Training

An introduction to the concepts of service delivery: the role of the service authority

IRC offers a modular training package on the service delivery approach. The content draws on the work of Triple-S and WASHCost as well as IRC's 40+ years of experience in water and sanitation.

Who is it for?

  • Sector professionals and practitioners from international agencies, donors and NGOs
  • Staff of Ministries, local governments and government agencies dealing with rural water supply and sanitation
  • Research partners

What’s included?

The training package consists of three modules, which can be customized depending on the audience and the time available. These provide increasing levels of detail about the service delivery approach and the central role of the service authority– moving from general understanding of the concepts to practical application in the participant’s context.

The training includes a combination of presentations, group and individual work and draws on participants’ experience and country knowledge to support them identify opportunities and methods to create change in their own context.

Module 1: Introduction

  • Gives overview of the history of rural water supply and root causes of poor sustainability and provides context on the process of decentralisation, as well as the increasingly central role of the service authority
  • Introduces the service delivery approach and its key conceptual frameworks

Module 2: Functions of the service authority

  • Provides definitions  of the different institutional levels and functions to support participants identify clear roles and responsibilities within their context
  • Introduces the Life Cycle Cost Approach
  • Introduces the central role of learning, harmonization and regulation in sector change and shift from infrastructure only to service delivery
  • Presents the role of the service authority in implementing a service delivery approach through its key functions including planning, direct support to service providers and monitoring.

Module 3: Action plans

  • Introduces a framework for developing an action plan for change to apply a service delivery approach in each participant’s context
  • Guides the participants’ through the identification of clear action points

What will you learn?

At the end of Module 1, you will be able to:

  • Recognise challenges and barriers to sustainability in the WASH sector
  • Understand the concepts of ‘service delivery approach’ – key components, benefits and challenges for implementation

At the end of Module 2 you will:

  • Understand the functions of the service authority and its central role in applying a service delivery approach
  • Understand the importance of using a Life Cycle Cost Approach (LLCA) when planning and financing WASH services
  • Understand the steps for moving towards a service delivery approach
  • Be able to identify opportunities to improve sustainability within your organisation’s remit 

At the end of Module 3 you will:

  • Have working knowledge for planning, implementing and monitoring sustainable WASH services, including how to:
    •   Use and define sustainability indicatorscollect life-cycle costs data, and
    • apply a life-cycle costs analysis

How can you arrange training for your organisation and what does it cost?

For more information about the training – costs and planning, write to us at:  triple-s@irc.nl.

Published: 13 Apr 2011