Building a Strong Foundation: SCEF’s Journey to Strengthening Staff and Transforming Lives with Additional Support from Global Fund for Children (GFC)
Introduction:
The Street Children Empowerment Foundation (SCEF) is embarking on a momentous journey to transform the lives of street-connected children, bolstered by an invaluable grant from the esteemed Global Fund for Children. This grant serves as additional support for SCEF’s Organisational Development (OD) efforts, following a comprehensive Organisational Capacity Index assessment that identified key areas for improvement. With a strong focus on staff strengthening, SCEF aims to navigate complexities, deliver exceptional services, and secure sustainable funding, enabling these resilient children to achieve their fullest potential.
Capacity Building Workshops:
At the heart of SCEF’s transformative journey lies the commitment to equip board members, employees, and volunteers with essential skills and tools to fortify the organization. To achieve this, SCEF organized comprehensive capacity-building workshops, addressing crucial areas such as fundraising, communication, advocacy, and security practices.
The workshop commenced with the brilliant Communication Officer, Asare Kesse, sharing vital insights into the evolving landscape of technology and its associated threats. Staff gained invaluable knowledge in cyber-security, email spamming and phishing, google drive management, and more, empowering them to navigate the digital realm with confidence. The training also covered photography and blogging essentials, as well as effective email signatures and labeling.
Advocacy and Content Creation:
SCEF recognized the paramount importance of empowering advocacy and content creation, leading to an insightful training conducted by Ophelia Allotey, the dedicated Executive Assistant and Advocate. Staff were guided through the intricacies of social media campaigns, advocacy elements, and research techniques, enhancing their writing skills and enabling them to craft impactful reports that amplify SCEF’s cause.
Project Development and Budgeting:
To ensure the success and sustainability of SCEF’s projects, the esteemed Programme Manager, Anthony Kojo Bosomtwe, led the team on a meticulous journey of project development. Emphasis was placed on problem analysis, monitoring, and evaluation, laying the foundation for impactful and enduring initiatives. Furthermore, the Account Officer, Monica Tetteh, provided valuable insights on budgeting, cost estimation, and financial welfare initiatives for staff. These measures enable SCEF to serve as a steadfast support system during challenging times.
Understanding Fundraising and Donor Relations:
The visionary Executive Director of SCEF, Paul Semeh, shed light on the essence of fundraising and unveiled effective strategies for engaging potential donors. Staff gained valuable insights into cultivating diverse donor relationships, harnessing the collective impact that supports SCEF’s noble mission.
Caring for Staff Mental Health:
Recognizing the vital importance of staff well-being, SCEF prioritized a session on mental health for staff and volunteers. Dr. Fatima Hafiz all the way from the USA and the Founder of www.theteagroup.org introduced the transformative “Thera-me” self-development tool, empowering individuals with self-knowledge and emotional management skills. Understanding the impact of emotions on personal and professional aspects fosters a healthier and more productive work environment. She will be following up with one-on-one sessions virtually with each team member.
Field Learning Visits:
To enrich our perspectives and adopt best practices, SCEF’s team embarked on enlightening field visits to organizations sharing similar goals. The experiences gained from Chance for Children (CFC) office at Agbogloshie, Village of Hope Vocational Institute at Pokuase, Child Rights International (CRI) at Dzorwulu, and Challenging Height at Winneba inspired the SCEF team, reaffirming their unwavering commitment to making a lasting difference in the community.
Conclusion:
With additional support from the Global Fund for Children, SCEF’s journey towards organizational development has become an empowering force, strengthening staff, and amplifying the impact on the lives of street children. By addressing identified areas for improvement and nurturing the potential of staff, SCEF is building a strong foundation for a brighter future. Together, SCEF and its dedicated team are rewriting the story of street-connected children, breathing life into their dreams and aspirations, and fostering a world where hope and opportunity prevail.
