Leadership and vision building It is the responsibility of the board or management committee/steering committee of the Alliance to provide strategic direction and establish and maintain the values and principles on which the Alliance and the program is built The Alliances demonstrate strong leadership, informed by values and principles Legal responsibilities The Board/governing body needs to ensure that its legal obligations are met. It must be clear for each Alliance which body this is that has this responsibility Each Alliance expresses a clear understanding of their responsibilities in this area Ethical codes and practices The Board/governing body needs to ensure that its legal obligations are met. It must be clear for each Alliance which body this is that has this responsibility This Review did not undertaken a detailed assessment of this aspect of the Alliance’s governance structures Alliance structure and operations Structure should be documented which includes the composition, selection and appointment of members, succession planning, roles and responsibilities, as well as operations – maintaining and improving processes, clarifying responsibilities, delegations of authority The Alliances are adequately documented in this area Alliance reporting compliance, project plans and operations The Alliance needs to operate within a comprehensive policy framework that includes an overarching strategy and operational/delivery plan The OfW provides a detailed reporting framework which facilitates this requirement Risk assessment and management Careful processes of risk assessment and management are implemented and reviewed. These should be documented and publicly available This area needs attention across the Alliances Performance monitoring and management Each Alliance should be explicit about monitoring its own performance and that of the board/steering committee/reference group and executive officer/s. Evidence should be available of the practice to take any necessary steps to address issues as they may emerge. The OfW reporting framework enables detailed monitoring of their performance. This Review did not assess the adequacy of their officer or staff performance management. Source: Adapted from Bradfield and Nyland (cited in NCOSS 2011) Some Alliances are incorporated; others are located within relevant incorporated organisations. Flexibility with respect to this seems appropriate within the Alliance model as it enables each Alliance to evolve as appropriate. What is important is that each has a governance structure that ensures that the principles of good governance are adhered to and the Department is satisfied that the questions, as outlined in Table 1, are capable of being answered adequately by each Alliance on an on-going basis. Table 2 provides a summary of the governance arrangement for each Alliance.
– TARGET GROUPS AND ISSUES FOCUS ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES ACTIVITIES AND OUTPUTS INCLUDING LOBBYING INTERMEDIATE OUTCOMES ILLUSTRATIONS OF PROGRAM OUTCOMES Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women Rural Women Migrant and Refugee Women Violence Economic security Equality Surveys Research Board membership Engagement with member organisations and networks Capacity building sector groups Use of websites and social media Media Production of reports, position papers, education kits and campaigns Membership of boards and appointment to government and international advisory positions Presentations and speakers at a range of political and media events. Extensive media coverage Alliance members at political events; face to face meetings with Government Ministers, Senators, Opposition members and Independent Members of parliament. Influencing budget process Direct inputs into government policy on Federal Laws; to the Australian Law Reform Commission around Family Violence and Commonwealth Law. Representation of women’s NGO’s on national and international policy development bodies including membership on the ABS Advisory Board; representatives selected as People of Australia Ambassadors; representation of migrant and refugee women’s perspective at human rights commission and national multicultural advisory round table; National Plan Implementation Panel; consideration of membership on Children and Family roundtable Input into Australia’s Fifth Report under the convention of torture Informed government decisions on improved gender equality through coordinated whole of government advice and support for women’s economic security, safety and leadership Achieved input into budget outcomes for women through budget submission process; key inputs into the Henry Tax Review. Development of a National Affordable Housing Framework and ongoing work with government to establish national, viable, long-term, funded housing policy. Changes to the Fair Work Amendment (Textile, Clothing and Footwear Industry) Bill passed in 2012.
Table – Evaluation framework (the colours below link with the colours of the Program Logic) Program Logic WHAT Evaluation Framework – conceptualisation of success and measurement HOW Data collection and reporting EVALUATION REPORTING OfW use of evaluation data for Program management USE OF EVALUATION Outcomes Hierarchy Program Logic) Measures This column identifies where in the Annual Progress Report (APR) and the Quarterly Progress Update (QPU) the information to populate columns five and six can be located. Examples of the type of information Alliances may provide Evaluation output use OfW uses evaluation findings for reporting success and for adaptive management Evaluation questions (Guiding questions for framing data collection) Process (Activities for different levels of outcomes conceptualised to guide measurement) Ultimate outcomes – Broad focused advancement for gender equality Informed government decision making Improved profile of women’s issues for government Contribution to outcomes for women Views of women inform government policy and decision making Women’s movement access to government increased APR Part 2. Policy changes Impact of women’s views on government policy and processes Examples of influence of Alliances ‘seat at the table’ etc Reporting Alliance success Intermediate outcomes – Advancing the Issues – what changed
Measurable influencing strategies Improved coordination of the women’s movement Demonstrated impacts on government policy and decision making processes Demonstrated collaboration between Alliances Increase in lobbying and advocacy around issues important to women Coordinated efforts by the Alliances APR Part 1.c) and Part 1.b) Desired changes in media coverage of an issue Calibre of people met Numbers of meetings Invitations to present Invitations to advise/comment Invitations to significant events Critical incidents Stories Case studies Measures in changes in attitudes OfW facilitation of influencing activities Immediate outcomes – what was achieved Work Plans which respond to the issues Work Plans achieved Alliances Women’s Alliances activities being implemented effectively APR Part 1. d) APR Part 1. b) and e) Media hits Distribution of reports Distribution of kits Assessment of partnership strength OfW management of reporting processes to enable reflective management by the Alliances
Needs Government desire to engage women in decision making Government’s commitment to engage women in decision making; Funding – establishment, core operations, special projects OfW engagement of Alliances and government in the Program establishment and operation APR Part 4. QPU Part 3. Support and management of Alliances by OfW Success of the Forums Facilitation of Alliances access to government Facilitation of government’s responsiveness to view of women Supportive management of Alliances Enabling Alliance success