• small focus groups were facilitated by the consultant where some of CIVNET’s Project Assistant’s and workshop participants participated at a regional and ward level; • personal interviews (some more structured than others) were held with Board members, Provincial Committee members, staff, members from broader civil society including representatives from political parties in Zimbabwe as well as academics and international donors; 16 • field visits were made to Matebeleland South and Midlands. These regions were selected as part of the information gathering process because each of them present a different set of challenges and therefore require a different set of responses from CIVNET. The consultant identified a number of indicators and benchmarks against which to assess the performance and impact of the CIVNET training programmes. Most of these are to be found in CIVNET’s Project Proposals and funding reports. In summary they are to: 1 facilitate behaviour and attitude change 2 understanding roles and responsibilities of central and local government 3 encourage the participation of all citizens in promoting good governance 4 ensure accountability and democratic governance at central and local government levels through effective citizens’ participation 5 ensure that marginalised and disadvantaged citizens are included in the economic development agenda of the country 6 promote reconciliation between conflicting parties, and 7 encourage tolerance of diversity The responses from all those interviewed was overwhelmingly supportive of CIVNET’s civic education training programme and many stories were related about the impact that the training workshops have had on individual participants, and how their participation has benefitted their communities. Where the authorities and the elected public officials had been unhelpful and resistant to engage with community members about services and community issues, those responsible for following up with the “action plans” were further supported by the monitors (also members of the Provincial Committees) in developing alternative strategies to resolve their community difficulties. 9. Evaluation: Impact Evaluating the impact of civil society networks is often difficult given the variety of variables that influence a situation at any one time, especially in the realm of democracy and human rights related projects. Direct attribution of change to one particular variable is difficult to measure but over a period of time it becomes easier to make causal linkages between, for example, increased voter turnout or a change in voter behaviour patterns with the consistent conduct of civic education workshops. During the interviews it became clear that not only were the participants and facilitators grateful for having been given the opportunity to participate in a training of this nature, but that they had definitely benefitted from exposure to the learning methodology and the programme content. They personally 16 In most instances the interviewees preferred not to be named for fear of reprisal if the Report landed in the wrong hands. THE CIVIC EDUCATION NETWORK TRUST (CIVNET)) IN ZIMBABWE – Sida EVALUATION 2008:51 15