Nelson Mandela Foundation

Evaluating Community Dialogues

How do we know we are making a difference?

Why evaluate community dialogues?

• Accountability – upwards, peers & downwards• Develop capacity to reflect, analyse, learn and

use learning to improve practice• Celebrate and build on strengths• Learn from weaknesses• Share what works – wider learning• To strengthen the dialogues• PM&E tools are a vehicle for collective

discussion, analysis, problem-solving & action

Key evaluation questions

• What do we need to know? Who needs what information?

• Why? For whom?

• How? Who should be involved?

• How can we ensure quality?

• What are the resource and support implications?

Strengths of participatory M&E

• Fits with dialogue principles and values• Maximises the learning potential of evaln.• Prioritises marginalised voices• Fosters ownership of and commitment to

the results• Outsiders facilitate, insiders evaluate• Wider long-term benefits• A positive alternative to “policing” evals.

Thank you

Questions

• What have you learned from collecting stories of change from dialogue participants?