Learning through Collaboration in the Water Services Sector

1. Dept of WaterAffairs & Forestry Learning through Collaboration in the Water Services Sector Presentation to Portfolio Committee Ndala Duma May 24 2006

2. Vision and Mission Vision Well-organised and informed sector able to effectively deliver water supply and sanitation services to the people of SA Mission To ensure the body of knowledge in the sector is well managed, readily accessible and applied. FocusImproved decision-making and performance of local government

3. Strategic Alignment DWAF Strategic Plan 2007-11 • Strategic Objective of KFA 11.6:- ‘To promote water services knowledge sharing and ensure a knowledgeable sector, with the output of:- ‘Water Services knowledge network further developed by relevant sector partners with initial network operational’.

4. WIN Phases of Development (2003 to 2008) 2003 – 2005 GEARING UPPHASE 2005-2007 GROWTHPHASE 2008 ++ SUSTAINABILITY PHASE

5. Sector Approach • Collaborative structures (govt and others):- • WS Sector Leadership Group (WSSLG) to strategically guide the sector • Water Services Sector Coordinating Committee to oversee sector work plans & reporting at national level • Provincial Sector Fora (comprising mainly municipalities) to jointly plan, budget & implement provincial sector strategies • Strategic Framework for WS (SFWS) to guide the sector and set national goals & targets • Knowledge sharing and networking identified as a priority and a critical component of sector support

6. KNOWLEDGE SHARING IMPACT THROUGH SYNERGY SECTOR SUPPORT KNOWLEDGE SHARING Knowledge Sharing and Learning is the basis of Support and both are enabled by Collaboration. SECTOR COLLABORATION

7. WIN- Building Alliances Water Services WSIs & Professional Bodies dwaf • National Information System • Regional Info Centers • One-Stop-Shops • LG support salga & dplg LG Knowledge Sharing (WS Component) • Local • Regional • Cities networks DBSA LG Resource Centre win Local Government

8. Network Partnerships EXTERNAL • SADC • NEPAD • IRC • Streams of Knowledge INTERNAL • Cities Network / WS Managers • District WS Managers • Provincial WS Sector Fora • DBSA LG Resource Centre • LG Knowledge Sharing Programme • WS Provider Network • SA Assoc of Water Utilities • NGOs • Professional bodies

9. Key Focus Areas + Products & Services institutionalisation • WIN Product & Services • Publications • Dissemination facility + Portal • Lesson documentation • Reviews • Learning activities • Facilitation & support Access to Knowledge (KFA 2) Building the Network (KFA 1) • Shops Strengthening A Learning Culture (KFA 3) capacity building

10. Key products & services • People 2 People Learning • Forums of reflection • Learning journeys - site visits, exchanges • Learning spaces • Safe spaces • Knowledge Dissemination • Portal: WIN & own sites, access to other domains • Intelligent Mailing List • WIN Quarterly Publication • Documenting Lessons • Reviews • WIN Lessons Series • WIN Field notes • Building Capacity & Support • Training • Action learning • Workshops / seminars • Working alongside

11. Products & Services • The products & services are designed to deliver tangible outcomes • When initiated they pass through a nursery phase for assessment & refinement • Some are a continuous service – eg portal • Others may be stand alone, but more often than not are part of a learning process : one feeding into another to suit need and context

12. Products & Services as Part of Learning Journey Portal WIN Lesson series Mailing WIN Field Note Publication WIN lesson Training Learning space Seminar Sitevisit Action Learning Forum of reflection

13. Practical Example • Northern Cape O&M Programme • Initiated in 2002 & still running • Holistic approach:- • Developing O&M manual • Action learning in the workplace on real challenges • Participants ‘doing’ – not consultants • O&M training • Participatory & interactive review & reflection • O&M support units at District level • Raising the profile of O&M – political buy-in

14. Practical Example ..cont • WIN captured experience in lessons series • As of relevance created interest from other provinces to do similarly • Agreed learning exchange visit:- • Preparing for journey – both incoming & host groups • The event itself – visit of EC to the NC • Moving from inspiration to action • Was found to be of high value & many appropriate lessons applicable • EC follow up with dplg playing a leading role

15. Practical Example ..cont • Requires:- • Careful identification of participants – who will take forward in own municipality (include councillors) • Time & commitment of participants (therefore will only work if of immediate need) • Very careful planning, design and preparation • Follow-up & put into action (as relevant to new context) • Continued facilitation by WIN (support facilitation can be overtaken by ‘institutional’ home) • Sustained funding over time

16. Growing the Lessons Series • FBS: cost recovery approaches • Rural Water Supply • Health and Hygiene promotion • Institutional arrangements • Transfer of water schemes • Productive civil society relationships • Sanitation: appropriate technologies and sustainable services

17. Current Activities • ‘Bringing in the Harvest’ campaign • Disseminating & sharing the findings of the Sector Collaboration Review • Enabling learning in priority programmes • District WS Managers Forum • DWAF: National Sanitation Programme • S78 learning • Partners Forum • Developing the portal • Intelligent Mailing Lists – (Sector Collaboration, S78, etc)

18. Current Activities • Lessons series – (7 complete:- NCape O&M, Ethekwini W&S, FS Water Quality, Mogalakwena& Dr JS Moroka Household Sanitation, SFWS, Ukhahlamba Rural Water Supply • SADC, African & international links • Steams of Knowledge • IRC learning alliance (LG Capacity Building Symposium) • SADC NGO & SADC Best Practice project • Uganda – SA Exchange on SWAP experiences • In Nursery phase:- • Field Notes (Zululand IT Planning Tool, uMjindi farm dweller sanitation • Quarterly Newsletter

19. Bringing in the Harvest

20. Institutional Arrangements • Unit housed in WRC • WRC responsible for financial accountability & programme management • Accountable to WSSLG • Governance = Strategic Advisory Committee / WRC Board • Partners Forum SECTOR ACCOUNT-ABILITY

21. Towards a learning sector • At the outset no one considered lesson sharing as a motivation to collaborate – it was not on the agenda. Now it is seen as a key motivating drive and a benefit • Learning becomes possible when everyone realises that it is not a rocket science but can happen through normal course of events. • The challenge is to maximise these opportunities & build a culture of learning

22. Conclusion • Collaboration has been an enabler for lesson learning • BIH campaign has raised adequate awareness among municipalities • “Raising the flag campaign”: a hands on role for municipalities • Alignment: with sector targets, common reporting, accountability

23. “Speak to us” • Comments on Lesson Series email tolessons@win-sa.org.za • Sector Collaboration Review feedback & discussionlessons@win-sa.org.za • Portal content email towin-sa@wrc.org.za Register a lesson for documentation email tondalad@win-sa.org.za or nazreenk@win-sa.org.za • Learning journeys emailnazreenk@win-sa.org.za