Programmatic approach is a strategy that pierces across layers of intervention levels (micro to meso to macro... macro to meso to micro) towards the goal of sustainable regional development. The aim of this approach is to build the capacity of individuals, communities, and institutions to put regional development projects into action. Such a programme is more than the sum of individual projects; it is a synergy, an energy circle that creates far reaching aimed and ripple effects.

The key factors that need to be in place for a programmatic approach are:

• Leadership by local organisations

• Local participation with respect to analysis, programme design, implementation, management and monitoring and evaluation.

• One cohesive programme and budgetary framework

• Donor co-ordination and harmonisation of procedures

All the factors culminate in a Cluster which becomes the most visible representative medium of the programmatic approach. A certain number (8-9) of individual projects (located in geographical proximity), with varied experiences, skill sets and competencies, form a cluster. The key word here is ‘shared competencies’; to be programmatic in nature the emphasis needs to be on collective analysis and planning, creating synergy between interventions, as well as on linking and learning between relevant stakeholders. In all this local ownership is the ultimate goal. The cluster will address the need of a particular geographical area with the support of different stakeholders.

In a cluster one partner will be the Lead NGO and others will be cluster partners. The role of a Lead NGO is to coordinate, monitor and evaluate activities of the cluster and also to facilitate the potential of the cluster to be, to let the synergy be by building capacity of the cluster through regular trainings, linkages with other stakeholders (specifically the government), pooling in the potentail of the partners and regular assessments.

The programme addresses 21,500 children (school going and drop out) from the age group of 6-14 years and 3500 adolescents within the age group of 15-18 years with specific goals to:

• Create 95% (of total eligible children for primary school enrollment) enrollment in the government schools.

• Create 80% girl child enrollment.

• Achieve 85% retention (up to 5th std.) in the schools covered under the programme.

• Strengthen 95% community groups to address their issues (with focus on education)

• Facilitate government educational policies access for at least 80% of the villages.

• Scale up interventions related to school curriculum i.e. inclusion of life skills and livelihood skills in the school curriculum by the state.

• Create a strong regional network of civil society actors to address education.
  

Cluster Partners: YCDA, SHARP, RARE, PAP, KALYAN, ADARSHA, SIDI and AJKA

Lead NGO: YCDA

Shiksha Chetana (Education Awareness) is the second cluster formed, which addresses Sundargarh and Keonjhar districts of Orissa.

Shiksha Chetana is a collective effort, of ten locally based non profit organizations, towards relevant intervention and partnership with the communities in 408 villages representing 21,125 families of which, 13,895 are living below poverty line. The programme addresses 29,908 children (school going and drop out) of the age group 6-14 years and 6,720 adolescents between 15-18 years. The outcomes expected at the end of the programme period are:

• 90% inclusion (through maintained enrollment) of total 6-14 years old girls and boys in the formal education system

• Equipping at least 60% of the total 15-18 years old girls and boys through livelihood skills training to earn supplementary income.

• Strengthening 80% of members from various community groups to claim ownership on and manage community resources (with reference to schools).

• Scaling up at least one intervention related to quality and relevant education through formalization

• Create a strong regional network of civil society actors to address education.
  

Cluster Partners: ORES, SEWAK, KIRDTI, SES, VARRAT, WOSCA, ASHRA, SNYS, WORD, YAVARD

Lead NGO: ORES

Shiksha se Parivartan (change through education) is third in line of five clusters in India. It brings together nine non profit organizations based in East Singbhum, West Singbhum and Saraikela districts of Jharkhand.

Shiksha se Parivartan is a collective effort to increase access to quality and relevant education for children in the age group of 6-14 years old by strengthening marginalized communities and increase employment opportunities for 15-18 years old youth by promoting various livelihood options. Specific Goals of the project are:

• To facilitate child participation through children’s clubs

• 90% enrolment and retention of girl children in the given villages.

• Availability and understanding of relevant and alternate livelihood skills to youth between 15-18, through trainings

• Strengthening Village Education Committees (VEC) such that the members are aware of their roles and responsibilities, child rights and required support from the government to run the educational centers efficiently.

• Convergence with Media

• Convergence with the Government

The changes are seen with respect to intervention in 200 villages involving 27,032 families and 27,050 children (6-14 years: 26530, 15-18 years: 520)

Cluster Partners: ASRA, TRCSC, YUVA, SPACE, PL, KMS, SBMS, SMVM, SPAR

Lead NGO: SPAR

Dahar (the path or the way) the newest cluster, which hopes to make a breakthrough and create a new path towards addressing issues of education in troubled and marginalized districts, is a synergy of 7 non profit organizations from Palamu, Lohardaga and Latehar. Dahar believes in dignity and rights of children and education and life & livelihood skills as the means to the same by ensuring quality and relevant education that equip them with livelihood skill.

