careglobalmel.careinternationalwikis.org

The engagement in the Community of Practice is open to colleagues in all CARE teams around the world (Project, Country, Region, Member or Affiliate, etc.).

The agenda of the Community of Practice will be highly linked with the priorities that shape the CI MEL agenda. However, members are free to adjust its content or evolve to a wider range of working groups (e.g. in other languages) or other forms of interaction.

Terms of Reference in different languages

Members of the Community of Practice are the core of CARE’s global capacity for monitoring programmatic actions, measuring impact and capturing and sharing leaning from our programming. Therefore, it is of great value to know how our MEL expertise is consolidated around the world, and the capacity building needs in different aspects of MEL.

To know more about MEL colleagues around the world and their MEL expertise, go here:

MEL capacity mapping in ENGLISH (wiki)

MEL capacity mapping in SPANISH

Learning Sessions

The CI MEL Community of Practice organizes monthly 1-2 hour sessions (in English or other languages) via teleconference and they normally follow this format:

1. Brief update on CARE’s MEL agenda
2. Focused dialogue: presentation, training, panel or other, on a topic of interest
3. Open Discussion: open (but moderated) dialogue, where members are free to share their expertise, documents, resources, etc.

Agenda:
1. Quick update on FY22 MEAL agenda
2. Humanitarian Update

Agenda:
1. Feedback to the FY21 process
2. What data is available now, how you can use it and what will come next
3. Plans to use/share/analyze the data

Agenda:
1. Quick updates
2. Cost efficiency analysis: The experience of CARE Jordan analyzing cost efficiency in Conditional Cash programming, for Education and Protection
3. Data quality guidance: Recent guidance on data quality standards and tools that can help you assess/ensure data quality throughout the project life cycle

Agenda: An overview of the 30 global indicators to measure change towards Vision 2030 and getting to know the MEAL leads behind the indicators.

Agenda: Outcome Mapping: Sharing experience and lessons from Nepal Data Literacy Scholarship Initiative: Sharing experience and project outcomes from the scholars

Agenda: Introductory sessions to PIIRS FY21 data reporting. All information available here

Agenda: Session by Dr. Karen Andes

Agenda: Session by Dr. Solveig Argeseanu Cunningham

Agenda: Emory’s Dr. Matt Freeman on Sampling for Quantitative Design and Methods

Agenda:
1. PIIRS data moment: Based on FY20 data, we will look at the extent to which projects/initiatives are addressing the CI MEAL standards and have some dialogue around it
2. MEAL modules: We will look at who can access the modules and how, enrollment on the modules to date, the winners of the “30-Day MEAL Challenge” and share ideas on what happens after we take the modules
3. MEAL cohort: You will be informed on what the MEAL cohort is, purpose, pilot phase, etc.

Agenda:
• Explore the New Sharepoint site re FAM guidance
• Get to know the FAM assessment tool (still under construction)
• Discuss the FAM training module,
• Analyse the PIIRS data about FAM (summary coming soon – but check already the PowerBI (esp. slide 4) or DIY version of the FY20 data)
• Exchange re COVID adaptations of FAMs etc.

Agenda: Deep dive discussion on the Advocacy Tracker Tool and How to Access and Use PIIRS Data.

Agenda: Learning about https://www.dioptratool.org, a tool to estimate the cost-efficiency of programs, compare to benchmarks, and identify improvements. We will visit recent experiences of application of this methodology in Jordan and Afghanistan.

Agenda:
- Women Respond: An initiative that unpacks the needs and realities of women in the COVID-19 crisis, and how their voices transform response actions. Most recent findings of this initiative are available in the She told us So report and this is how you/your project/country can participate
- The Evaluation of the Rapid Gender Analysis: This evaluation analyzed the effectiveness and influence of the RGA approach on adapting programming to improve gendered outcomes for crises-affected communities. All findings and recommendations from the evaluation are available in the When Time Won’t Wait report.

Agenda: Where we are currently in terms of the quality of CARE evaluations (both internal and external) and what process and criteria can we follow to assess the quality of evaluations.

Agenda: Emory-CARE MEAL Capacity Strengthening Series

Speaker: Dr. Matthew Freeman, Associate Professor, Environmental Health

Learning Objectives:

• Learn about the basic differences in evaluation designs • Review different sampling strategies • Understand how to improve internal and external validity of findings

Agenda: a dialogue on how to conduct evaluations, given the impact of COVID-19 on our mobility, our resources, and our programs!

