05 Jun The “AAP in Action” Program Overview
What is the 'AAP in Action' Program?
The U-Learn consortium is pleased to announce Cohort #6 & 7 of “AAP in Action” technical support program for the Uganda refugee response actors to apply. Since the Launch of the program, 22 Organizations have successfully graduated. Organizations that graduated include; one UN agency, twelve INGO's, six NGOs, and three CBOs/RLOs.
What is AAP?
Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) represents all efforts aimed at ensuring the views of refugees and host communities are taken into account by response actors and influence the design and implementation of programming. Effective AAP is key for timely and quality program delivery, for upholding commitments to the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and Core Humanitarian Standards, and from a human rights-based approach. Many organizations across the refugee response often report lacking resources, knowledge, or skills to deliver AAP effectively.
Quick links on this page
Menu of AAP Support Areas
- Identify and Integrate AAP into proposal development through the project narrative, budget, and log frame touch points.
- Reviewing current agency complaints and feedback mechanisms to assess and strengthen their functionality, and assessing appropriate mechanisms that could be used for organizations where there are none in place.
- Set up or review Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for AAP and feedback registry.
- Review existing client data (e.g., FGD results), help interpret them, and turn them into actions to support data-driven decision-making based on client inputs.
- Set up indicators or review existing
AAP indicators to assess their functionality, identify key gaps and develop a data collection strategy.
To address this gab, U-learn co-organized a 7 month AAP training course with UNHCR in 2021. The AAP in Action program is a follow-up to this initiative to help interested organizations operationalize AAP in their programming through one-on-one practical support in in the Uganda refugee response. To read more about the AAPA Programme you can read the AAPA Spotlight
Who is eligible for this program?
This year, priority will be given to the national, community based, refugee led refugee response actors in Uganda who meet the selection criteria.
What are the selection criteria?
- Organizations with a shared AAP goal, commitment to promoting collective AAP approaches, and willingness to being part of the AAP community of practice in the Uganda refugee response will be prioritized
- Priority will be given to national Organizations (NGOs), Community-based Organizations (CBOs), and Refugee Led Organizations (RLOs) willing to strengthen AAP in their programing.
- Organizations that expressed interest and willing to commit (at least 2 hours bi-weekly for online check-in sessions and a weeklong in-person workshop) will be considered for this program.
- It is important that those who submit the applications on behalf of their organizations have a formal endorsement from their senior leadership and dedicated AAP focal points identified to make sure that the participating organizations take the lead for operationalizing AAP practices with the support from U-Learn. Given the program's relevance to MEAL, we strongly encourage participating organizations' focal point(s) to be in MEAL roles or with relevant background.
- The Organization must be registered with the local government and the office of the prime minister within the settlement or refugee hosting district where they work. Additionally, the organization should currently be having some funded projects or receiving subgrants from INGOs.
If your organization meets the selection criteria, you're welcome to fill out the new AAPA application form.. In Cohort #6 & 7, U-Learn will select two organizations per region (North, West Nile, and South-West) in each cohort. In total, 12 Organizations will receive AAP Technical support.
What will this program offer?
If selected, an Organization will identify up to three AAP support areas from the menu copied above based on your organization's AAP needs. You will be matched with a U-Learn AAP manager who is based in your region to collaboratively develop a customized 6-months work plan and set up AAP goals for implementation.
Depending on the extent of support and your/AAP manager's availability, you might need to schedule regular check-ins, hybrid sessions, field visits, and other engagements that work best for your needs. All relevant resources, such as practical guidance, CFM tools, and checklists, will be provided by U-Learn. However, please note that the U-Learn managers will not execute tasks for the organizations, but they will help build AAP capacity by guiding you to develop or strengthen your AAP practices.
The program will allow you to be part of an AAP Community of Practice (CoP) forum where the current cohort members exchange lessons learned and best practices on a regular basis.
There is no cost implication for organizations, however we expect active engagement and commitment throughout the 6-month period.
What is the time commitment?
While it depends on the needs, desire, and availability of participating organizations, we expect partners to commit or be available for one weeklong hybrid training and additionally be able to commit 2 hours bi-weekly to allow regular check-in with the program and assess progress.
This will be officiated by a commitment agreement signed off by the partner's senior leader(s), AAP focal point(s), and U-Learn before the technical support starts. As they become more confident and skilled in AAP, the dosage of support intensity and time commitment will gradually decrease. To assess progress and changes in AAP practices, baseline, midway and end-line surveys will be conducted among participants.
How to apply?
We encourage interested organizations' AAP focal points to discuss their AAP needs with their Country Director or senior management to receive approval before filling out the new AAPA application form to express their interest on behalf of the organization.
The deadline is 30th June, 2024.
Successful applicants will be informed by April 7th and will be provided with more information on next steps and access to the online learning space (including information on how to navigate it for those who did not participate in the AAP training sessions).
Timeline
1.
Launch of the Applications & Dissemination
4TH JUNE 2024
2.
Application Receiving Period
3 JUNE THROUGH 28 JUNE 2024
3.
Selection of Actors will be on rolling basis
4.
Feedback to Seclected Actors & Receive confirmation
8 JULY 2024
5.
Meet AAP Mgrs to sign agreement & Develop an Action plan
22 – 16 JULY 2024
6.
Program starts in 3 Regions
29 JULY 2024
Have more questions?
For more information or inquiries, please contact: infor@ulearn-uganda.org or aap@ulearnuganda.org