EU TACSO 3 is offering a unique learning and development opportunity to civil society organisations in Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina through its Strategic Mentoring Programme. The Programme is a part of EU TACSO 3 Capacity Development and People to People Programme. It enables interested and qualified organisations to get an in-depth mentoring support to improve the areas of their work according to their needs and in line with EU TACSO 3 project priorities.

The Objective of Strategic Mentoring:

To provide pragmatic and in-depth mentoring support by experts to CSOs in the WBT so supported organisations improve specific areas of their work, including the internal organisational capacity and tangible outcomes in the given area.

Application Procedure:

Please fill in the Application form and submit it before 4 March 2022 by 17:00h CET.

Beneficiaries: 

The Programme is primarily meant for CSOs such as: national and regional thematic networks; EU-funded CSOs; women CSOs; grassroots and movements; sub-granting CSOs; human rights organisations.

It is expected that approximately 4 CSOs will be selected for mentoring support in both countries.

Benefits for CSOs:

• Mentoring support by expert(s) in targeted area over the period of several months to one year.

• Improved CSO capacity/staff learning in specific areas.

• Tangible outcomes in the form of strategy/policy/system etc.

• Covered expenses of the mentoring support, including experts’ fees and activity costs.

Priority Focus Areas: 

Strategy Building; Monitoring and Evaluation; Funding Strategies and Diversified Fundraising; Communication Strategies and Digital Literacy; Rights-Based Approach and Gender Mainstreaming; Participation in Decision-Making including Research, Advocacy and Campaigning; Information Activism and Data Visualisation; Internal Governing Structures and Organisational Development; Constituency Building and Activism; Networking and other.

Selection Criteria:

• Proposed mentoring sessions are of strategic importance for the organisation;

• Focus areas of EU TACSO 3 are targeted;

• Proposed sessions have clear objectives and will result in concrete products such as: strategy of the organisation; gender equality policy; communication strategy; advocacy strategy/campaign or brief/paper; system of internal governance; etc.

• Organisation/network has the capacity to manage the mentoring process;

• Organisation’s leadership is committed to the process and is accountable to relevant stakeholders;

• Activities, timeline and budget are precise and realistic;

• Ability and willingness of CSO to share and replicate knowledge and products.

Eligible Activities:

The core of mentoring support is having an expert (or a team of experts) who will support the organisation over a period of several months to one year in the development of certain organisational area, including the process of learning/capacity building and the production of specific outputs (strategies, policies, systems etc.). Mentoring sessions can be one of or a combination of: facilitation of workshops, training, individual team members’ coaching; on-line sessions; practical work on documents etc. CSOs should propose specific activities to be realised under mentoring process which should be agreed with mentors and approved by EU TACSO 3.

When proposing activities, please have in mind the COVID-19 situation and official protocols on gatherings and events.

Eligible costs:

EU TACSO 3 will cover only the expenses of experts’/mentors’ fees and activity-related costs (mostly meetings, workshops, training).

Operational costs, costs of the regular work of the organisation and costs of salaries are not allowed.

Duration of Support:

Expected duration of support is 4 months.

How the Programme Works:

Step 1: Interested CSOs from Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina apply with their proposals for mentoring support, by 4 March 2022.

Step 2: EU TACSO 3 selects CSOs based on defined criteria.

Step 3: Defining the needed expertise/ ToR for mentors, which considers clear definition of the scope, purpose and outcomes of the mentoring process, as well as competences and qualifications of mentor(s). CSOs can propose experts or they can seek for support in experts’ recruitment by EU TACSO 3.

Step 4: Creating individual mentoring plans, which considers EU TACSO 3 facilitation of the creation of the mentoring plan with specific steps/activities, mentoring techniques, responsibilities, objectives, timeline, outcomes and reporting. This plan will serve as the main guide in the mentoring process and at the same time the document to be referred in CSO reporting on the activities and results.

Step 5: Implementation and monitoring of strategic mentoring sessions which considers: 1) implementation of mentoring sessions which will be done by selected mentors and CSOs in line with mentoring plans submitted to and approved by EU TACSO 3; 2) monitoring of mentoring sessions by EU TACSO 3 staff which will be done on bi-monthly bases through briefs with mentors and CSOs.

Step 6: Reporting on the mentoring process considers mid-term and final reports by mentors to EU TACSO 3. It includes reporting on the process, assessment of learning outcomes and progress in capacity of the organisation in certain area, as well as reporting on final outcomes with submitted products.

Q&A:

All questions relating to the Strategic Mentoring Programme could be posed to: capacitybuilding@tacso.eu by 28 February 2022.