Working paper on

“Networking as an approach for the MDM’ project”

This is a working paper on the networking process of the project based

Intro:
Networking is a process through which 2 or more organizations
co-operate to implement activities serving each of these orgs’ objectives.
While network is a structure through which 2 or more orgs co- operate to
achieve objectives.
MDM needs a networking process approach for the following reasons:
1. MDM has no grassroot actions and will depend in implementing
its project on the field work of the other 4 orgs,
2. Networking is believed to strengthen MDM’s ability to
significantly increase its impact as a policy negotiator and
advocating agency for mental health.
3. MDM will benefit from the experiences and relations of the 4
orgs in conducting the raising awareness campaign and
combating the stigma.
4. For forming information data base, MDM needs the 4 orgs to
share information and spread knowledge about grassroots’ needs,
solutions and and best practices.
5. Networking is an important grantee for the sustainability of the
project.
The suggested action plan:
i. Rationales
 To create a networking process, it is crucial to identify the
common needs among the partners and establish common
interests and keeping in mind these expectations during the
whole stages of the project. It was good to have asked the
participants during the workshop about the outcomes of
 implementing of this project on their orgs and their
expectations, which are the following:
1. At individual level they expect to develop new skills and
concepts which will improve their positions in their orgs.
2. Their orgs will gain:
A. Widening the scope of work to be integrated and
holistic,
B. Developing its human resources,
C. Improving the communication with the target
groups
D. Developing their relations with the local
community leaders,
E. Each org will benefit from collective sharing
information, resources, and experiences,
F. Getting more credits.
 One of the important points is to share power. Sharing power
creates sense of ownership and loyality among the partners.
Power is create mutual responsibilities and to reach decisions
collectively.
 Another point is the representation. The workshop MDM
conducted was attended by field-workers, as a result it was
impossible to reach a code of practice because reaching a code
of practice needs decision makers of the orgs to participate. Of
course we do not need decision makers to attend all the
activities but we need their participation in setting the
priorities, approving plans of actions, celebrating achievements
and solving problems. What I mean is to choose the
participants according to their influence on the activities.
When we plan for the TOT, we need the trainers of the
partners and when we plan for combating the stigma we need
the project officers and so on.
 Data Base and Information System: In an effective
networking, there is a regular flow of information from one
level to another and among different organizations and
personnel. These horizontal and vertical information flows at
 regular intervals and demand a compact information gathering,
interpreting and transmitting process. (Information in ths case
is more than mere collection and compilation of data.
Information is data procured for purpose). In this project, the
information of situation analysis and cumulative experience –
success and failure - of various activities have to be collected,
stored, analysed and disseminated to the relevant personnel,
and organizations to facilitate performance improvement and
to nourish the advocacy activities.
 In many occasions, networking starts strong and weakens over
time. These are some suggestions help to maintain the
networking:
- Establishment of communication network at different
levels.
- Regular Collection, documentation of mental health
materials and information dissemination about these;
- Arranging workshop, seminar, every 6 month to report
the partners
- Arrange linkages among the organizations for use of
physical facility like training venues, equipment etc.
ii. Suggested steps:
1. Conduct a 2 hour meeting for the decision makers in the
4 orgs to motivate them to be more involved. This
meeting will focus on:
A. Sharing with them the outcomes of the workshop
particularly the expected outcomes of implementing
the project on the target groups and their orgs.
B. Setting the priority of the coming activities or
getting their approval in case u will have set the
priorities.
2. Preparing for the TOT workshop, I consider this step as a
real and felt need which will push the project and the
networking process several steps forward. (Plz look at
my recommendations in the report). To make these
preparations participatory, a team (task force) is formed
 from 4 trainers of the orgs, 4 field workers who work
directly with beneficiaries and 2 members of MDM team.
A. The roles of this team are to:
 Define precisely the job of the trainers (the
trainees after attending the workshop) in this
project giving equal weights to the following
components: working with marginalized
groups, social aspects of mental health, and
raising awareness of a community and
combating a stigma.
 Setting the criteria of choosing the master
trainer, and select her or him.
 Conduct a meeting with the chosen master
trainer to set the agenda of the workshop
 Define the contributions of each org
according to their capacities and resources
 Set a plan of follow up,
 Getting the approval of the general
coordinator of MDM and the decision makers
of the involved orgs
B. The roles of the 2 members of MDM:
 To make sure that all members of the team
participating and the interests of the orgs are
considered,
 To make sure that the training will be serving
the project objectives and the attendants will
be able to work with the target groups ( most
at risk people, community leaders, social
workers and health workers)
3. Producing a simple brochure illustrating the project and
highlighting the involved orgs is urgent. The process of
producing this brochure should be participatory. Another
alternative to produce posters illustrating the project and
high lighting the names and logos of the involved
 partners. These posters will be stuck somewhere in the
involved orgs locations. The suggestion aims to helping
the partners to keep in mind the objectives of the project
and feeling a sense of ownership.
4. Regarding combating the stigma:
A. A team (7-9) from the orgs (task force) will be
formed and attend the TOT training to be
empowered on how to deal and transform the
conciousness of the community regarding an issue.
B. Then the team with Dr Hany as a facilitator will set
a plan to combat the stigma in their areas including
the different messages to different target groups, the
methodologies of dessiminating the messages and
time table.
C. The team will conduct the plan and conduct the
raising awareness sessions.
D. The team will meet regularly to reflect and discuss
challenges.
5. Regarding the curricula, as I have mentioned in the
report, curricula are badly needed. Building the capacities
of GPs of PHC, health workers, social workers,
instructors of partners’ orgs and others should be
systematic and effective. So a curriculum is needed for
each group. The items of each curriculum are mentioned
in the report. To develop these curriculum which will be
based on the need assessment held by MDM, a team (task
force) will be formed and follow the same steps
mentioned in the previous point.
6. The most important point in this networking is the MDM
team performance:
A. In fact the team has several strengths
 Covers various important specialities:
psychology, GP, psychiatry, community
oriented personnel,
  has extensive experiences in working with
street children, children with disabilities and
other areas of field work
 motivated and enthusiastic
B. Implementing a project adopting a networking
approach is different from implementing field
project. It needs additional attitudes and skills:
 Applying networking skills: keeping the
overall objective in mind during addressing
the activities, sharing responsibilities and
keeping the partners informed, reaching
collective decisions, empowering instead of
supervising, and motivating the partners. The
team may need to be trained on how to deal
with the different stages of team work
(forming, storming and achieving).
C. Based on that, the expected roles of MDM team
may be:
 Forming different team works (task force)
according to well defined standers and for
achieving specific objectives.
 Preparing for the meetings of the teams ( task
force) including setting the agenda,
 Attending the meetings and making sure that
the meetings include the objectives of the task
force, planning, sharing responsibilities,
indicators of achievements, setting time table ,
and follow up steps.,
 Leading a collective decision making
whenever it is needed,
 Sharing information reports with partners
 Conduct field visits to motivate the partners,
follow up the implementation of
 responsibilities distributed during the
meetings, and sharing experiences;
 Link the works of different task forces to each
other,
 Gathering stories of success to publish and
disseminate.
 All these in addition to the regular roles as
apart of MDM (planning, organizing,
reporting, evaluation,,,,,,,)

Farid Antoun
October 2014