Country: Kenya
Registration deadline: 26 Apr 2019
Starting date: 29 Apr 2019
Ending date: 03 May 2019
Background
Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Learning (MERL) is an integral part of every intervention. Knowledge of MERL makes it easy to formulate and articulate a project’s theory of change and to draw organizational learning from it. It also makes it easier to draw evidence of achieved results, draw lessons from what is working and recommend appropriate measures for what is not working.
Though MERL is beneficial, many organizations and project staffs shy away from it because they see it as technical in nature, others find it time consuming while others fear that results may not be achievable in rapidly changing contexts.
Irrespective of this, knowledge and skills in MERL allows organizations and staff to more effectively engage in MERL for the growth of their projects and the organizations.
Course objectives
Introduce participants to MERL from a peacebuilding perspective
Enhance participants understanding of the various contextual tools of analysis applied in MERL in the peacebuilding practice
Build participants understanding of a project’s Theory of Change
Enhance participants’ skills in developing an evaluation and a learning agenda for their Peacebuilding projects
The Course Content
1. Introduction to monitoring and evaluation for conflict prevention and peacebuilding: In this session, participants will be introduced to MERL from the peacebuilding practice including an understanding of the different criteria that is used to assess the effectiveness of a peacebuilding project.
2. Contextual analysis tools: This session will introduce participants to the different contextual analysis tools used in MERL.
3. Developing effective monitoring tools for conflict prevention and peacebuilding: In this section, participants will be taken through the process of developing an MERL plan for their specific projects. The session will focus on creating a common understanding of what an MERL plan is, what it is used for, who is involved in its designing, the most appropriate time for its designing and who it is used on
4. Developing a Theory of Change: the session will focus on understanding what a Theory of change is, how it is developed, its relationship to the project cycle and who really should be involved in its designing. This session will enable participants broaden their knowledge of the project cycle and the logical linkages from one stage to the other. The session will examine how proposed project activities lead to the desired social change. At the end of the session, participants should be able to identify and expound on the various theories of change that inform their projects
5. Evaluation and developing a learning agenda: The session will take participants through the concept of evaluation and its importance and applicability in projects, the different types of evaluation and audiences will also be discussed including how to develop an evaluation schedule for a project. At the end of the session, participants should be able to develop an evaluation schedule for their projects and to identify some learning agenda questions for their projects.
Lead Trainer-Dr. George Kut
Dr. Kut has extensive experience in strengthening government and civil societies’ collaboration and dialogue through participatory training. He has designed and facilitated processes for conflict early warning and response systems, peacebuilding policy analysis and advocacy with governments including designing and conducting several researches and documentation for civil society organizations and UN agencies. He drafted the national peacebuilding policies for Kenya and Uganda. He also offers technical support on conflict and gender sensitive programming.
Dr. Kut’s experience in training in multicultural contexts for over 20 years spans across Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa. He has developed a number of courses and training materials on peacebuilding for civil society organizations, local community groups and UN agencies. He recently designed an internationally popular course module on the application of CEDAW and UNSCRs 1325 in peacebuilding, gender based violence prevention, conflict transformation and human security work. He has a PhD in International Studies and Social Sciences from Coventry University, U.K and is also a holder of MA degree in Peace and Reconciliation Studies from the same university. He also holds a Post Graduate diploma in Peacebuilding & Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University.
How to register:
Filled in applications should be sent to COPA by email. All received applications will be acknowledged and if successful a corresponding letter of admission and other necessary documentations will be sent to the applicant. Please send your completed application to martha@copafrica.org or copa@copafrica.org.
Application forms and prospectus can be obtained from www.copafrica.org or by sending an email to copa@copafrica.org