 |
Foundation for Change
Foundation for Change (FFC) is a training package designed to
improve the effectiveness of individuals, teams and management
processes for safer motherhood.
The Nepal Safer Motherhood Project (NSMP) was the first to support
the use of FFC in
health work in Nepal. It is based on a set of principles known
as appreciative enquiry. These encourage individuals to examine
their attitudes, motivation, values and behaviours in the work
place and to assess how these impact on interpersonal relationships,
decision making, job performance, management processes and the
overall effectiveness of teams.
For a full report on how Foundation for Change is used within NSMP see
the reports
page NSMP uses FFC programmatically
to build teams, create a more positive vision and combat, to some
extent, the cultural attitude known as 'Ke Garne' ('What to do'
or 'don't give yourself a headache because nothing can change'). FFC affects
this by directly addressing many of the underlying systemic problems
that drive inappropriate processes and behaviours in the health
sector, including poor motivation and a lack of willingness to
embrace positive change.
NSMP has
supported FFC inputs
for its own staff and for various partners, including hospital
employees, NGOs, Reproductive Health Coordination Committees (RHCCs)
and community groups. It has come to view it as an important stimulus
for organisational development and, ultimately, health sector reform.
 FFC training
normally involves two participatory workshops of three and two
days, plus one on-the-job coaching session spread over a six to
nine month period. An evaluation in 2003 strongly suggested that,
without FFC inputs, NSMP's other
activities would have had much less impact. Other, more tangible,
outputs that have been directly attributed to FFC alone,
include:
- People are more positive and have
a 'can do'
attitude.
- Staff behaviour towards clients has improved, as have
relations among partners in the districts.
- Communication has improved
and people listen more carefully.
- Mutual respect has increased.
- People accept their own mistakes
and are open to feedback.
- Teamwork has developed and cooperation
and collaboration have been strengthened within hospitals,
RHCCs, Safe Motherhood Sub Committees (SMSCs), Village Development
Committees (VDCs) and communities.
- There is greater commitment to the work
among hospital staff, district stakeholders and VDCs.
- People take their roles and responsibilities seriously
and are confident that they can perform them well.
- Management
has improved, with people now making more realistic plans and
following them up.
- Many people have seen changes in their home life, with
improvements in their relations with family members.
Important
challenges still remaining include how to encourage senior health
officials to participate first hand in FFC
training - so that they appreciate its benefits and advocate
for its use for a substantial proportion of staff in hospitals,
health posts, NGOs and district-level government. This will help
to bring about the shift in working culture required for real and
sustained attitudinal change. |
|
