Containing the HIV and AIDS
epidemic is not just a health problem to be managed by healthcare providers. It is an issue that
should concern each and every one of us, irrespective of who we are. To achieve a Summer for All
People in South Africa we need ‘Leadership by all at all levels’. Everyone can
play an important part in making the Summer for All a reality.
To make a real difference we need
concerted, integrated and co-ordinated efforts by individuals, groups and organisations across
the country. We believe that you can play a role in areas where you have
influence - in your family, social and work life.
How do you move from the current scenario to your preferred scenario?
Step 1 - Situational and Needs Analysis
Step 2 - Identifying Issues, Exploring Options and Possibilities
Step 3 - Making Strategic Choices
Step 4 - Developing Objectives and Activities
Step 5 - Taking Action or Implementing Activities
Step 6 - Monitoring and Evaluation
Conclusion
STEP 1:
Situational and Needs Analysis
This step in the planning cycle
involves doing a Situational and Needs Analysis. This initial step asks you to
consider the following questions:
- What do you know and what have you witnessed about HIV and AIDS within your
community or organisation
-
What are people doing in your community to address HIV and AIDS – who is
involved and what are they doing
-
What needs are emerging that appear not to be addressed
-
Where are you now? In answering this question, you may want to do a SWOT
analysis to identify your Strengths and Weaknesses and recognise the Opportunities and Threats
Table 1. SWOT Analysis Template
Once you have answered these questions, review the four scenarios described in
the Live the Future model. What scenario do you think you are operating in. Perhaps you are moving between two different scenarios.
Mark your current scenario with a dot as in Figure 5.
Figure 5. Current Versus Preferred Scenario
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STEP 2:
Identifying Issues, Exploring Options and Possibilities
This step of the planning cycle is
Identifying Issues, Exploring Options and Possibilities. In Step 1, you probably
identified yourself somewhere between Winter, Autumn or Spring. In this Step, it
is important that you recognise and have a good understanding of the issues
facing your community or organisation. There are many tools available to help
you understand problems or challenges and we encourage you to use these tools
to properly understand the root of the problems in your community as well as the
inter-relationship between these problems and challenges. A good problem analysis
exercise will help you identify the focal problems and think strategically as you
go into the next phase of identifying solutions.
In identifying solutions it is important to focus on:
-
Your preferred
scenario – Winter, Autumn, Spring or Summer. Mark your preference on
the Live the Future matrix with a cross (x) as in Figure 5
-
What is your vision
-
What are the options or
possibilities that exist to achieve this vision
This can be done by restating the
issues you identified above into positive, desirable and realistic conditions.
Summer is probably your preferred scenario and there is a lot of information in
this document and in the Live the Future information pack to help you
visualise and understand what a Summer for All People means.
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STEP 3:
Making Strategic Choices
This step, Making Strategic Choices,
recognises that you cannot solve all problems at once. In developing plans you
need to consider the different options available as well as the most
practical strategies to eliminate or reduce the problem. If you revisit
Step 2, carefully review the strategies that emerged and ask yourself:
-
Are there sufficient resources
available to implement the strategy
-
What will be the extent and
level at which these strategies will have an effect on the problem? Will
this help solve the problem
-
Are there leaders or champions
to drive and support these particular strategies
-
Which strategies address the
perceived priorities and needs of your community or organisation
-
How do these strategies tie in
with the national HIV and AIDS plan
-
Who else is working in these
areas that can support or complement your work
-
Is the strategy appropriate
for your group to address
-
How sustainable is the
strategy
These questions should help
eliminate those strategies that are unrealistic, not within your field of
expertise or capability, or those already being tackled by an existing
programme, organisation or institution in your area. Once a strategic option has been chosen, it is necessary to break down the
strategy into measurable and realistic steps that can develop into a workable
programme to mitigate the effects of HIV and AIDS. You can now embark on Step 4.
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STEP 4:
Developing Objectives and Activities
This step is about Developing
Objectives and Activities, as well as identifying your target audience, setting
time frames, identifying resources needed and allocating responsibilities that
will enable you to achieve your preferred goal or scenario. Again, there are
many planning tools that can help you conceptualise all the processes that need
to be followed to achieve your vision.
Below is a template of a simple
project plan for you to get a sense of how plans can be arranged to share
information simply and clearly.
Table 2. Project Planning
Template – an example of a project plan or programme
Project plans, such as the one outlined above, should be reviewed every 6 – 9
months and then amended to ensure they reflect progress made and any change in
strategy.
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STEP 5:
Taking Action or Implementing Activities
This step is about Taking Action or
Implementing Activities as set out in your project plan above. It is axiomatic that without action, goals cannot be achieved.
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STEP 6:
Monitoring and Evaluation
Finally, ask yourself how will you know
that you have been successful? This is the last step in the planning process, Monitoring and Evaluation. Think about your preferred scenario and consider your
plan of action. Does your plan of action enable you to achieve your overall goal
/ vision / dream.
Figure 6: Newspaper Headlines
Exercise
What if you get to 2025 and the newspaper headline is very different? Can
you afford to wait until 2025 to start evaluating your hard work? No, you need
to be monitoring your progress along the way. As part of the planning process,
it is important to collect information along the way that can tell you whether
you have been effective, efficient with your resources, and whether you are
providing a quality service. Take time to evaluate if you have met or exceeded
your targets as in Table 2.
Bear in mind that projects do not always
work out as planned for various reasons. It is therefore important to be flexible and prepared to adjust your plans accordingly to make sure you can get back on track to achieving your stated goals.
After reviewing your progress, you will need to go back to Step 1 again and repeat
the planning cycle.
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Conclusion
At this point you will have a
good understanding of what the Summer for All People aims to achieve. You will have also realised that you have the potential make a difference, and that you have the tools to understand the key aspects required in planning a concerted effort to
address HIV and AIDS.
We challenge you to choose to be
part of the Summer for All People, to set your targets and examine what you need to
do differently, starting now! We have developed some ideas for action (see part
B of this document), but this is by no means exhaustive. The list also outlines
some of the challenges you could face. If you have anything to add to the list or
if you have solutions for the challenges, let us know so that we can share these
with others. Contact us by emailing your comments to
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