B UILDING O RGANISATIONAL
C APACITY OF H EALTH
P ROFESSIONAL A SSOCIATIONS
... TO A SSUME L EADERSHIP
FIGO LOGIC
Initiative in Maternal and Newborn Health
H EALTH P ROFESSIONAL
A SSOCIATIONS AS L EADERS
“Individually and collectively, we have responsibilities as
members of professional organizations and civil society to
advocate for and contribute to progress by collaborative
partnerships that will be more effective in improving the
health and lives of women and children. Our strengths lie in
our professional expertise as health providers, educators,
advocates and advisors to policymakers and organizations.”
Dr. D. Shaw, FIGO (2006)
H EALTH P ROFESSIONAL
A SSOCIATIONS AS L EADERS
Areas where national health professional associations
can make a valuable contribution:
• Advocacy
• Country-Level Support
• Promotion of Effective
Interventions
• Capacity Building at
Country Level
WHAT IS “CAPACITY”?
“The ability of an entity (a person, an organization, a
system) to perform planned functions effectively,
efficiently and sustainably.”
SOGC, OCIF (2007)
This image represents the process of
capacity building. Much of an association’s
most important work, that of building its
organisational capacity, is not visible to the
outside world, but is crucial to establishing a
solid foundation.
WHAT IS “CAPACITY BUILDING”?
Capacity building is like
building blocks… in the sense
that capacity is built block by
block… and each block consists
of a different component which
must be addressed/built to make
the association strong and
viable.
BUILDING ORGANISATIONAL
CAPACITY
• Is possible
• Requires time, patience and
persistence
• Has no magic recipes
• Requires resources (human /
financial) and leadership
• Is country / association
specific
• Is association-led
• Is on-going and incremental
WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION
STRONG/SUSTAINABLE?
The Five Core
Organisational
Dimensions
Functions
Performance
Operational
Capacity
Culture
External
Relations and
Perception
WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION
STRONG/SUSTAINABLE?
Values /
Beliefs
Vision /
Mission
CULTURE
Rewards /
Incentives
The sum total of values, beliefs,
customs, traditions and
meanings developed over years
that make the association
unique, governs its character
and drives it forward.
WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION
STRONG/SUSTAINABLE?
Financial
Management
Strategy
Human
Resources
Management
Program /
Project
Management
Communication
Leadership /
Management
Infrastructure
Governance
OPERATIONAL
CAPACITY
What is needed for the
association to operationalise
its programs, projects and
activities.
WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION
STRONG/SUSTAINABLE?
Efficiency
Relevance
Financial
Health
Effectiveness
PERFORMANCE
What is needed for the
association to meet its
goals and objectives and
to become viable.
WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION
STRONG/SUSTAINABLE?
Legal and
political
framework
Linkages
and
networks
Ownership
and
participation
Rules and
norms
EXTERNAL
RELATIONS AND
PERCEPTION
The environment
(political, social,
economic) in which the
association functions
and how it is perceived
by others.
WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION
STRONG/SUSTAINABLE?
Promotion of
quality/standard
of care
Advancing
professional
practice
Influencing
medical
practice and
health policy
Membership
services
FUNCTIONS
The ‘raison d’être’ of an
association or the reasons
for which they exist
(registration, continuing
professional development,
etc.).
SOGC’s ORGANIZATIONAL
IMPROVEMENT FRAMEWORK
Capacity
Assessment
Data
Analysis
Pre-cycle
Improvement
plan
Implementation
and Performance
Measurement
3 – 5 year cycle
WHY ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY
ASSESSMENTS ARE IMPORTANT
• Focuses on the important
organisational dimensions of an
association
• Identifies areas of strengths and
weaknesses
• Facilitates the implementation of a
guided process in light of resources
available and the reality of the country
• Can be used to establish a baseline and
measure progress
HOW TO GET STARTED…
Proposed Process for the Organisational Capacity Assessment and
Development of an Improvement Plan
1. Complete the assessment
2. Develop improvement plan
3. Have assessment and plan ratified by
the Board/Executive Committee
4. Seek necessary technical and other
resources to implement
5. Monitor and evaluate
Thank You