capacity STRENGTHENING

For Evrima researchers, capacity strengthening is a means to share our passion for the power and value of research. Through our MEL projects around the world, by always adhering to rigorous standards, we have strengthened the research skills of government staff, program implementors and fieldwork partners around the world. In addition, our team members have worked to support MEL capacity building for clients at a range of levels and topics. We regularly create standards documents, models, and other guidance for evaluation staff, from templates of research instruments to concrete handbooks for data cleaning. We also provide formal management-level training and professional development coaching in evaluation best practices.

Evrima’s approach to building capacity begins with gaining an understanding of the needs of those who will receive technical support. There is no one-size-fits-all training module for any aspect of research or evaluation; tools and materials must be customized and tailored. We next move towards developing the technical support methods most likely to be effective using practical training, relevant case studies and activities. Our researchers have built research teams from the ground up, hiring and training staff with limited or no research expertise and working with them to conduct recruitment, set up logistics, interview respondents, and then to transcribe, translate data to create meaningful reports and recommendations for program staff. Our capacity building methods are informed by theories of adult-centered learning and prioritize hands-on practice and direct application for participants builds self-reliance principles among stakeholders at all levels.