Programme Management Best Practice.

Save the Children Fund (2006) Successful programmes are based on clear set of programme principles, and are implemented and managed in a disciplined manner with strong research, planning and budgeting, monitoring and impact analysis. Produced by the International Save the Children Alliance, this manual builds on a long history of successful programme activity, and contains guidelines on best practice in governance, strong management and effective programme work. Although aimed at Alliance members specifically and those working on children-focused programmes more generally, its lessons are useful in a wider context.
The manual is meant to help build capacity and professionalism and serve as a resource to guide in the planning, implementation and evaluation of successful programmes. Its three principal sections are as follows:
  • 1. Programme principles: these should reflect the organisation's overall mission.
  • 2. Programme methodologies: these can include:
    • direct support
    • working in partnership or in collaboration (with governments, civil society, children and child organisations, networks and coalitions)
    • knowledge dissemination and capacity building
    • advocacy and awareness raising
    • research and analysis
    • support to or direct involvement in monitoring processes
  • 3. Programme management guidelines using the project management cycle as a framework. Phases consist of:
    • Research
    • Planning
    • Implementation, monitoring and evaluation
    • Impact analysis
  • At the end of the manual, a Benchmarks section contains an easy-to-use checklist. Download PDF (23p., 174.26 KB)