Scholarship to the Second Social Accountability School in Cambodia

The Second Social Accountability School (SAS2) in Cambodia will be conducted on November 17-28, 2008. This program is organized jointly by SILAKA of Cambodia, Ateneo School of Government of the Philippines, Pria of India, and the Program to Enhance Capacity in Social Accountability (PECSA) of the World Bank.

The SAS2 is an eleven (11) day course that builds on the SAS1, and will focus on Democratic Decentralization and Good Governance. Various experiences and expertise from the region will be brought into the training.

A select number of relevant Social Accountability concepts, practices, and tools such as Citizen Report Card, Social Audit, Expenditure Tracking and Local Grievance/Dispute Resolution mechanisms will be discussed for possible application to Cambodian situations and needs in strengthening citizen engagement with government. A draft schedule is attached.

Objectives of Second Social Accountability School:

1. To get participants to better appreciate the public value of social accountability by tracing its links to good governance and the concept of "demand" for good governance;
2. To introduce to participants global ideas, policies, practices, and tools on SA especially those applicable to Cambodia's decentralization and concentration agenda
3. To stimulate a shared process of creative approaches to engaging government through the application of SA tools and approaches; and
4. To encourage strong and active organizational commitment for the participant's learning in the SAS and their SA projects.

WHO ARE ELIGIBLE?
Participants from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) such as: NGOs, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), citizens’ associations, trade unions, media professionals and relevant governmental institutions working on decentralization from local, provincial and national level are eligible for this training program.

WE ARE SEEKING ORGANIZATIONS WHO COULD SEND PARTICIPANTS AND THESE ORGANIZATIONS MUST:

1. Be working on democratic decentralization/social accountability
2. Has demonstrable evidence working with democratic decentralization , service delivery and commune council
3. Have been in operation at least three years
4. Has demonstrable capacity in project planning and implementation
5. Preferably working with indigenous and grassroots organization
6. Willing to release participating staff member to focus on the training and work on the social accountability program and support said staff member in the follow up activities aimed at integrating new learning into the organization’s main work programs ;
7. Able carefully select and send staff member as participant to SAS2. Such participants should have the following qualifications :

• Working with organization at least 2 years in a senior position
• Shown capacity in planning and project management
• At least a bachelor degree or equivalence
• Preferred English language proficiency
• Commitment in social development and moral integrity
• Willing to sign code of conduct when selected
• Basic skills in proposal writing
• Able to spend time attending the course fully and to undergo follow up activities.

APPLICATION PERIOD: SEPTEMBER 22 TO OCTOBER 22, 2008
NOTIFICATION OF AWARD TO SCHOLARS: NOVEMBER 05, 2008

PLEASE SUBMIT COMPLETE APPLICATION TO SILAKA OFFICE AT THE ABOVE ADDRESS OR THROUGH E-MAIL: krysopheap@silaka.org by 5:00 p.m, October 22, 2008

Application forms and information are available at SILAKA Office #6 Street 21 Tonle Bassac 1, Khanh Chamcar Mon, Phnom Penh - Tel# 023 217872 or 092 36 23 04

It can also be downloaded from www.worldbank.org/kh or www.silaka.org or send a request for Application Form to e-mail: krysopheap@silaka.org Interested applicant from the government, please get the application from and submit it to Mr. Chheav Nak (nakncdm@yahoo.com) or Mr. Leap Samnang at the DFGG Secretariat Ministry of Interior Rm. 214 #275 Norodom, Tonle Bassac , ChamkarMon, Phnom Penh- Tel# 012 900 335, email: lp_samnang@yahoo.com

• Second Social Accountability School Calls for Applicant
• Second Social Accountability School Application Form

PECSA is a World Bank-funded program in Cambodia which has been endorsed by the Ministry of Interior. It responds to the Rectangular Strategy of the Government of Cambodia. PECSA strives to enhance the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) through training them in the use of social accountability approaches and tools; adapting global accountability practices to the Cambodian context; providing grants to develop and pilot social accountability practice and supporting enhanced information-sharing and networking among social accountability practitioners.