Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring and Evaluation is an integral part of Save the Children Sweden Denmark’s programme. Monitoring is a means for gauging such changes and is, therefore, a key aspect of child rights programming. An Evidence-Based approach, in which participation of girls and boys, their families and communities is meaningfully achieved, may also yield data about unfulfilled rights and violations. In addition, it is intended to create the space for stakeholders to articulate their aspirations and to offer their assessment of changes achieved through programmatic activities. A participatory approach to monitoring and evaluation also offers opportunities for children’s personal and social development.

Key issues in Monitoring and Evaluation

•     Monitoring Children’s right
•     Establishing basis for dialogue
•     Contextualisation of locally and/or globally driven priority

Collecting Data

Frequency of data collection

Save the Children Sweden Denmark tends to follow a minimalist system that does not overburden either the people who are collecting the information or those using it.

Sampling

When focusing on activities (‘effort’), it is often the case that all project locations can be included as sites for collection of the quantitative data needed. By contrast, when collecting information on project effectiveness and impact the need for more qualitative information would overburden the monitoring system if data were collected from all project locations and activities. It is necessary therefore to take a sampling approach. Save the Children Sweden Denmark follow a mixture of sampling method to understand the real situation in most cases purposive sample.

The sample would be purposeful in that the people to be included in each group would be purposefully selected (possibly by the project or monitoring team) rather than by a process of random selection.

Use of  Tools

Information is collected using different tools. These can vary from questionnaires and interviews through focus group discussions, mapping exercises to observation. The choice of which tool to use depends on a number of factors:

•     The type of indicators and information to be gathered – quantitative, qualitative. It is also important when thinking about the type of information to consider whether it is very sensitive and whether it is possible or appropriate to address it in groups or seek instead to conduct one-to-one interviews;

•     The resources available – time, people, skills, finance;
•     The purpose of monitoring;
•     Participation of different stakeholders;

Save the Children Sweden Denmark is using a wide range of tool considering the variability in context. Now, Save the Children Sweden Denmark is piloting a tool that might be useful for effective measurement of change.

Storing and Managing Data

Save the Children Sweden Denmark has a system of managing and storing data so that it can be retrieved easily for subsequent use. Data is usually collected against indicators and filed up in project area, in partner office and in country office of Save the Children Sweden Denmark.

Each file note must have the following information on it:

•    Date
•    Location
•    Name of individual or group
•    Partner name
•    Tool or instrument used
•    Name of person who wrote up the note

Save the Children Sweden Denmark has a central filling and storing system. Most of the information are preserved using the standard rules of storing data.

Selecting and Analysing Data

The process of analysis includes a number of steps:

•    Review
•    Summarise
•    Interrogate

Using Data:

There are four main uses of data: