MS evaluation: Choices for a new direction

By Karsten Peier, ACCU

MS has made some choices and changes regarding the future set up and prioritisation of activities. The decisions are based on the ongoing self-reflection within the organisation, the previous years budget cuts and the Danida evaluation. The goals are to make MS more effective and visible and less vulnerable.

Flexible development workers

MS insists that Danish development workers (DDWs) are vital for its work. Development is a learning process where ideas and experiences are shared and networks are formed. This process is possible only if persons with different background meet and work together – not by merely sending money. Therefore, MS will continue to send out DDWs though less in numbers.

But MS also recognises that it should be more flexible in the use of development workers. Consequently, MS has decided to:

Intensify the dialogue with partners on how to use development worker in the future and on which preconditions
Employ more short-term development workers thus getting more inputs and ensuring that the partners continuously are responsible for the activities
Employ more development workers from the south in order to stimulate south-south co-operation and consolidate the diversity among staff in the programs

Less issues – more focus

MS needs to prioritise among the many activities in order to do the work better and have more impact. In future MS will focus on fewer issues, be more goal-oriented and step up efforts to monitor, evaluate and document the work.

MS has decided to make democracy and poverty reduction the main areas of interest. Members, politicians and staff have drafted a new and more focused mission and vision statement. It will be presented for approval at the annual general assembly in Denmark late April.

Intercultural co-operation is still one of the pillars of MS work. But the term is very vague and difficult to define and measure. Last summer MS people from north as well as south set out to make intercultural co-operation clearer and easier for all of us to relate to. On the basis of their draft, the work goes on.

Alternative fundraising

The dependency on the Danish government for funding makes MS very vulnerable as demonstrated by the budget cuts in recent years. The government has announced more cuts in 2006 unless MS increases its membership to 6.500. MS is now exploring new avenues of raising funds through e.g. the European Union.

In the middle of 2004, MS will employ a marketing coordinator who shall boost income from sale of products, travels and services. And from the beginning of 2005 a professional and permanent fundraiser will be in place. Finally, the various country programs have to come up with their own ideas and drives for raising funds and become less dependent and vulnerable.

Times of transition

Many structural and administrative changes have been taking place in MS Denmark. Some of them are painful. But the transition is dictated by the budget cuts and the need to utilise the resources in a more rational and effective manner.

The staff at the secretariat in Copenhagen will be reduced by more than 1/3 by the end of this year compared with 2002. And instead of having six departments, MS operations will fall under four departments all situated in Copenhagen – International, Development Education and Administration Departments and the Communication Secretariat.

MS will also employ a financial controller and has already introduced a new accounting and budgeting system, which makes it much easier to see how funds are utilised.