Traditional monitoring and evaluation models often treat young people as passive subjects, missing out on their unique perspectives and potential as active agents of change. This training course is designed to empower M&E and project professionals with the specialized methodologies to foster meaningful youth engagement in M&E. By shifting power dynamics and adopting co-creative approaches, participants will learn how to involve young people not just as data sources, but as co-designers, data collectors, and analysts, thereby strengthening project outcomes and building the long-term capacity of young leaders.

This comprehensive program provides a practical, hands-on roadmap for designing and implementing M&E frameworks that are youth-friendly and youth-led. Participants will gain skills in everything from using creative, participatory tools like photo-voice and digital storytelling to building feedback mechanisms and ensuring ethical safeguards. The course is a strategic investment for organizations seeking to enhance the relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability of their projects by ensuring that the voices of young people are not only heard but are at the heart of the learning and accountability process.

Duration: 10 days

Target Audience:

• M&E Specialists
• Youth Program Managers
• Civil Society Leaders
• Community Development Workers
• Researchers
• Educators and Trainers
• Social Entrepreneurs
• Public Policy Analysts
• Consultants
• Strategic Planners

Objectives:

• Understand the core principles of youth-led and youth-friendly M&E.
• Master the process of designing a participatory M&E framework with youth.
• Learn how to select and use a variety of youth-friendly data collection tools.
• Develop a framework for integrating youth feedback into the M&E system.
• Build a more participatory and inclusive approach to monitoring.
• Communicate findings to different audiences, including young people.
• Ensure ethical considerations and safety protocols in data collection.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning and adaptive management.
• Apply youth engagement techniques to a wide range of sectors.
• Enhance the long-term credibility and effectiveness of projects.

Course Modules:

Module 1: Foundations of Youth-Led M&E

• The importance of youth as a development partner
• Defining youth-led M&E and its purpose
• The business case for engaging young people in M&E
• An overview of the M&E workflow
• The difference between youth-as-subjects and youth-as-agents

Module 2: Foundational Concepts for Youth Engagement

• The importance of a clear and focused research question
• Understanding the context and its impact on the project
• The role of a program's theory of change
• The importance of a clear and testable hypothesis
• An overview of the data-to-dashboard workflow

Module 3: Co-creating a Framework with Youth

• The importance of a co-creation process
• Engaging young people in the design of the M&E framework
• The role of a "youth advisory group"
• Best practices for facilitating a co-creation workshop
• Case studies on effective co-creation

Module 4: Participatory Data Collection Tools

• The importance of a mixed-methods approach
• Using creative tools for data collection (e.g., photo-voice, digital storytelling)
• The role of a "social mapping" and a "trend analysis"
• The use of a simple survey and a focus group discussion
• Practical labs on a basic data collection tool

Module 5: Geospatial Tools for M&E

• The use of GIS for mapping and visualization
• The role of satellite imagery in tracking projects
• Using mobile apps for geo-enabled data collection
• The importance of a "live dashboard" for monitoring
• Practical labs on using GIS for M&E

Module 6: Data Analysis and Interpretation

• The importance of a clear data analysis plan
• Using simple statistical analysis for quantitative data
• The role of qualitative data analysis methods
• Interpreting findings from a youth perspective
• The importance of data triangulation

Module 7: The Art of Storytelling with Data

• The difference between a simple visual and a data story
• The importance of a clear and compelling narrative
• Using dashboards and visualizations to communicate insights
• The role of a "data story map"
• Practical labs on building a data story

Module 8: Ethical Considerations and Safety

• The importance of a "do no harm" approach
• Ensuring the safety and privacy of participants
• The role of informed consent in a crisis
• The importance of a community-led ethical review process
• Protocols for handling sensitive and potentially harmful data

Module 9: M&E for a Diverse Audience

• The importance of knowing your audience
• The role of a "stakeholder analysis"
• Designing reports and dashboards for non-technical audiences
• The importance of accessibility and inclusivity
• Case studies on communicating with different audiences

Module 10: Mainstreaming Youth Engagement

• How to integrate youth engagement into the project cycle
• The importance of a phased implementation strategy
• The role of youth engagement in the project cycle
• Building a culture of adaptive management
• Case studies on successful integration

Module 11: M&E for a Diverse Youth Sector

• M&E for youth employment programs
• M&E for youth health and wellness
• M&E for youth governance and leadership
• M&E for youth climate action and environmental stewardship
• M&E for youth education and livelihoods

Module 12: The Role of the M&E Professional

• Shifting from a technician to a facilitator
• The skills required for a youth-led M&E professional
• Managing power dynamics and group conflicts
• The importance of a non-judgmental and empathetic approach
• The ethical responsibilities of the M&E professional

Module 13: CBM and Youth-Led M&E

• The potential of community-based monitoring with youth
• Training young people as monitors
• The importance of a participatory approach
• The role of a feedback mechanism for continuous learning
• The long-term benefits of a community-led system

Module 14: Practical Application and Simulation

• A hands-on simulation of a real-world project
• Participants work in teams to design a youth-led M&E framework
• Troubleshooting common challenges in data collection
• Analyzing and interpreting a set of youth-led data
• Peer review and feedback sessions on framework design

Module 15: The Future of Youth M&E

• The role of AI and machine learning in automated analysis
• The potential of blockchain for data integrity
• The use of new data sources (e.g., social media)
• The rise of complexity-aware M&E
• The long-term implications for the sector

Module 16: Building Your Youth Engagement Roadmap

• Creating a customized plan for a new project
• Identifying key stakeholders and securing buy-in
• Developing a phased implementation strategy
• Measuring the ROI and business impact of the investment
• Final Q&A and course wrap-up

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org  Tel: +254 702 249 449

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Skills for Africa Training Institute Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, airport transfers, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Skills for Africa Training Institute certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org  Tel: +254 702 249 449

Terms of Payment: Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 10 working days before commencement of the training.