Mapping

Helping us to be more strategic

Overview

With 49 members in 46 countries, Caritas Europa has an extensive network. Our members have hundreds of projects running at any given time, so it is important to know who is doing what and where. Mapping is the collection, compilation and organisation of this information, which is then made available to our members via the Caritas Internationalis Mapping tool. Mapping also gathers all the institutional information of Caritas members around the world into one place.

Why do we need this?

At the core of mapping is the exchange of information and knowledge. The network is stronger if we all work together in transparency and can access internal structures, activities, fields of expertise and resources.

Mapping is a representation of the Caritas network at the global and regional levels and is an important strategic tool for every member organisation. In line with Caritas Internationalis Management Standards, it offers transparency and accountability. It allows all Caritas organisations to know:

  • What other members in the network are doing, what their areas of interest and activity are and how many people are reached by the activities;
  • With which member to join forces, set up partnerships and submit project proposals together for (EU or other) funding – when partnerships are required;
  • Where what members are active, allowing to align and coordinate activities and avoid duplication;
  • Who to reach out to in the network for specific fields of expertise;
  • Who to contact in a country (inside or outside Europe) when planning a project there.

How does it work?

Mapping, first developed at the Caritas Europa regional level, has been further developed by Caritas Internationalis to reflect the global Caritas confederation. Embedded in Baobab (the confederation-wide extranet), it can be accessed anywhere in the world by Caritas members.

Appointed individuals in each Caritas member organisation are given access as editors to the platform. They can add ongoing and completed activities and any data related to their respective organisation.

The Caritas Internationalis Mapping task force brings together people from all seven regional secretariats to agree on technical and strategic matters. The regions ensure the maintenance and updating of the tool, making sure that in their regions all member organisations have mapping focal points and system editors who can be in touch regularly.

Mapping enables member organisations to:

  • Provide information to illustrate and underpin the results of campaigns and areas of importance;
  • Clarify how many people are helped through Caritas projects;
  • Help member organisations provide often-requested data and statistics to underpin national advocacy and policy work;
  • Provide the necessary figures to illustrate national activity reports and communication activities and help members present themselves;
  • See the scale of the Caritas network.