Action Learning Pilot Programme Project Khaedu Social Welfare Pietermaritzburg Project Khaedu Social Welfare Pietermaritzburg 14 October 2005

Action Learning Pilot ProgrammeAction Learning Pilot Programme

Project Khaedu

Social Welfare Pietermaritzburg

Project Khaedu

Social Welfare Pietermaritzburg

14 October 200514 October 2005

Agenda

•Executive summary

•Situation

•Complications

•Some suggestions

Executive summary and key message

Social security can significantly improve its grant application process, but needs to decentralise.

Social Welfare Services is critically short of key resources and could consider devolving some of the functions in order to cope.

PMB District Office is assisting a substantial number of citizens on a weekly basis under very difficult conditions with

excellent team spirit at a section level

SituationSocial security can significantly improve its grant

application process, but needs to decentralise.Social Welfare Services is critically short of key resources and could consider devolving some of the functions in order

to cope.

• Application process is very long and time consuming

• Citizens very unhappy with the overall process and service levels

• Substantial increase in grant applications

• Staff are not multi-skilled• Lack of delegation of responsibility to District Offices

• Insufficient managerial staff• Vacancies and secondments restrict service delivery

• Insufficient and out-dated equipment

• Unpleasant working conditions (e.g. no air conditioners for front line staff)

Situation

The PMB district office processes over 3,000 applications per month

• Age limit for child

support grant

increased from 11

to 14 years

• HIV & AIDS

causing increasing

numbers of

Disability grants

CSG

DG

MISC

Other

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

1

Grants processed per month

…which has impacted service delivery

“I have been told to come back 3 times now and still my

application is not ready…”

“I have been waiting the whole day here…”

Very good

Good

OK

Poor

V. poor

Our citizens are unhappy with the service we are offering, mainly due to long wait times and repeated visits for the same thing

Client survey

1.62.1 2.2 2.2 2.5 2.6 2.6 2.9

0

1

2

3

4

5

Vis

it tim

eta

ken

Qua

lity

ofse

rvic

e

Val

ue f

orm

oney

Hel

pful

ness

of s

taff

Ski

lls o

fst

aff

Acc

ess

toto

ilets

For

ms

inho

me

lang

uage

Cle

anlin

ess

Key resources are critically short…

HUMAN RESOURCES

• 12% Overall Staff vacancy rate in the Social Security Section

• Head of Social Security post vacant for 6 months

• 16% of production level staff are seconded to Regional Office

• 40% vacancy rate in Social Workers

• Social Workers carrying a case load of 400 cases, whilst norm is 100

• Social Development has only one incumbent seconded from Social Work and 3 vacancies

HUMAN RESOURCES

• 12% Overall Staff vacancy rate in the Social Security Section

• Head of Social Security post vacant for 6 months

• 16% of production level staff are seconded to Regional Office

• 40% vacancy rate in Social Workers


• Social Development has only one incumbent seconded from Social Work and 3 vacancies

PHYSICAL RESOURCES

• Additional computers are required and existing ones need to be upgraded

• Frontline staff have no air conditioners

• Furniture is old and dilapidated

• Shortage of outside shelter for clients

• Office layout not conducive to a production line

PHYSICAL RESOURCES

• Additional computers are required and existing ones need to be upgraded

• Frontline staff have no air conditioners

• Furniture is old and dilapidated

• Shortage of outside shelter for clients

• Office layout not conducive to a production line

Staff morale appears low…

Staff survey

1.7 2.2 2.2 2.4 2.4 2.6 2.6

3.9

012345

Car

eer

prog

ress

ion

PM

DS

Tra

inin

g

Res

pons

ible

use

of b

udge

t

Ove

rall

qual

ityof

mng

mt

Com

mun

icat

ion

from

Mng

mt

Qua

lity

offa

cilit

ies

Qua

lity

of t

hese

rvic

e yo

ude

liver

Very goodGood

OKPoor

V. poor

“The department does so much that we don’t know what to focus on”

“Management has no trust in the staff”

“The system is over-regulated”

…but Batho Pele revitalisation is seen to be successful

Batho Pele revitalisation isworking

Batho Pele revitalisation isnot working

Did not know

Question: Is this not as a result of staff not wanting to be seen in a bad light?

