Basic Principles of Monitoring and Evaluation

Youth Employment Programmes

• The main focus of youth employment programmes is to improve the employability and employment outcomes of young people.

Key Policy Question

• The key policy question is how to design and implement effective programmes that lead to better employment outcomes for young people.

Policy-Makers and Programme Managers

• Policy-makers and programme managers often focus on the number of participants, programme costs, and programme activities, rather than the intended outcomes of a programme.

Programme Evaluation

• Effectiveness refers to whether the planned results (outcomes) were actually achieved.

Measuring Results

• The main purpose of measuring results in monitoring and evaluation is to assess the effectiveness of programmes and to make informed decisions about programme design and implementation.

Indicators

• Output indicators, such as the number of people trained, are often focused on by policy-makers and programme managers instead of the intended outcomes.

Monitoring

• The main objective of monitoring is to track the progress of a programme and to identify any issues or problems that need to be addressed.

Impact Evaluation

• Impact evaluation aims to determine whether the programme actually caused the observed outcomes.

Performance Evaluation

• Performance evaluation attempts to determine whether the programme is achieving its intended outcomes and why or why not.
• What distinguishes performance evaluation from monitoring is that it focuses on the programme's outcomes and impact, rather than just tracking progress.

Reliable Monitoring System

• The existence of a reliable monitoring system is essential for evaluation because it provides the data needed to assess the programme's effectiveness.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

• Cost-benefit analysis is a type of assessment that estimates the total benefit of a programme compared to its total costs.

Impact Evaluations

• The main focus of impact evaluations is to determine whether the programme had a causal effect on the outcomes of interest.

Performance Evaluations

• Typically, performance evaluations cover the programme's design, implementation, and outcomes, and are used to identify areas for improvement.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Monitoring and evaluation usually include information on the programme's progress, outcomes, and impact, as well as lessons learned and areas for improvement.