Monitoring and Evaluation in A Good Start project

1. Monitoring and Evaluation in A Good Start project Roma Education Fund Mihai Surdu 30th November 2010 With support from the European Union

2. AGS intervention map Slovakia: urban: Martin and BanskaBystrica rural: Abranovce and Zborov Romania: urban: Craiova- Mofleni neighborhood; rural: Telechiu village Macedonia: urban: ŠutoOrizari, Vinica/Blatec, rural: Trabotivište, Delchevo/Crnik Hungary: urban: Nyiregyhaza, rural: Mateszalka micro region With support from the European Union

3. Partnerships 3 international partners: Slovak Governance Institute (SGI), International Step By Step Association (ISSA) and Fundacion Secretariado Gitano (FSG) 12 local partners Slovakia Cultural association of Roma in Slovakia (KZRSR) Civic Association EQUAL CHANCES (Equal Chances) County Association of Roma Initiatives (KARI) Methodological and Pedagogical Centre Bratislava (MPC Bratislava) Romania Ruhama Foundation Romani CRISS Macedonia National Roma Centrum (NRC) Roma Education Center “Ambrela” Humanitarian and Charitable Association of the Roma KHAM Hungary National Charity Association for a Better Future Unity in Diversity Foundation (UDF) College of Nyíregyháza (College) Evaluation and capacity building by the World Bank and UNDP With support from the European Union

4. The core activities • Empowering families and especially women • Need-based material support • Preparation for transition to primary education • In service training for teachers and care staff • Regular assessment and monitoring using common instruments and quality frameworks • Working with local authorities • Strengthen local and regional professional networks Common approach, different actions defined by needs assessments With support from the European Union

5. The role of monitoring and evaluation in the AGS project • Informing the policy makers trough the policy papers and reports • Correcting and adjusting trough the lifetime of the project • Raising standards in monitoring and evaluation of Roma education projects • Facilitating broader scale survey (to be prepared by UNDP and WB) • Evaluating the effects on beneficiaries and their satisfaction with the project With support from the European Union

6. Monitoring and evaluation tools:Community Assessment The Community Assessment - establishes a baseline of information on early care and development services in each project locality. The sources of information for the Community Assessment include: • local authorities, • the school inspectorates, • the school directors and staff, • kindergarten and crèche directors and staff, • local Roma leaders and/or leaders of local Roma NGOs and • Roma parents. With support from the European Union

7. Household survey The Household survey components: • Parents’ attitudes towards ECEC and school • Parenting styles • Parents’ attitude towards children learning, development and continuity of learning at home. • Parents expectations towards their child´s future educational attainment • Immunization, hygiene and health care • Section on socio-demographic characteristics of the household • It will help establish the situation early in the project and by the end of the project • The Household Survey will be applied to the parents involved in the project (where they or their children are recurrent beneficiaries participating in a number of activities or activities that are ongoing, such as parental education). • The questionnaire was being piloted in all four countries and is now being applied on the field. With support from the European Union

8. Database of children who benefit Updated monthly by local partners and checked by the country facilitators and officers during monitoring visits. Based on attendance registers, school and kindergartens reports, monitoring visits reports, monthly progress reports sent by the country facilitators. Contains information about: • kindergarten and school absenteeism and results • material and other project support • preparation for transition to primary school • afternoon classes • campaigns, training • assistance received in school enrolment and immunization • parental participation • information about the child and family With support from the European Union

9. Continuum for Assessing Caregiversin Community/Home-based Programs Components: • Interactions • Relationship with Families • Inclusion, Diversity, and the Values of Democracy • Assessment and Planning • Strategies to Promote Learning and Development • Learning Environment Application in the field: country facilitators and officers in monitoring visits. With support from the European Union

10. Ongoing M&E developments • Monitoring visits • Community Assessment application • Household questionnaire application • Training on data collection with UNDP and WB support • Preparing the evaluation survey of awareness raising campaigns • Preparing the case studies methodology • Preparing the first policy paper With support from the European Union

11. Thank you! Mihai Surdu Research and Policy Development Manager Roma Education Fund, Budapest E-mail address: msurdu@romaeducationfund.org With support from the European Union