Policy Context and Legal Framework

One of the most important effects of the SASF Project is the fact that it minimized the phone and correspondency traffic as much as possible. Since all the firms and institutions in charge use the same data repository now, the correspondence process which used to be required in order to access the information by which institution the citizen has been assisted before, emergency of the situation, amount of the aid given etc. has now been removed. The speeding up of the process makes it possible to decrease the costs of institutions regarding time and money and also helps the citizens more quickly and effectively who have to wait until the completion of the process.

Implementation and Management Approach

The user authorities in SASF are separated into 4 different grades:

Search Authority: authority to access only the Search Part and to search through the previously entered information

Data Entry Authority: authority to enter new data and search through old data

Administrative Authority: authority to enter data, search, obtain statistics and reports it in his/her own institution

Executive (Upper Management) Authority: authority to enter data, search, obtain statistics and reports regarding all institutions throughout the city



Multi-channel issues:
In the SASF Project, it is possible to carry out the list below:

Person Search; displaying the applicant’s old citizen records, New Person Register; registration of new citizens who don’t have any previous records, Obtaining Statistics and Detailed Reports; obtaining criteria-based statistical compilation and detailed reports, Inquiries on aids within the Institution as well as on city-based aid for citizens.
In order to provide updates easily and to centralize the data, the project is developed as web-based therefore without any offline applications.

Impact

In the SASF Project, the aims are:
- Centralizing all the records on poor and needy citizens throughout Istanbul, aids delivered in accordance with SASF purposes and everyone who has benefited from these aids so far and thus having a poverty archive, providing convenience in inquiry, preventing abuse, reaching the rightful owners, re-applying the applications easily, using the resources efficiently and fairly, providing information share databases between foundations and increasing the trust in the government.
In the SASF Joint Data Project which makes it possible for the aids to be delivered to those in need through effective audition and control as a part of the TR Governorship of Istanbul SASF Project. All the aids extended in accordance with the purposes of the city and 32 regional foundations are collected in a fast and functional data repository.
The inquiry feature of the data repository makes it possible to deliver the aid to those who are really in need by preventing reiterated aids throughout the city.
With the opportunity to provide easy and flexible reporting and a statistics presentation system, there is no need to work overtime to get information on the poverty map of Istanbul, the types of aids, their distribution throughout the year, the holders of greencards and the statistics to be obtained in future years.
This project is a very important project in terms of transparency, auditability and quick service in public institutions since it gives way to statistical results and reports and enables retrospective inquiries.




As per 12.06.2007:

The total number of people assisted: 255 645
The total amount of help given: 720 210
260.733 of the total aids are real aids
459 477 of the total aids are monetary aids


Innovation:
One of the most important effects of the SASF Project is the fact that it minimized the phone and correspondency traffic as much as possible. Since all the firms and institutions in charge use the same data repository now, the correspondence process which used to be required in order to access the information on whether the citizen has been registered before - if so when was the last time he had received some aid in which county, for which amount and for which reason has been removed. The speeding up of the process makes it possible to decrease the costs of institutions regarding time and money and also helps the citizens more quickly and effectively who have to wait until the completion of the process.

Track record of sharing

The project has an innovative structure since it is the one and only in its field. It has been prepared through the examination of several sites in terms of data structure since there are no other applications that can be taken as examples.
Since the applications are web-based, no software is needed on the requester’s side and hence the multiple access (multi-retrieval) is provided through these features. The software based infrastructure enables other institutions to use the project and thus, makes it easier for the project to integrate with other projects.

Lessons learnt

- With the opportunity to provide a easy and flexible reporting and statistics presentation system, there is no need to work overtime to get information on the poverty map of Istanbul, the types of aids, their distribution throughout the year, the holders of greencards and the statistics to be obtained in future years. Thus, it gives way for internal auditing and reporting of the SASF through the inquiries based on the type of aid or the county and the time that the aid request is made.
- This project is a very important project in terms of transparency, auditability and quick service in public institutions since it gives way to statistical results and reports and enables retrospective inquiries.
- The inquiry feature of the data repository makes it possible to deliver the aid to those in real need by preventing reiterated aids throughout the city.