What the client needed
Save the Children International's implementing partners under the Sida Civil Society Strengthening Project needed to show clearly what their work was achieving. Gaps in evidence gathering, documentation and report writing made it harder to link activities to outcomes, prepare for evaluations and close projects out well.
Save the Children needed partner staff who could gather sound evidence, report on progress with confidence and plan for sustainability beyond the project's end.
How M31 Research delivered
M31 Research designed and delivered a five-day Evidence Gathering and Documentation Training Workshop for Save the Children's implementing partners. The programme covered why evidence matters and how to collect it, data collection approaches for each stage of the project cycle, and hands-on use of key tools: the Action Tracker, IPTT, SPEL Tracker, Outcome Tracker and After-Action Review.
Sessions combined presentations, brainstorming, case study discussions, practical exercises and daily feedback reviews. Participants left with evidence gathering plans built into their closeout plans, and with sustainability and exit strategies of their own.
What we delivered
- Five-day training workshop, designed and facilitated
- Practical sessions on the Action Tracker, IPTT, SPEL Tracker, Outcome Tracker and After-Action Review
- Report writing and quality reporting techniques
- Evidence gathering plans embedded in closeout plans
- Sustainability and exit strategies for each partner
What changed for the client
Partner organisations came away with stronger skills in evidence gathering, documentation and reporting, and a clearer understanding of how to apply the tools in their day-to-day work. They were better prepared for project evaluations and closeout. M31 recommended continued support and periodic reviews to sustain the gains.
Key findings and outcomes
- Increased confidence in using evidence gathering tools
- Better quality reports that link activities to outcomes
- Evidence gathering plans, sustainability plans and exit strategies in place
- Stronger preparedness for evaluations and closeout
