In the past, there has been a lack of coordination in Kosovo among donors who support start-ups. As set out above, there is a requirement for the MLSW and the newly established central PES Agency management to ensure that a standard operational approach to the self-employment ALMM be adopted. It is recommended that in order to ensure consistency and quality assurance, that an ALMM implementation committee be established by MLSW on a partnership basis, where the UNDP ALMP2 team and the PES have central roles. Any donor-led proposals for the implementation of ALMMs should in future be reviewed by this committee before any implementation occurs. Standard operational guidelines established by MLSW should be imposed as a condition of the acceptance of donor-led ALMM proposals and their funding. (As a result of close collaboration between the UNDP and the MLSW, these guidelines are now available for a range of ALMMs including SEP, on the job training, wage subsidies). 

The SEP model requires comprehensive structural support in order to work successfully, as outlined earlier in this report. However, it is clear that the PES as they currently stand, feel that they cannot deliver that support just by themselves. This is partly due to staffing issues but also to the lack of specific expertise in some aspects of business start-ups, particularly in relation to the mentoring and coaching aspects. During the implementation of the SEP, such specific coaching and mentoring supports were provided in part by the VTCs but mainly by the UNDP team and the consultants (CEED) retained to provide the extra supports. There are a number of options available that could address this:

Provide a budget line for consultancy support in any new self-employment programme implemented by the PES. However, such consultants should come within the management control of the MLSW/PES so that quality and intensity of consultancy support to beneficiaries is ensured.

Recruit and train one self-employment adviser in each main PES office who would deal with all self-employment clients funded within the PES office catchment area. This would also entail the provision of an adequate travel budget to cover fuel/motoring expenses for monitoring and mentoring purposes and Provide both options to each main PES office.

The process for the evaluation of business plans required assistance from business people who worked on a voluntary basis. This needs to be addressed in any future programmes, by the establishment of a panel of such experts who would understand the commitment required. A gratuity award system might also be considered for such experts

The VTCs played an important role in the SEP. However, in some cases it is reported that some trainers have limited capacities and skills required to bring beneficiaries to the point where they can produce a good business plan, in accordance with the standard required in the SEP operational guidelines. This could be addressed by the provision of such self-employment trainers with refreshment training of trainer’s inputs. One of the VTC managers interviewed during the in-country visits, indicated that bringing in project-based outside trainers is not the solution, as in the experience of that manager, the outside trainers can cause operational problems within the VTC, because they are answerable to the donor rather than the manager. This can be addressed through a contractual arrangement whereby the management reporting lines are specified in the collaboration contract. There may also be a need to provide more human resources to the VTCs if the self-employment ALMM is significantly expanded and numbers of beneficiaries increase (for example, this may happen if the numbers of repatriated self-employment clients increase).

A clear primary need identified by the beneficiaries is in the financial planning area with a significant number also identifying branding/marketing as the second most important need and it is recommended that this be taken into account when designing the SEP training module into the future.

While there was very little evidence of fraud (one participant) in the SEP, there is some discussion about the procurement of equipment by beneficiaries and the potential scope for issues in this area. Currently the close monitoring by the UNDP team and the PES advisers ensured that equipment was bought, recorded and its use monitored. In the past, in other similar projects there have been issue around procurement and sell-off of purchased equipment (or indeed a grant given and no machinery purchased). One of the advantages of SEP is that the process is efficient and the grant can be accessed quickly once approved, and equipment purchased. If the procurement of such equipment were to be centralised, then delays might occur. It is recommended that the experience in other countries, particularly in Macedonia (where procurement is organised centrally) be reviewed in order to reach consensus on a feasible new approach or indeed to leave the status quo in place where the mentors were quite involved in equipment purchase. The centralised approach may be more appropriate for particular sub- groups of beneficiaries, depending on their background and characteristics

While social assistance beneficiaries were a target group, the take up from this group was small. They face huge financial and practical difficulties in starting a business. There is an argument that as in some other countries, there be a disregard of social assistance payments when such clients take up training and/or other ALMMs such as SEP. It is recommended that social assistance benefits be retained by such potential beneficiaries for a period of one year from business start-up and grant approval. This would ensure that inclusion aspects of SEP are strengthened. This would require a legislative change.

A number of beneficiary interviewees indicated that it would be very useful to have the option of post-start-up additional funding. This related to the need for additional specific skills training in new approaches to their original production model and/or other additional equipment needs that only become apparent as the business develops and expands. It is recommended that this option be examined and if feasible, be incorporated into any future expansion of the SEP model