Budget Literacy and Monitoring

What is the specific service we offer? What is this program?

Budget literacy and monitoring training for local councils and CSOs has become another expertise area for AASL due to the many training they too have received and experiences gain over time in organizing and delivering such trainings for local councils and CSOs. The development and governance today is directed towards self community development aided by decentralization. Checking on vaults controllers as to what is to be received and how it is intended to be spent can be a good starting point for decentralization development strides. Unfortunately CSOs and councilors who should do this major task as monitors for the community are not knowledgeable enough to carry out this all important task of checking on the vault controllers. AASL saw this niche need and has position themselves to train community stakeholders especially CSOs and Councilors to be able to monitor vault controllers that receive and expend funds on behalf of the community.

Why do we give priority to this service?

ASSL knows that funds are one of the life wires for the survival of any institution or society. Having a system where no one is trained or equipped to check on vault controllers as to what is received or expected to be received or how it was spent or is going to be spent is a recipe for disaster. Hence if communities which are the bases for development should experience good governance and development then the duty bearers should be able to account properly to the community representatives (CSOs and councilors). Unfortunately such accountability in terms of funds can only be realistic if these representatives are trained in the basic budget literacy and monitoring. AASL has therefore identified this need and has embark on training community councilors and CSOs in budget literacy and monitoring as a pre-requisite for accountable community that can form bases for development.

What are the key components of the service?

 The training had four main objectives:
1.To provide info that explain the values of accountability and transparency as a prerequisite for good governance.
2.To explain the meaning of CSO, the landscape of CSOs in SL and to let participants understand the roles of CSOs .
3. To let participants have an understanding of what budget literacy and monitoring means, why it is
undertaken and the collaborative effort needed by the  monitors (CSOs) and those monitored (local  councils)
for successful implementation of a local council budget.
4.To challenge them as to how they want to see their local councils budget  implementation and  monitoring for
the coming years.
5.To provide range of accountability networks for participants who are interested in accountability and ]
transparency issues.

Approach to Budget Literacy and Monitoring Training;

• AA SL’s approach is inclusive and participatory.
• We introduce concept and allow participants to share their experience on the issue.
• We analyze what went right or wrong and the challenges.
• We bring to the table life experiences and examples   for participant to rebuild their own scenarios;

Our training provides a framework for promoting inclusiveness, democracy, transparency and accountability, the elements of which are intended to be embedded in program of effective local governance.

We seek to institutionalize accountability tools and budgeting by strengthening knowledge and skills in accountability approaches across Local Authorities and the CSOs. The training serves as a guide for creating action-oriented processes for generating effective civic participation and accountability at the local authority level.

What are the key learning points for participants?

The learning Points for Participants
Participants attending this program will:

• Learn about distinctions and similarities between CSOs, the State, the local councils and the role of each in the budget process.
• Participants gain understanding of budget transparency and how organizations can practice budget transparency and benefits and challenges of practicing budget transparency.
• Gain insight to what constitutes local council and government budgets especially differences and similarities among them.
• Identify the quality of a good budget monitor and learn why, how, when and what to monitor on the budget.
• Also learn who key players are in local councils and they can make local government work.