The Wholistic Transformation Resource Center Foundation, Inc. (WTRC) has taken a significant step forward in strengthening its community development work by participating in a customized Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) capacity development and training workshop.
Facilitated by Step Up Consulting Services, the workshop was specifically designed to align with WTRC’s unique programs and long-term goals, focusing on enhancing internal systems for transparency, accountability, and stakeholder engagement. This initiative reflects WTRC’s commitment to using data-driven approaches to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of its interventions.
The training aimed to enhance participants’ understanding of core M&E concepts and frameworks, build their capacity to design and implement effective data collection strategies, and improve their ability to analyze and interpret results accurately. WTRC staff also learned to use various M&E tools—such as logic models, performance indicators, and dashboards—to monitor program success and make informed decisions. A key outcome of the workshop was the development of tailored M&E systems that align with the foundation’s mission and can support long-term monitoring and evaluation practices.
Throughout the training, WTRC staff engaged in intensive sessions covering a broad range of M&E topics, including the Logical Framework, Results-Based M&E, and Theory of Change. Participants were also equipped with practical skills in data collection and analysis using tools such as Key Informant Interviews, Focus Group Discussions, and structured surveys. To ensure high data quality and credibility, the Triangulation Method was introduced alongside modern digital tools like Google Forms, Tableau, and AI-powered platforms for data visualization and analysis.
By embedding strong M&E systems across its operations, WTRC aims to align its efforts more closely with the expectations of donors, beneficiaries, and other stakeholders. This capacity-building initiative not only strengthens internal processes but also reinforces WTRC’s dedication to continuous improvement and evidence-based development work. Ultimately, the foundation believes that more effective monitoring and evaluation will lead to deeper, more meaningful, and lasting impacts in the communities it serves.
Step Up was commissioned by the Wholistic Transformation Resource Center (WTRC) to facilitate Youth Development and Empowerment Training and Capacity Development on Project Management for the leaders of the Church of Nazarene—GMA as part of its ongoing partnership with the church.
Capacity Development on Project Management
The training, which took place from July 13 to September 14, 2024, was a key initiative to strengthen the project management skills of Church of Nazarene – GMA leaders. The blended sessions—face-to-face and online activities—focused on various stages of project management, including project conception, planning, execution, and monitoring.
The program followed a three-step approach to build the skills of project staff and volunteers:
Capacity Assessment: The first step involved evaluating the current competencies of project staff and volunteers to determine the skills needed for effective project management.
Project Management Strategy Development: In the second step, leaders and volunteers collaborated to create a comprehensive project management strategy detailing the tools and methods for successful project execution and monitoring.
Monitoring and Documentation: The final phase of the training focused on equipping participants with the skills needed to document project progress and assess the impacts of their initiatives to continuously improve the quality and effectiveness of their projects.
The training covered key topics like project initiation, planning, launching, and control, enabling participants to develop a structured approach to managing community-based projects. This initiative improved the leaders’ project management skills and reinforced WTRC’s mission of fostering holistic transformation through partnerships with churches, social enterprises, and other community-based organizations.
The completion of this training marks a significant milestone in the ongoing collaboration between Step Up, WTRC, and the Church of Nazarene—GMA. It reinforces the foundation’s commitment to developing leaders who can drive meaningful change in marginalized communities and support its mission of building stronger, more sustainable communities across the nation.
Youth Development and Empowerment
The training conducted from 20 July to 21 September 2024 focused on building leadership skills, fostering self-care, and enhancing confidence in public speaking. It equipped youth leaders to manage their activities effectively and lead with purpose. The workshop was designed around key actions to empower participants and create inclusive, supportive spaces for personal and collective growth. Among these strategies were discussions on the importance of self-care and empathy toward others, ensuring that participants felt encouraged to create welcoming environments within their ministries. A needs assessment conducted through focus group discussions revealed that participants were particularly keen on improving their public speaking abilities, especially when engaging with children and other youth in the ministry. They expressed a desire for leadership training that moved beyond traditional formats, advocating for more interactive, engaging, and meaningful activities. Participants were also eager to explore topics like mental health, online communities, and how to encourage youth participation in ministry. The training was structured around four main sessions, each designed to be participatory and centred on peer learning. These sessions included:
Session 1: Participation in an Inclusive and Safe Spaces (Care for Self and Others) – Emphasizing the importance of creating inclusive, caring environments where everyone’s voice can be heard.
