Simon Koolwijk

'The literacy rate has increased with 20 % in five years!' 'Fifty percent of the young people, who participated in reading and writing classes have acquired a job within a year after their studies!' 'The number of parents, who take on volunteer responsibilities in the Youth Centre have increased with 30 parents in two years!' These are just three examples of project indicators, which can be for mulated according to the Logical Framework (LF) principles for a youth development project in a big slum area in Kampala City, Uganda. However, most statistical indicators are difficult to measure. And what do statistics say about structural change? Mostly change can not be liniarly and logically explained...... Most structural change starts with behavioural change. Many times I hear people express after an inspirational workshop about social media; ' Tomorrow I am going to open an account at Twitter!', 'I will update my profile at Linkedin!...

"We have set priorities! It was a good day to share and to reflect. We have done a lot of good work in raising funds with our partners at the Balkan for the Green Agenda project. We did not recognise that we had a facilitator today! Simon was behind the screens, but still he was there...." These were some of the comments of the staff of MilieuKontakt International at the Balkan Fundraising strategy meeting, where information was shared on how many local funds were raised for the Green Agenda project. The Green Agenda project focuses on conducting multistakeholder processes on environmental pracises with citizens in 6 countries at the Balkan; Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. In each country 3 pilots projects are conducted in 3 communities where improvement of cultural and natural values are the key. Some communities are already busy implementing some projects such as the promotion of bicycles in Banja Luka in Bosnia & Herzegov...

"The flow was perfect" "I enjoyed every moment" "A very useful course, which supports me to plan my capacity development efforts" "A dynamic course with a lot of variation in exercises". These were the comments of three development advisors who will be working the next two years for ICCO and Stichting Stephanos in Malawi, Peru and Honduras. One advisor will be supporting touristic initiatives in Peru, one will work as a creative therapy consultant with youth in Honduras, and one will be working as an educational co-ordinator supporting local schools and orphans in Malawi. The course was organised by the Hendrik Kraemer Institute in Utrecht. The institute is preparing development advisors for consultancies and missions in the south. Simon Koolwijk was conducting the 3-day training. Capacity development, strengthening local partners to make their service delivery more sustainable and effective, is one of their main tasks. Assisting local staf...

This training was like a hot vegetable soup! A clear training; it helps you to come step-by-step towards a workplan! Very practical! Sometimes the course was like a heavy meal, but it was very interesting! These were some of the comments from 6 starters and volunteers who will be working through Togetthere (an organisation linked to ICCO ) which sends out volunteers and starters for a period of 5 - 10 months in a development country. Main topics of the training were: How to make a workplan when you are going to work for a development organisation in the South? How can I contribute towards strengthening the local capacity? and how to deal with cultural but also workrelated dilemma's when I work there? On the first day Simon Koolwijk took the participants through the steps of problem, goal formulation and assisted the participants in planning their outputs (accomplished products) and workactivities. One of the participants who will be working Israel, will focus on producing an...