Use of Operational Guidance Notes

• The team made liberal use of ISSAT reports in setting out “principles” of JSSR for the report. But owing to the fact that LAC is not well represented in DCAF/ISSAT work streams, there was more limited use of “content” based material.

• The team drew on a wide range of JSSR materials in shaping the report, some of them ISSAT/DCAF related. Where gaps were identified, they were supplemented. There are alternate definitions of JSSR in Latin America and the Caribbean, including citizen security, and so the team identified a wide range of literature for its own purposes. 

• None needed at this stage. 

• Absence of ISSAT OGN (methodological guidance) on programme design was a challenge.

• Did you use an ISSAT methodology guide (OGN or other)?
  • Yes

• The ISSAT M&E OGN was used for the first time in the context of this mission. It was used by ISSAT PO to design mission methodology
• M&E OGN was very useful as a guide and as a learning tool for the two team-members who have not done an evaluation previously.

• ISSAT OGN not used.

• Use ISSAT Assessment OGN to inspire Planning milestone checklist and use as tools to accompany mission planning in ISSAT (see recommendation under section Planning and Logistics).

• ISSAT Advisor already is familiar with the assessment OGNs.

- OGNs useful as a checklist: The OGNs on i) Preparing an SSR Assessment and ii) Conducting an SSR Assessment were very useful and were used by the teams as guides. They were not followed from A to Z but helped to challenge and to remind team members of important issues and general good practice. 

- The Assessment OGNs were very useful during the initial planning phase of the mission. However, it would have been beneficial to have examples of programme design maps that give examples of processes and highlight the topics and subheadings that should be considered when writing a programme document. 

• M&E OGN: The weakness of the OGN’s is that they are only useful to those who have never done a certain process. For experienced practitioners the OGNs are of too basic nature.

• M&E OGN: ISSAT OGN on M&E does not exist. This led to ISSAT Advisor conducting a working session with ISSAT M&E expert to design the framework and approach for the evaluation.

• M&E OGN: It is the team’s opinion that one of ISSAT’s added values is the role it plays in methodology design for practitioners. An M&E OGN would be much needed and appreciated by SSR practitioners.

• ISSAT OGN on How to be a Good Advisor was not used.

• OGN on Training Needs Assessment not used.

• Assessment OGN as a useful tool for mission preparation: ISSAT Assessment OGN was very useful for ISSAT PA’s preparation. It was shared with mission team and was used as a good basis for the “how to”.

• Assessment OGN as a strategic framework: ISSAT assessment OGN was also used by ISSAT Adviser as a framework to convey ISSAT’s strategic approach to assessments. This helped set the stage for the mission in South Sudan to determine the approach and scope of the assessment.

• ISSAT OGNs build on international good practice: The fact that the OGN’s build on international good practice, as a result of ISSAT’s expertise, adds  considerably to their credibility and to the professional added value of ISSAT in the field.

• List of key people to meet: ISSAT to produce a list of key stakeholders to meet in a country when engaging in programming for SSR. This list could contain actors such as: Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Internal affairs etc. It could be ideally attached to the different OGNs as supporting material prior to deployment on mission.

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• Training Needs Assessment  OGN not used as it does not cover what such a mandate would need.

Good Check List: Going back to the assessment OGNs acted as a good reminder on some key steps to take.

UNODC Criminal Justice Assessment Toolkit: The introduction of this tool provided good questions to think through and good guidance on how to proceed in asking them.

Stakeholder Analysis: A draft of the upcoming OGN stakeholder anaylsis worked well as a guideline for who to select in an assessment and how to approach different actors. 

• Guidance on National Seminars: Examples of National Seminars and some guidance on their components such as communications plans would have been beneficial.
• Technical checklist for implementation: A knowledge product conveying a checklist for organising National Seminars, including participation, agenda, tools, and examples of action plans etc. Would be beneficial.

• None

None

None

• None

None

None

• The OGN 'Conducting a Security and Justice Assessment' was extremely useful as a form of preparation to the team visit, also because it gave a structure to the problems the team had to face. Especially the subchapter 'Assessing the' Dynamic Balances of Power and Identifying Points of Leverage' is instructive reading material.

• Team Coordination: When using guidance material such as the ISSAT OGNs, be sure that time is take to discuss contents amongst a team so that there is coherence in understanding and interpretation.

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