Below is a summary of the main points raised during the discussion. Many thanks to all participants!
Luisa and Lavinia
Evaluation and capacity development
Evaluation is first and foremost a learning process that involves the evaluators as well as the ‘evaluand’ stakeholders.
Learning is one of the most influential factors for the long-term sustainability of interventions.
Capacity development activities during the evaluation process may include, f.i., rebuilding the ToC with the evaluation stakeholders.
Learning and therefore capacity development are more limited when the evaluation stakeholders do not engage, or when the evaluator does not involve them.
Evaluation can help identify training needs and provide mechanisms for better and more effective development of capacities.
Participatory approaches in evaluation and capacity development
Involving stakeholders in the evaluation process influences the extent to which they will enhance their capacities as a direct result of the evaluation.
The soft skills of evaluators, such as communication and facilitation skills, are key when it comes to ensure effective participatory approaches; this may go beyond what can be taught in a classroom and requires a focused work on personal attitudes and a lot of practice.
Using consultative groups can be an effective way to involve stakeholders’ representatives throughout the evaluation process. It usually enhances the likelihood of them accepting and acting upon the recommendations.
Cited methods applied in participatory evaluations include: Outcome Harvesting, Resource Mapping, Institutional Mapping and Community Farm calendar.
A systemic and integrated approach across capacity development dimensions is key in supporting an evaluation culture in countries. In Kenya, for instance, evaluations at county level conducted under the EvalSDGs/EvalVision programme are targeting a wide range of stakeholders allowing a vertical integration of capacities and the emerging of an enabling environment for evaluation. Another example is the “Focelac” project in Costa Rica, which is targeting both individual and institutional capacities while at the same time creating a favourable environment for evaluation though promotion of norms and standard, data availability, etc.
To end with, some members shared their suggestions on how to evaluate training and capacity development, through a simplified version of the KirkPatrick model. Other templates that can be used to track the outcome of training events were also made available during the discussion.
RE: What can evaluations do in terms of capacity development?
Dear members,
Below is a summary of the main points raised during the discussion. Many thanks to all participants!
Luisa and Lavinia
Evaluation and capacity development
Participatory approaches in evaluation and capacity development
A systemic and integrated approach across capacity development dimensions is key in supporting an evaluation culture in countries. In Kenya, for instance, evaluations at county level conducted under the EvalSDGs/EvalVision programme are targeting a wide range of stakeholders allowing a vertical integration of capacities and the emerging of an enabling environment for evaluation. Another example is the “Focelac” project in Costa Rica, which is targeting both individual and institutional capacities while at the same time creating a favourable environment for evaluation though promotion of norms and standard, data availability, etc.
To end with, some members shared their suggestions on how to evaluate training and capacity development, through a simplified version of the KirkPatrick model. Other templates that can be used to track the outcome of training events were also made available during the discussion.