler, the Utility Platform’s contact person for monitoring
- Intercultural training sessions
- Coming soon: an internal online collaboration platform for exchange between partners
These offers are intended to help operators plan their partnerships more strategically and present their results in a clear and transparent way.
Conclusions
The monitoring workshop made a valuable contribution to the further training of staff working in international operator partnerships. It provided not only solid knowledge but also practical tools for implementing results-oriented partnerships. The focus on capacity outcomes and their systematic tracking not only enhances the quality of cooperation, but also increases the chances of long-term financing and impact.