Agenda: Emory-CARE MEAL Capacity Strengthening Series

Speaker: Dr. Bethany Caruso, Assistant Professor, Global Health

Learning Objectives:

• Understand what process evaluation is (definition) • Know the types of process evaluation and related goals • Articulate the key components of process evaluation • Learn steps of process evaluation

Agenda: Emory-CARE MEAL Capacity Strengthening Series

Speaker: Dr. James Lavery, Conrad N. Hilton Chair in Global Health Ethics

Learning Objectives:

• Define a typology of ethical challenges in global health programs • Explore the disconnect between the nature of ethical challenges in global health programs and the prevailing guidance and ethics review conventions • Know of a novel ethics paradigm for the identification and management of ethical challenges in global health programs • Understand how addressing ethical challenges can improve the effectiveness of global health programs

Agenda: A dialogue on DIGITAL TOOLS and PLATFORMS for FEEDBACK and ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS (FAM).

Agenda: Emory-CARE MEAL Capacity Strengthening Series

Speaker: Dr. James Lavery, Conrad N. Hilton Chair in Global Health Ethics

Learning Objectives:

• Appreciate the operational relationship among stakeholder engagement, organizational learning, and knowledge co-production in program evaluation • Explain how ethical goals improve the design and value of program evaluation • Understand how to facilitate the evaluation of ethical goals in program evaluation

Agenda: Emory-CARE MEAL Capacity Strengthening Series

Speaker: Dr. Karen Andes, Associate Professor, Global Health

Learning Objectives:

Identify key tools of qualitative data analysis 2 Explain processes of analysis using various tools 3 Understand how the tools and processes fit together to determine an analysis plan

Agenda: Session to discuss and reflect on IMPACT and REACH data in relation to the Women’s Economic Empowerment global outcome. Review of recent data from PIIRS FY19, taking the opportunity to deep dive into the numbers and trends from previous years and highlight examples from the most recent financial year.

Agenda: Session to to discuss and reflect on the IMPACT and REACH data in relation to the Food and Nutrition Security global outcome. Dialogue around the recent data from PIIRS FY19 with a deep dive into the numbers and trends from past years.

Agenda: A dialogue on Responsible Data, Data Ethics and Data Minimization

Agenda: In light of the Covid-19 crisis, we are seeing an increasing demand for MEAL tools or guidance to support data collection, monitoring, evaluation, learning or decision making/adaptation in the context of the crisis, and different teams are already working on that. In this call we’d like to explore how can we bring all our efforts together and how can the MEAL group collectively support the integration of key elements of MEAL in the different actions to be implemented in the context of the crisis.

Agenda: A review of global SRHR data on IMPACT, REACH, and elements of PROGRAM QUALITY, looking at the most recent data from PIIRS FY19 and some trends from past FYs.

Agenda: A dialogue on the IMPACT and REACH data of the Life Free From Violence global outcome

Agenda: A review of Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) data in FY19, and dialogue on actions that we can collectively take in order to further advance CVA work and CVA reporting.

Agenda: Sensemaking sessions of global data on IMPACT, REACH and elements of PROGRAM QUALITY, looking at the most recent data from PIIRS FY19 and some trends from past FYs. Two sessions with the same content, in different days/timezones.

All materials related to the PIIRS digitization are available here: PIIRS Digitization

Agenda: An opportunity to know more about the work of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) around randomized impact evaluations, and also an opportunity for us to share our main questions, concerns or uncertainties when applying RCTs in the context of CARE projects or programs.

Agenda: Learning from projects that have applied Randomized Control Trials and the main questions/critical elements we need to consider when deciding if an RCT is the most appropriate approach.

Agenda: A session on responsible data, what it means and where it fits into your work. A deep dive into our ongoing responsible data work with Chomoka in Tanzania, some take-aways from our work in Mali. Dialogue on questions we should all be asking before embarking in exciting digital innovations.

Agenda: Systems that countries are using to track and consolidate data at country or program level (participant or other data coming from projects).

Jordan: The CARE Database System (CDS)
Turkey: System for the CVA program
CARE Lebanon’s beneficiary system using SQL coding and QR Codes

Agenda: Presentation and dialogue around different initiatives in which CARE is involved, around SDG progress, implementation or measurement.

- Report: CARE and Partners’ Contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals
- The “Leave no One behind – Making voices heard and count” initiative in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Kenya and Vietnam
- Partnerships for the SDGs: An introduction to the SDG advocacy approach
- From the sidelines of UNGA

Agenda

- PIIRS FY19: debriefing on the first part of the process (status of data / learning & recommendations) and description of next steps (data validation with CARE countries)
- Demo of a Power BI visual for PIIRS, for your feedback
- Update on the development of the MEAL minimum package (online training modules addressing key elements of MEAL) and invitation for those who may want to test it in the next months

Agenda: Presentations from Norway, Burundi, DRC, Mali, Niger, Rwanda and Myanmar, focused on results and learning of GEWEP II and innovations in women entrepreneurship programming, in resilience and crisis management through VSLAs, and more.

