Turkey currently hosts over 3.6 million Syrian refugees and an estimated 400,000 from other countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran[1]. Working alongside other UN Organisations the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is doing all it can to support these refugees with language training, skills training and relevant employment projects and programmes.
Following a needs assessment exercise, Philip Dearden (Head of CIDT) conducted a workshop in Results Based Management (RBM) and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) for ILO staff in order to help improve the quality and results focus of ILO projects. The intensive workshop which was held in Ankara, Turkey, was attended by 31 ILO staff, all of whom had successfully completed CIDT’s RBM online course prior to the training.
The learning objectives of the fast-paced, face-to-face workshop were to provide a ‘refresher’ on key concepts of RBM and M&E and to practice their practical application.
Specific topics covering in the workshop were:
- Rationale for results measurement and the ‘results chain’;
- Reporting on Results/Performance (Results Based Language);
- Scaling of Results Based Management (Cascading Model);
- Linkages between Projects, Programmes and the Sustainable Development Goals;
- Seven simple steps and seven key questions;
- Project and Programme Logical Frameworks and Theories of Change;
- Best practices – development and implementation of ILO Result Chain Matrices in other countries (North Macedonia and Montenegro experiences gained during ILO Decent Work Country Programme preparations);
- Key concepts of results measurement and its application to key areas of intervention of ILO Ankara;
- Scaling of Results Based Management (Cascading Model);
- Monitoring, Reviews and Evaluations;
- Improving the M&E frameworks of current or future interventions of ILO Ankara;
- Individual and Project Team Action Plans for future implementation.
During the experiential workshop five new ILO projects, with applied RBM and M&E concepts, were developed by five mixed teams of ILO staff. These projects covered the topics of:
- Decent Work for All: Improving Opportunities for Refugees;
- Decent Jobs in the Green Economy;
- Elimination of Child Labour in Seasonal Agriculture in Turkey;
- The Future of Work: Human Centred Work;
- Better Training and Skills Provision for All Refugees.
Feedback from the end-of-programme evaluation was very positive and indicated that participants had gained a lot of learning from both the online RBM course and the highly interactive and dynamic workshop programme. The planning and facilitation of the learning workshop were both greatly appreciated.
Many participants commented on how much they had enjoyed the experiential workshop and on the practical hands-on application to their work. Comments received included:
- “The interactive nature of the workshop was really positive
- “Very participatory workshop – this was really good.”
- “The 7 simple planning steps are really useful.”
- “It was great to actually develop a project logical framework in the way we did.”
- “I did not have any knowledge regarding log frames and M & E but now I can understand these.”
- “Very clear explanations of the M & E concepts.”
- “It was excellent to actually practice what we have learned and develop a results framework for real.”
- “The holistic and contextual approach was really helpful”
- “The interaction, fun and practical examples all really helped us learn.”
- “(A very big) thank you!”
Many participants expressed their thanks for the well planned and well delivered programme and have requested more such training for themselves and partner colleagues as part of the development of the new United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Turkey.
Below: Participants working together on their projects in a “hands on” manner.
Below: A few participants with their End of Course Certificates and a final team photograph.
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[1]ILO June 2019, Lessons Learned of ILOs Refugee Response Programme in Turkey: Supporting Livelihoods opportunities for Refugees and host communities.
