INTRODUCTION
The Center for Enhancing Educational Performance (CEEP) is a Science, Technology Engineering, and Maths (STEM) education and training centre that provides training, mentorship, and personal development opportunities for youth in Grenada. Their project is called FuturePrep and CEEP is contracted to train 60 young persons to CVQ Level 2 certification under these ICT-based trainings.
WORKING IN THE DARK
CEEP spent countless hours working on the technical aspects of their proposal, which would eventually earn them high technical scores from the judging panel. However, there were startling shortcomings in their financial management processes that were picked up in SkYE’s ‘Due Diligence’ assessments. Despite this being CEEP’s second donor-funded project, CEEP had no experience of a programme of SkYE’s magnitude nor complying with its rigorous reporting and accounting requirements. Mr. Calliste, the Project Lead, who had been with CEEP for four years, divulged that CEEP did not record their financial transactions and had no functional bank account. He seemed at a bit of a loss about such things as Profit and Loss Statements and Balance Sheet when questioned by SkYE’s Grants and Financial Manager (GFM). There were no records to go through. An organisation that had been functioning for a good number of years had no records! CEEP was operating haphazardly with no real business intelligence.
SEEING THE LIGHT
CEEP was almost written off as a viable candidate for support from UKaid at this point in the Due Diligence assessment. But the training offer was sound and they represented an opportunity for youth in Grenada to acquire skills much needed in modern industry and commerce. After internal discussion, it was agreed that SkYE would allow CEEP to “get their house in order”. CEEP’s proposal was deferred for further review and SkYE offered CEEP support from the GFM, who advised and made many recommendations to CEEP. Standard financial management processes were established and financial templates were shared. Mr. Calliste committed to hiring an independent accountant.
Whilst other applicants for UKaid funding under SkYE proceeded to be contracted and begin training, CEEP worked feverishly to adopt the recommendations made. They hired a certified accountant, they set up a bank account with multiple signatories to check payments, templates sent to them by the GFM were utilised, and internal controls at CEEP were completely re-vamped. They did an entire 180◦ turnaround! CEEP had seen the light. With these improvements, CEEP was ready to be re-evaluated and was now recommended for a SkYE Grant subject to further close monitoring. Communications between SkYE and CEEP remained open and CEEP continued to lean on the support of the SkYE Team when necessary.
“The financial management system, as recommended and mandated by SKYE, has become the financial management system used by CEEP. Before SkYE, our system was centered around cash transactions. However, with SkYE’s intervention, we moved to a business account at a financial institution that requires two signatures on all checks, designed a robust procurement and payment policy, and we use SkYE’s monthly reporting templates for record keeping across the organization.” – Johnny Calliste, CEEP Project Lead
To date, CEEP’s financial reporting has been on time and, if not, a valid excuse has been given. The reports are amongst the most comprehensive of the SkYE grantees and provide detailed descriptions of their financial transactions. Supporting documentation is readily available and when questions are asked, evidence and information relevant to transactions are presented.
The presentation used by CEEP for their ‘stock-taking’ monitoring visit impressed and wowed the Project Monitoring Team. It showed that CEEP had taken the project very seriously and was going all out to ensure that it was a success. To date, CEEP has completed training for 56 out of 60 trainees and performed tracer studies on these trainees. Four trainees whose progress was disrupted by COVID-19 restrictions will conclude soon. Asked what he had learnt, Mr. Calliste noted, “The importance of forecasting risks associated with a project and the importance of sticking within budget as much as possible were the main lessons learned”.
BRIGHT STAR
CEEP flipped the script and continues to be a “star pupil”. The organisation has been awarded a second SkYE grant to run FuturePrep 2.0, another ICT project with more than twice the original trainees and funding. CEEP swallowed their pride and implemented the recommendations made and now they have put CEEP on the map as a formidable training agency in Grenada.
In terms of their sustainability, Mr. Calliste reflects, “Our engagement with SKYE has also allowed us to develop a grant management portfolio and framework that is used to apply for other grants that seek to provide opportunities for youth. Notably, our involvement in the SKYE project contributed to CEEP being considered for another round of funding through the CARCIP project that will allow CEEP to update its website by adding a student portal, purchase the computers and infrastructure (not available under SkYE) necessary to deliver courses online, and to broaden CEEP’s product offering.
FACTS
Skills for Youth Employment (SkYE) is a four-year, UKaid funded programme to provide certified skills training for 6,000 disadvantaged young people, including those challenged by disability, in four Eastern Caribbean countries: Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia and St Vincent & the Grenadines. The Programme will develop a more productive and inclusive workforce in sectors with good economic growth potential.
SkYE is supporting national training authorities and training providers to make systemic improvements to the development, delivery and quality assurance of technical, vocational education and training (TVET) in the four focus islands through targeted capacity building.
