Nico Schulenkorf of University of Technology Sydney, one of the facilitators of the seminar, said the content was focused on research for sports in development with the Just Play programme.
“Basically it is about giving people here in the programme an opportunity to understand and implement research in the communities which will help them to show what a great programme Just Play is, and identify areas that need further support from the funders and supporters,” Schulenkorf said.
He said Fiji is the first nation being targeted because of the facilitators’ knowledge that Fiji Just Play programme has been a good example in Oceania.
“We picked this group because we are confident, we have got the support from the authorities so Fiji was chosen first to do this research work.”
The senior lecturer with a Phd in Sports Management said the seminar is with the Fiji Just Play Project Manager and coordinators together with some volunteers.
“They are contributing, engaging and participating because they are the ones that eventually will facilitate this research in monitoring and evaluation in their communities,” he explained.
Schulenkorf said the main objective is to make sure that all people who will face monitoring, evaluation and research in the sport for development realm actually understands what it is about, that it is not something to be scared of and is necessary to identify opportunities for them to show that research can lead them to further funding and support.
OFC’s Just Play Monitoring and Evaluation Co-ordinator Supriya Kulkarni says the Just Play programme is performing well in Fiji.
“The Just Play team here is a role model for others in Oceania,” Kulkarni said.
She said Just Play Emergency Programme, which was adopted in Fiji after Cyclone Winston, had been very much appreciated.
“The spirit of the team and the unity that they show is just amazing and I think the programme is really doing well, thanks to project manager Lavenia Yalovi.
Kulakarni said monitoring and evaluation is one of the most crucial aspects of the Just Play programme.
“This is because to monitor is to continuously see that the programme is working and by monitoring and evaluating we can identify what is working well and what is not working well.
“It is important for all those stake holders and donors because they want to know how their funding has been flowing in the programmes and also important for the tax payers who are ultimately also contributing their money into the programme.
“We can fine tune and adapt it and we can capture the impact better through the tools of monitoring and evaluation and that is what we are actually trying to do through this workshop.”
Fiji FA Just Play project manager Yalovi said monitoring and evaluation in Just Play or any other programme is very important and they are fortunate that they have two very qualified facilitators coordinating the workshop.
“It will help us better deliver the activities and the result of it will help us manage the progamme well,” she said.