Session 2: Safety in the Online World – Offering tools and strategies to navigate the complexities of online engagement while ensuring safety for both leaders and youth members.
Session 3: Building Interpersonal Relationships, Self-Confidence, and Communication Skills – Fostering stronger communication, interpersonal skills, and confidence to engage with others effectively.
Session 4: The Leaders We Hope to Become – Encouraging youth to reflect on the qualities they wish to embody as future leaders, helping them align their values with their leadership style.
The dynamic and hands-on nature of the sessions allowed participants to interact directly with their peers, share ideas, and engage in plenary discussions. With an emphasis on creativity, group work, and idea-sharing, the training ensured that each participant had the chance to discover their personal strengths and overcome challenges, especially those related to public speaking. “Interactive activities, group discussions, and peer-led sharing were key aspects of the training,” explained one participant. “It helped us learn from the facilitator and each other, making the experience much more meaningful.” The training initiative aligns with Step Up’s broader mission to develop young leaders who are capable, confident, and ready to make a lasting impact in their communities. As the Church of Nazarene – GMA youth leaders implement the skills they’ve learned, Step Up hopes to continue supporting their growth and empowerment through future.
The Step-Up team has successfully concluded the end-of-project evaluation of the Strengthening Local Stakeholders and Community’s Capacity to Improve Environment Management in Bilar, Bohol Philippines Project. Spanning over three years, this initiative aimed to transform Bilar into a model municipality for sustainable environmental management and conservation.
The project focused on enhancing local stakeholders’ involvement in karst education, landscape management, biodiversity conservation, and climate change adaptation. It sought to bolster environmental ethics while ensuring the sustainable use of resources within the community.
Key objectives of the evaluation included assessing the effectiveness of local stakeholders’ management plans for the karst landscape, improvements in local biodiversity, enhanced management of freshwater resources, advancements in solid waste management, reduced agricultural chemical use, and the promotion of eco-tourism.
Moreover, the evaluation examined the progress of partner barangays and communities in making informed environmental management decisions. It also evaluated the implementation and utilization of disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) plans, ensuring their functionality and effectiveness.
Particular attention was given to assessing the capacity-building efforts aimed at youths and local stakeholders who are advocating for environmental sustainability. The project aimed to empower the next generation with the knowledge and skills needed to champion environmental conservation in their community.
The Wholistic Transformation Resource Center Foundation, Inc., (WTRC) explores a partnership with Step Up Consulting Services to enhance capacity-building initiatives for its assisted organizations.
A focus group discussion was held at the Church of Nazarene in General Mariano Alvarez in Cavite to gather insights on the organization’s current needs. Participants explored effective interventions aimed at fostering empowerment and enabling communities to take initiative in their own development.
WTRC is a non-profit Christian organization focused on holistic transformation by addressing the complete needs of individuals, not just their economic ones. Rooted in Gospel principles, WTRC collaborates with churches, development organizations, and social enterprises to implement community development initiatives that meet the needs of partner communities. One key program supports marginalized children through faith-based schools, mobile education, daycare, and afterschool centers, offering Christian character formation, quality education, health and nutrition support, and family assistance.
The Step Up team is currently designing a series of training sessions focused on youth development and competency building in project management.
With the theme, “Advancing Disability Rights and Inclusive Development through Convergence”, the CBM Global Philippines hosted the first-ever conference of organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) and partners held at Bayview Park Hotel, Manila on November 27-29, 2023.
The OPD & Partners Conference showcased CBM Global Philippines’ various disability-inclusive development, humanitarian, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, community mental health, inclusive eye health programs and projects implemented in selected regions in the Philippines. It also presented the OPDs’ good practices in their areas of advocacies.
The 3-day conference covered sessions: project presentation on the gains from inclusion, building from lessons learned from field programs and projects; sharing of good practices specifically on enabling persons with disabilities as agents of change; updates on the country’s disability movement initiatives; and building consensus on Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Report/Commitment and Partnership with UNCRPD.
Two research presentations were also made during the conference. The first one was on the impact of climate change on persons with disability in Bicol Region presented by Simon of Cyrene organization. The second one was on the impact of climate change on persons with disabilities in Laoang, Northern Samar, by Life Haven Center for Independent Living, Inc.
The event also provided opportunities for partnerships and networking among participants and for all members of CBM Global’s Country Advisory Panel (CAP) to have a broader perspective of the organization’s current and future programs.
