voices of children in evaluation mallika r. samaranayake president - community of evaluators, south...

Voices of Children in Voices of Children in EvaluationEvaluation

Mallika R. SamaranayakeMallika R. SamaranayakePresident - Community of Evaluators, South Asia

In collaboration with BetterEvaluationFebruary 5, 2014

Presented by

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Why Children’s Why Children’s voices mattervoices matter

A part of their right to participate

Hold their own views and should have the right to express

Their insights vary from those of adults

Children’s views, are their reality

Participation gives recognition and feed into an evolutionary process of capacity building

Their views need to be taken into account in decisions that affect them

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What matters in What matters in enabling children’s enabling children’s

participationparticipation

A child friendly environment Confidence and credibility of

the facilitator Respect for ethics and values Role and skills of the facilitator

and ability to adapt to the socio cultural context

Simple and child friendly tools with the flexibility to adapt to the subject under discussion and the age group of the children participating

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Some experiences with Some experiences with children during evaluationschildren during evaluations

Attitudes, behavior and values as perceived by children Children’s participation in designing projects /

infrastructure Evaluation of project interventions by children Children evaluate change overtime after project

interventions Children evaluate water & sanitation needs in their own

school, come up with suggestions for improvement and participate in implementation

Attitudes, behavior and values as perceived by childrenAttitudes, behavior and values as perceived by children

Draw & Write Tool

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Children’s participation in designing projects / Children’s participation in designing projects / infrastructureinfrastructure

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Pavilion earlier planned location Present School

& Pavilion

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Evaluation of project Evaluation of project interventions by childreninterventions by children

Key support items by importance Rank

Received school learning materials 1

Received school bags 2

Received tables and chairs 3

Provision of temporary learning spaces( TLS) 4

Received service from good teachers 5

Received water bottles 6

Created awareness on good health practices 7

Received Shoes 8

An Example:

Tool: Brainstorming and priority ranking

Source: Columbia Group for Children in Adversity (CGCA) 2010 – Sri Lanka Study

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Children Identify needs in Children Identify needs in their schools their schools

An Example: Needs Identified by children RankNot enough teachers 1

Uncomfortable Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS) 2

Roof is damaged and it leaks 3

School learning materials not received by all 4

Non provision of library and computer facilities. 5

Non provision of bicycles to overcome transport difficulties 6

Tool: Brainstorming and priority ranking

Source: Columbia Group for Children in Adversity (CGCA) 2010 – Sri Lanka Study

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Children evaluate change Children evaluate change overtime after project overtime after project

interventionsinterventions

CriteriaM

uch w

orse

Worse

No

Change

Better

Much

Better

Don’t

know

N/A-N

R

1 2 3 4 5 8 9

Change of feelings about the school since the program began

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Change of attendance 4

Change in girls’ participation 4

Change in boys’ participation 4

Change in the sense of safety and security

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Ability to protect yourself in emergencies 5

Change in students helping each other 4

Change in students’ involvement in problem solving

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Change in fighting to resolve interpersonal differences

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Tool: Criteria based scoring in Focus Group Discussions (FGDs)

Source: Columbia Group for Children in Adversity (CGCA) 2010 – Sri Lanka Study 14

Children participate in identifying water & sanitation Children participate in identifying water & sanitation needs in their own schoolneeds in their own school

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Needs identified by Needs identified by children children

Water shortages The water storage tanks do not get

filled No water to clean the toilets No water for gardening Water taps broken Some toilets damaged Soil erosion on the hill slopes Garbage disposal problems

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Based on needs children identified solutions and Based on needs children identified solutions and communicated through role play and artcommunicated through role play and art

No water everywhere //More dirty everywhere //

What can we do for you //Nothing to do my darling//

No problem don’t worry//

Have a big tank of water What kind of a tank of water Tank of rain water //

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Based on needs children identified solutions

Follow up on suggestions

Environment & Conservation 12

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Children participate in implementation of solutions and monitoring & Evaluation

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How children can express How children can express themselves – Tools usedthemselves – Tools used MappingMapping Draw & write Draw & write Brainstorming and listing by Brainstorming and listing by

themselvesthemselves Scoring and rankingScoring and ranking Role playRole play ArtArt Interactive discussion with Interactive discussion with

visualization visualization

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Lessons LearntLessons Learnt Be informal and spend time for rapport building Use a participatory approach and relevant tools appropriate for

the age group of children Visualization helps interactive discussions with wider participation Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) allow for triangulation within the

group and reach consensus Children may speak out of point but the facilitator must be patient

and listen and bring them on track at the appropriate time Allow for creativity in expressing ideas Children have better insights as users of facilities if allowed to

“speak / voice their opinions” Children can identify the signs of success or failure (indicators) Follow evaluation ethics and maintain confidentiality of

information

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References References Children and the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami - An evaluation of UNICEF’s response in Sri

Lanka (2005-2008) – UNICEF, 2009

Child Protection Evaluation - Lessons Learned from the Tsunami Experience (2005-2008) Sri Lanka Study – Mallika R. Samaranayake, Neil Boothby and Team - March 2009 (unpublished)

Save Alliance Tsunami Response Program – Evaluation – Save the Children Sri Lanka, November 2009 – Mallika R. Samaranayake & Dilhara Gunawardena (unpublished)

Progress Evaluation of the UNICEF “EEPCT” : Education in Emergencies and Post Crisis Transition Program – Sri Lanka Study, August 2010 submitted to Columbia Group for Children in Adversity (CGCA), Mallika R. Samaranayake & Team (unpublished)

Child Protection Evaluation Plan, Sri Lanka - Neil Boothby, August 2008

Monitoring and evaluating with children – Grazyna Bonati, Plan International

A kit of Tools for Participatory Research and Evaluation with Children, young people & adults – Save the Children, 2008

Report on Sri Lanka Water Partnership – School Awareness Programe - Lanka Jalani-Sisu Jala Hamuwa Programme (un published), Mallika R. Samaranayake

http://plan-international.org/ , http://www.savethechildren.lk/ , http://www.childfund.org/ , http://www.unicef.org/srilanka/ , http://www.cpcnetwork.org/

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mallikasamare@gmail.com

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