NRN Self-Assessment Profiles
Belgium – Flanders
The network support unit (NSU) for the Flemish Rural Network is a very small team (2 full-time persons and 3 advisers) and this inevitably limits the time and resources that can be committed to self-assessment activities. Nonetheless, the NSU is using a range of qualitative methods and tools for assessing network activities:
- Feedback on communication tools (newsletter and website), including a 2009 stakeholder survey (see below) plus ad hoc comments received from readers and users by e-mail;
- Feedback on events;
- Stakeholder surveys – these were undertaken in 2007 and 2009, with the 2009 survey linked to brainstorming on self-assessment and vision building using the support of an external facilitator;
- Qualitative self-assessment reports that are prepared annually by the NRN co-ordinator.
All internal and external assessments are submitted to the Flemish Rural Network Steering Committee to take account of during the design of future Annual Action Plans.
Stakeholder Surveys
The Flemish Rural Development Programme (RDP) was opened in November 2007. At the same time the Managing Authority also launched a survey of rural development stakeholders (farming organisations, environment organisations, other government units, LAGs, Provinces, etc) to identify what kind of services and actions the national rural network, and the associated network support unit (NSU), should provide. This was essential information to help the Managing Authority to develop their 1st Action Plan.
The survey was based on two questionnaire formats. A more detailed/elaborated questionnaire was sent to the management unit for each of the RDP measures and a simplified version was sent to other rural development stakeholders.
At the end of 2009 a follow-up survey of a broad range of stakeholders from 700 organisations was initiated. The results of the survey were discussed between the NSU staff and the Managing Authority with the aim of: a) developing a common understanding of the network ‘success stories’ (a form of self-assessment); b) mapping the interests and needs of rural stakeholders, and; c) focussing on the future orientation of the Flemish Rural Network in the next 5+ years.
This involved a one-day brainstorming activity that was organised outside of the Ministry and supported by a professional facilitator who used specific facilitation methods to help the participants to “think outside of the box”, especially when identifying the key network success stories. A similar exercise is envisaged for the whole of the RDP during preparations for the next programming period.
Annual Self-Assessment Reports
At the end of each year, the NSU prepares an internal report assessing the activities undertaken and lessons learned during the year. These self-assessment reports are an important input for building the following year’s Annual Action Plan and are always prepared by the Network Co-ordinator. The annual reports for 2008, 2009 and 2010 can be found below.
Other
The Flemish Rural Network is also planning to support the self-assessment of Local Action Groups (LAGs).
For further information on the Flemish Rural Network click here.
- Results from a questionnaire on rural networks [PDF
]
Internal Self-Assessment Reports (linked to preparation of NRN Annual Work Plan):
- 2008 [PDF
] - 2009 [PDF ]
- 2010 [PDF ]
