Overview
On 22 July 2025, Advancing Civil Society - GLOCA, in cooperation with the Directorate of Social Affairs and Labor in Aleppo, implemented a three-day physical workshop in Aleppo titled “Data Collection Techniques.” The workshop was delivered by Youssef Kardosh and facilitated by Noor Shahwan, with the participation of 50 staff members and civil society actors.

Workshop Focus
The workshop focused on strengthening participants’ ability to collect accurate, reliable, and ethically managed information to support social project planning, service improvement, and evidence-based decision-making within the Directorate’s work.

Key Themes

• The concept and importance of data collection in social project planning.

• Quantitative and qualitative data and their use in social work.

• Data collection tools, including surveys, interviews, observation, and focus groups.

• Designing data collection tools according to project objectives and target groups.

• Ethics of data collection, privacy, and confidentiality.

• Ensuring data quality and avoiding common collection errors.

• Introduction to data analysis and using information for better services.

• Practical exercises reflecting the work of the Directorate of Social Affairs and Labor.

Key Outputs
Participants gained practical knowledge of data collection methods and developed applicable models for their daily work. The workshop also helped unify concepts and methodologies among staff, improve data quality, and strengthen the link between information collection, service planning, and institutional decision-making.

Impact
The workshop contributed to building sustainable capacities within the Directorate and reinforced a culture of evidence-based social work, where accurate information, ethical practice, and structured tools directly improve the quality of services provided to beneficiaries.

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