Agenda: A session focused on FY18 findings from PIIRS, in relation to WEE and sharing experiences from CARE Jordan and CARE Bangladesh on reporting agains the WEE Global Indicators.

Agenda: A session focused on FY18 findings from PIIRS, in relation to resilience and Resilience Marker. We will be looking at REACH/IMPACT data, trends and what we can learn from it.

Agenda: CARE recently completed a meta-analysis to draw lessons from what evaluators reported as challenges, gaps, and lessons learned across 114 project evaluations from 2015-2018. In this session, we will learn more about how the analysis was conducted (using MAXQDA) and what it’s telling us about the implications for future work.

Agenda: An overview of the fundamentals of Outcome Harvesting and examples of application in Guatemala, Mali, Bangladesh and other CARE countries.

A preliminary dialogue to share progress around the following:

- What is being prepared for the FY19 process (process tools): the incorporation of the recommendations that colleagues provided during and after PIIRS FY18, plus some new data needs that have emerged.

- The elements that we are not yet able to incorporate but are listed for a larger dialogue on further digitization and expansion of PIIRS Not yet be the formal launching of the FY19 data collection process (the process will be launched mid-July)

Recording and notes from the sessions are available in this link: PIIRS FY19 Preparations

Agenda:A dialogue around SHRH reach and impact, trends, gaps to fill and learning.

Agenda:A dialogue around LFFV reach and impact, trends, gaps to fill and learning.

Agenda:A dialogue around what VOPES do; how they bring together evaluation practitioners with the objective of improving evaluation thinking and practice; and opportunities for CARE teams to connect with VOPEs in different countries/regions.

Agenda:A dialogue on data/evidence of CARE’s contribution to impact/outcomes; progress toward CARE’s 2020 Impact Goals and what we are all learning from these global evidencing effort.

Session 1

Agenda:A dialogue on basic principles of feedback and complaints mechanism, and practical experiences implementing them different countries.

Session 2

Agenda:A dialogue on basic principles of feedback and complaints mechanism, and practical experiences implementing them different countries.

Agenda: Session focused on quality of evaluations, looking at the quality of CARE’s evaluations currently (e.g. what we are good at, what we need to improve) and an example from CARE Madagascar applying tools and processes to ensure improved quality of evaluations.

Agenda: Session focused on experiences using Kobo toolbox in the Mano River region for both development and humanitarian projects; and using DHIS2 for an SRH in emergencies project.

Agenda: Session focused on describing the main elements of a new Strategic Impact Inquiry on Gender in Emergencies; the main questions we want to answer; the connection with the MEL Community of Practice and the different roles members of the MEL CoP can play in this process.

Agenda: Session focused on LEARNING and linking the M&E to the L in MEL. An overview of key elements to consider when generating and using learning. Experiences shared from Honduras, Egypt and Mozambique.

Agenda: Session focused on measurement and learning around the Program Strategy Outcomes: Humanitarian Assistance; Food and Nutrition Security & Climate Change Resilience; The Right to Sexual, Reproductive and Maternal Health & a Life Free From Violence; and Women's Economic Empowerment.

• Overview on Global and Supplementary indicators to measure impact/outcomes around the Outcomes
• Experiences applying the indicators in different scenarios: incorporating the indicators in MEL systems, in new proposals, etc.

Agenda: Session focused on measurement and learning around the three elements of the CARE Approach: Gender Equality and Women’s Voice, Inclusive Governance and Resilience.

• Application of the markers and how they help us assess the degree to which we are integration the CARE Approach in our work
• Discussion on Global and Supplementary indicators to measure impact/outcomes around the CARE Approach

2018_april_10_cop_session_mel_and_care_approach.pptx

Agenda: Using PIIRS data for planing, learning and improving programming.
Presentations from Mali, Southern Africa, Malawi, Bangladesh and Latin America & Caribbean

2018_march_20_cop_session_use_of_piirs_-_session_2_final_lr.pptx

Agenda:

• Introducing everyone to the Community of Practice and the linkages with the global MEL agenda and MEL framework
• Reviewing our current MEL capacities
• Discussing on expectations, themes of interest and ways of working going forward

2018_february_6_mel_community_of_practice_-_session_1.pptx