The cluster hopes to make a change by directly addressing 139 villages, 26,601 school going children and 4203 drop out children and youth. The success measurement will be indicated by the following:

• Participation of children

• Availability and awareness of alternate and relevant livelihood skills for 15-18 years old adolescents.

• Village level advocacy towards education and strengthened village communities

• Networking and dialogue between various stakeholders

Cluster Partners: LGSS, LEADS, VEDIC, BPYP, MMKK, MSUS, SPARK

Lead NGO: LGSS

Bastar Ujar (light of Bastar) is a new cluster that is in its nascent stage and hopes to improve the quality of educational access, retention and promotion rates of children in the age group of 6-18 years by bringing together energies of nine non profit organizations based in Bastar and Dantewada districts of Chhattisgarh. 138 villages and 28,384 children (of which 5,873 are in the age group of 15-18 years) are directly included in the programme.

The programme aims to achieve the following:

• Bring education opportunity to children who otherwise would have never been to school.

• Availability of relevant and workable livelihood options to 15-18 years olds.

• Strengthening of the local governance structure with focus on education and livelihood.

• Build linkages with the line department and corporate sector

Cluster Partners: BSM, SMS, SAVISA, BVSS, VM, BHORSS, VANYA, GSS, BSJVS

Lead NGO: BSM

Education and work

Increasing the relevance of education by directing its planning and content to expertise, skills and attitudes that are supportive of generating an income, as well as facilitating the transfer from basic education to the (informal) labour market (link with sustainable and fair economic development).

Education and HIV/AIDS

Contributing to the prevention of HIV/AIDS through education and moderating the impact of the pandemic on educational chievements and the educational sector (link with the HIV/AIDS-programme).

Education and (post-) conflict

Supporting and promoting education in (post)-conflict situations and promoting education for human rights and peace (link with democratisation and peace building).

Education for marginalised peoples

Promoting and supporting the right to relevant and good-quality education for politically, economically and culturally marginalised peoples (link with democratisation and peace building)

Education and local solutions

Poverty Reduction

Increasing access to relevant good-quality education by means of feasible, affordable and sustainable (local) solutions.

Strengthening Civil Societies

Strengthening the capacity of local actors (in particular from civil society) to develop, try out and promote feasible, affordable and sustainable (local) solutions to increase access to relevant and good-quality education.

Lobby and Advocacy

Initiating, participating in and supporting national and international campaigns and lobbying activities in the field of EFA [Education for All] and related issues, in order to translate the universal right to free and good-quality education into guaranteed access to education.

We pre assess, monitor and evaluate educational programmes for Edukans and also channels funds for small grant projects.

Cluster Programmes:

Clusters are formed in the three states – Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa.  Each cluster formed with 7-10 organisations, designs a programme and works in a certain area in the state.  All clusters together in one state form a state programme.  The three state programmes together form the Education Programme for Edukans in India.

Small Grant Projects:

An "Appropriate Technology and Micro-enterprise Development Resource Centre" for the three states of Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh is an intervention that can meet the need of bringing together social, environmental and technological knowledge to generate sustainable livelihoods in rural areas. Our interventions are to facilitate promotion of entrepreneurship among rural youth. Training will be provided in enterprise based rural technologies for improved agricultural production, production of building materials, renewable/alternative energy systems, and biomass products. 

C. FORUMS

We have established Forums to promote quality education in the three states – Orissa, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand. The educational development forum has a got a significant title in each state - “Orissa Education and Action Network [OriEAN]” in Orissa, “Siksha Kiran” in Chattisgarh and “Jharkhand Primary Education Forum [JPEF]” in Jharkhand

The objective of the forum is to unite the like minded organizations in the state to identify the local issues in education, to capacitate them in strengthening the community and in addressing the issues through lobby and advocacy, thereby bringing a change in educational policy in the state and nation. 

D. CAPACITY BUILDING

We strengthen the capacity of local organisations and actors in managerial skills in terms of organization, planning, communication, finance, fundraising quality etc and educational skills in terms of objectives, target groups, methods, organisation and resources. 

We train our partners on working with concepts like Self Help Groups, para-teachers, and short-term Vocational Training. Capacity building activities also target local governments (Panchayats), by providing training in project review, monitoring and evaluation, and approaches to participatory development. We also enable the partners to build the capacity of their own target groups - community based organisations Village Education Committees, Parents Teachers Association etc

E. NETWORKING

F. LOBBY AND ADVOCACY

G. Ex-CHANGE PROGRAMMES