Complications








•Process is fragmented, complicated and duplicative

•Organisation management complicates service delivery improvement

•The physical environment impedes workflow

Situation Complications


Social Welfare Services is critically short of key resources and could consider devolving some of the functions in order

to cope.

Complications

• Process is severely fragmented resulting in limited management of the overall process

• Poor production monitoring (gathering of workflow information / statistics)

• Poor workflow management resulting in severe bottlenecks and backlogs

- Scanning- Registry

• Unrealistic and un-informed norms• Fraud and corruption an ongoing

threat• Confiscation of files by audit team

complicated process significantly• Litigation increased significantly

due to backlogs in the process• HIV&AIDS increasing volumes• Outdated and unreliable

technology with little pro-active maintenance impedes process flow

Process Organisation managementPhysical

environment

• Minimal obvious change management at a national & provincial level with regard to the future and SASSA

- Staff unsure about their future role- Major improvements in limbo

• Minimal obvious service delivery improvement at the regional level

• Appears to be a lack of communication between management and staff (affects morale)

• Decision-making appears highly centralised, with frequent interference from outside the office, especially

- Training- Recruiting

• Lack of stable leadership (many changes, many acting positions) leading to inexperience at senior levels

• Inappropriate control measures slow the process, but do little to prevent fraud

• Existing process will not allow department to reach MEC’s turnaround target

• Lack of cooperation between Social Welfare and Home Affairs

• Internal general management controls appear to be neglected

• Impedes workflow• Affects employee morale• Unsuitable customer

facilities

Batching and movement of files causes severe backlogs

The current grant application process is long, complicated, fragmented and duplicative

Applicant arrives and sits in queue

Prescreen: check docs &

status on SOCPEN

1st attesting officer

interviews and fills application form (manually)

2nd attesting officer checks

application

Data capture

Registry batches and sends weekly to Regional Office (RO)

RO Registry accepts files and

signs

Data processing

and approval

File batched

Files moved to electronic registration

File prepared

for scanning

File scanned

Yes

No?

2nd attesting officer

completes register

Applicant told to return in 3 months

Files re-checked and sorted into type and category

Files batched

at Registry

Load approval

onto SOCPEN

Yes

Query or non-

approval

Beneficiary has bank

acc?No?

Yes

Payment initiated

File to Registry

Print letter

No?

Go and get

documents

Files moved to registry

(RO)

Files batched

and moved

DO

DO Registry

File to enrol-ment officer

Applicant returns to enquire if approval granted

Applicant queues for enro-

lment officer

Enrol-ment officer logs

approval

Applicant to CPS

officer for payment

card

Beneficiary leaves to collect payment

Currently 3-6 months

Retention of our remaining social workers is a challenge under existing conditions

• Salary progression at the District level a significant source of discontent

and poor morale• Absence of Performance Management and Assessment fuelling poor

morale• Feel “left out” – lack of overall cohesion in the office• Poor communication with management• Retention strategy not successful at district level


Complications








• Process is fragmented, complicated and duplicative

• Organisation management complicates service delivery improvement

• The physical environment impedes workflow

Situation Complications


Social Welfare Services is critically short of key resources and could consider devolving some of the functions in order

to cope.

• Immediate: lift the 3-month

lapse period on grant

applications

• Short-medium term: eliminate

duplicative and non-value-

adding process steps; bring

data capturers forward to

client; eliminate scanning.

Turanaround time (TAT) = 2w

• Long-term: all application and

approval functions done at

District office. TAT= 2-4hrs

• Ongoing:improve

organisational & people

management

Suggestion

Non-value-adding and duplicative steps can be removed…



status on SOCPEN


interviews and fills application form (manually)

2nd attesting officer checks

application

Data capture

Registry batches and sends weekly to Regional Office (RO)


signs

Data processing

and approval

File batched

Files moved to electronic registration

File prepared

for scanning

File scanned

Yes

No?

2nd attesting officer

completes register

Applicant told to return in 3 months

Files re-checked and sorted into type and category

Files batched

at Registry

Load approval

onto SOCPEN

Yes

Query or non-

approval


acc?No?

Yes

Payment initiated

File to Registry

Print letter

No?

