The Institute for Youth Development KULT celebrated our 20th birthday in December 2022. Over those twenty years, the Institute has gained extensive and diverse experience, including contributing to the development of civil society in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has built trust and collaboration with major international institutions, development agencies, and donors, and has successfully completed over 150 projects.
Thanks to our extensive experience and myriad successful activities, the Institute is in a position to offer our expertise and partnership to develop the capacities of non-governmental organizations through various capacity-building programs.
WHAT IS KULT/POK®?
KULT/POK® is an online tool for (self-)assessment of organizational capacities, developed by the Institute for Youth Development KULT. The tool includes 14 categories with a total of 90 indicators, with capacities assessed on a scale from 1 to 4.
KULT/POK consists of three phases:
Phase 1 – involves a self-assessment, which organizations complete independently,
Phase 2 – involves verification, where organizations submit documentation substantiating their scores from the first phase, and
Phase 3 – This phase involves an assessment where the Institute’s commission reviews, analyzes, and verifies the submitted documentation. This process forms the basis for formulating specific recommendations and tailored plans or strategies for capacity building unique to each organization.
WHAT IS THE RESULT OF THIS PROCESS?
After completing the self-assessment and evaluation, the organization receives an index ranging from 1 to 4, calculated as the average score from all 90 questions.
It is important to note that an index of 1 is not negative; it simply indicates the organization’s need to build capacities. Conversely, a rating of 4 represents the ideal vision that the organization should strive toward. The index is valid for three years, provided that there are no changes in the status of the organization that directly affect its capacities.
So far, 62 organizations have undergone the organizational (self-)assessment process.
WHAT DO OUR USERS THINK:
Users of the KULT/POK tool provide positive and useful comments in the evaluation questionnaires. These comments further motivate the Institute’s staff to continue working on organizational capacity building, offering mentoring and support, and ensuring that strengthened organizations are well-prepared to drive social change.
Although the organizational development index reflects the degree of progress achieved, it’s important to note that the index is not the sole purpose of the KULT/POK tool. During this process, individuals are empowered, new connections and friendships are formed, knowledge is gained, advice is exchanged, and lasting memories are created. The daily user comments prove that all organizations genuinely want to grow and develop. They want to foster creative, hardworking, and kind individuals who view their work as both a passion and a hobby, to which they are deeply committed. This is their way of expressing their gratitude for the opportunity to have their organization participate in programs that help them grow.
“Thank you once again for believing in us and for giving us the opportunity to grow and develop under your mentorship,” are the words of one of the beneficiaries of the organizational capacity-building program.
While members of these organizations invest their time, knowledge, and skills to improve the quality of life for future generations and inspire those working on various initiatives, demonstrating the importance of small steps toward big successes, the Institute for Youth Development KULT continues to learn and improve to ensure this progress continues unabated.
“Thank you for the materials, photos, and all your support. You helped us so much in getting everything sorted, and your training courses came at a perfect time for us. We’re grateful you exist and thank you for your efforts to build and improve our organizations and society.” This kind of heartfelt appreciation is what keeps the Institute motivated—there is no greater encouragement than hearing such sincere thanks.
Thanks to many organizations that have used the self-assessment and evaluation tool, as well as the valuable feedback from program users, the tool will be updated and improved to perform better and meet diverse organizational needs.
We firmly believe that having many organizations can enrich our society and daily life, which is why the Institute strives to support them and promote their ideas. Motivated by the progress of our partners, we are moving forward with bringing change that all of us need.
If you have questions or want more information about the organizational capacity-building program, reach out to us via e-mail at selma.sljivo@kultbih.org.
Leave a comment