Step Up completes almost 3 months of strategy sessions with Sinar Project of Malaysia to finalize the organization’s five-year strategic plan. The final Strategy Session with Sinar was conducted on 28 April 2022 online, with key officers of the organization.
Sinar Project was formally established in 2014 as a limited liability partnership in Malaysia. From its very inception, the organization aimed to promote transparency, accountability, and openness in government by improving people’s access to public information and data that impact people’s lives. Sinar Project believes that when citizens have greater access to data and information they are able to demand accountability from the government, better participate in decision-making processes involving public welfare, and contribute to the overall well-being of society.
Step Up’s strategy advisor, Michael P. Canares, was the lead consultant hired by East West Management Institute to undertake the strategy planning process.
Step Up’s strategy advisor, Michael Canares, was contracted by Common Ground Consulting to train civil society organizations (CSOs) on monitoring, evaluation, and learning. The training, which was held on 15-18 February 2022 via Zoom, is part of the various training programs conducted for Ugandan CSOs by the Civil Society Strengthening Activity (CSSA) training program funded by the United States Agency for International Development.
Twenty-two CSOs attended the training. The cohort included representatives from the Uganda Women’s Network, the National Coalition for Human Rights Defenders, White Ribbon Alliance, Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group, ICT Policy Center for Eastern and Southern Africa, among others.
Synchronous sessions took place from 1 to 5 pm Uganda time (5 to 10 pm Philippine time). Asynchronous sessions, on the other hand, took place every morning of each day through organization-based assignments that are required to be presented during the synchronous sessions each day.
The participants appreciated the training design and delivery. At the end of the training, most of them were excited to use their knowledge to improve the M&E systems of their organizations.
Step Up Consulting was hired by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to train cooperatives and community associations on gender and development. The trainings were conducted in September to October 2020 in the municipalities of Sierra Bullones, Pilar, Inabanga, Danao, and Buenavista. These benefitted 10 community associations in several rural barangays.
The trainings were part of the activities implemented by DTI in the Integrated Natural Resources and Environmental Management Project (INREMP). The objective was to help community associations address gender inequality issues through mainstreaming gender and development principles and practice in policies, programs, projects and activities of the associations.
The trainings were conducted in project areas by lead gender advocate and trainer Esther Espinosa with a training design formulated by strategy advisor Michael Canares. Both have worked together in the first phase of the GREAT WOMEN project implemented by the Philippine Commission on Women.
Strict protocols were implemented in the conduct of the trainings.
Step Up Consulting will accompany the CCT Group of Ministries in their planning journey for 2021-2025, adjusting their ways of working to the changing realities brought about by the pandemic and other factors impacting on individuals, families, and communities. The planning process will commence in July with 30 online workshops planned for the local area offices of CCT across the country that will run until October this year.
The Center for Community Transformation Group of Ministries (CCT) is committed to creating lasting wholistic change among the poor. Founded in 1991, CCT has implemented programs and projects directed towards change individual lives, strengthening families, empowering communities and helping transform the nation.
The CCT GROUP is composed of 16 ministry cooperatives and non-government organizations, each with its own Board of Trustees/Directors, management and staff. The ministries serve specific poverty groups: street families, children, youth, micro-entrepreneurs, landless and small-scale farmers, fisherfolk, factory workers, informal workers, tribespeople and the communities-at-large.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Step Up has been conducting online workshops, consultations, as well as training for different clients globally. However, this is one of the longest online journey commitment that Step Up’s strategy advisor, Michael Canares, will lead this year, using different online tools to create a memorable and productive online workshop experience.
Mr. Canares has worked with the CCT Group of Ministries in the past, more particularly during the Board leadership retreat as well as with the Visions of Hope Christian School, one of CCT’s ministries. Ms. Ruth Callanta, CCT’s multi-awarded president, requested Mr. Canares to lead this process along with a team of committed experts from within CCT family.
Step Up Consulting Strategy Advisor Michael P. Canares led the design and facilitation of the Philippine Government’s commitment design workshop as part of the several processes in formulating its National Action Plan for the Open Government Partnership.
The workshop was held at the DBM Conference Room in Manila last 15-16 April 2019 and supported by OGP Support Unit‘s team based in Asia Pacific lead by Shreya Basu.
Step Up Consulting Strategy Advisor Michael P. Canares led the design and facilitation of the Philippine Government’s commitment design workshop as part of the several processes in formulating its National Action Plan for the Open Government Partnership.
Step Up Consulting 