Go and get

documents

Files moved to registry

(RO)

Files batched

and moved

DO

DO Registry sends SMS to

applicant


Applicant returns to

enrol

Applicant queues for enro-

lment officer


approval

Applicant to CPS

officer for payment

card


Currently 3-6 months

…simplifying and shortening the process



status on SOCPEN


interviews and... Captures data

on system

Registry batches file and sends

daily to Regional

Office (RO)


signs

Data processing

and approval

Yes

No?

Load approval

onto SOCPEN

Yes

Query or non-

approval


acc?No?

Yes

Payment initiated

File to Registry

Print letter

No?

Go and get

documents

Files batched

and moved

DO

DO Registry sends SMS to

applicant


Applicant returns to to enrol


approval

Applicant to CPS

officer for payment

card


2 weeks

Check sample

Minimal physical changes will enable the process change at the District Office

Sig

nage

Numbering system for queue management

Signage

Help desk

1 queue

1234

Pre-screen – check if got docs (but no system check)

1-2 “checkers”

File to registry

Regional office

• Majority of customers

have cell phone access • Many grant

applications cannot be

linked to a postal

address

Not knowing when applications have been approved is a major frustration, which could be partially solved using a simple SMS message

Own a cell phone

Can get SMS from

friend/neighbour

Cannot get SMS

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

“Why can’t they tell me when my grant is ready? I have come 4 times now and it costs me lots of money to come here”

Customer survey 11 Oct 05

Scanning is a major bottleneck and appears to add little value

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Preparation

Scanning

Regional Office

Registry

Data processing & approval

District office

Current Proposed

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Regional Office

Registry

Data processing & approval

District office

Scanning currently appears to add minimal value:

• District cannot access (login does not work)

• Rarely use it when they can login

• Image not linked to SOCPEN system

• Severely impeding process

Long-term changeS

igna

ge

Numbering system for queue management

Signage

Help desk

1 queue

1234

Pre-screen – check if got docs (but no system check)

1-2 “checkers”CPS for

card

Data capture, check system, approve, print

letter

Audit unit

Registry

Entire process = 2-4 hrs

The regional and district office functions will merge, while other functions will be handled by Head Office

•Audit unit •Monitoring and evaluation•Litigation•Policy and research

Head Office

Regional Office

District Office

Combine functions

•Application and enrolment•Appeals

The organisation would function more smoothly if key functions are decentralised

– Decentralisation•Recommendation of appointments

– District/Regional office to recommend Level 1 to Level 12– Provincial Head office to recommend Level 13 & above

•Approval of appointments– District/Regional office to approve Level 1 to Level 10– Provincial Head office to approve Level 11 & above– Managers and Supervisors to be involved in the recruitment &

selection process.

– Communication• Between district & region• Between district & clients• Within offices (district and regional)

– Organisational structure• Review existing organisational structure• Fill critical vacant posts• Consider relocating the Social Development function to Economic

Development

– Training & Development• Involve managers and supervisors in staff development• Multi-skill and re-skill staff• Consider reducing load on qualified social workers by developing auxiliary

social workers and lay probation officers

– Implementation of effective Performance Management Development System

• Develop norms, job descriptions KPAs & Core Management Criteria• M&E the KPA & Core Management Criteria• Feedback to staff

Organisational management changes could improve employee morale…

• Physical Environment & Resources– Ensure adequate and suitable office space– Office furniture and staff comfort area– Office equipment

• Reliable networks

• Upgrade computers & printers

– Office maintenance and cleaning– Adequate shelter for customers

…as well as the physical working environment

Backup

Client Questionnaire: Social Welfare

.....

0

20

40

60

80

100

Cellphone Friend/Neighbourcellphone

Social grant Bank/Post off iceaccount

Grant paid toaccount

MPCC

Percentage

Yes%

No%

The process can be shortened significantly

• Signage – rules & requirements• Information / Help Desk / Enquiries• Investigate use of SMS technology to

communicate with beneficiaries• Consider multi-skilling and bankers queue• Lengthen opening hours & Flexi-time• Remove function of 2nd attesting officer but

implement sample checking

Documents

Action Learning Pilot Programme Project Khaedu Social Welfare Pietermaritzburg Project Khaedu Social Welfare Pietermaritzburg 14 October 2005