Regional Mentoring Program on Evaluation

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The Regional Mentoring Program on Evaluation was the second component of the Step INto Evaluation Program. The objectives of the Mentoring Program were twofold: first, to support YEEs in their journey of gaining professional experience and competence and expanding their networks; and secondly, to assist the inclusion of YEEs, including young women, in evaluations conducted on the national, regional, and international levels.  

The fully online program was conducted by the TF II core group with guidance and support of the EY ECA Co-Chairs. So far, the TF has organized two phases, with Phase I being part of the Step INto Evaluation Program and Phase II growing into its own mentoring project outside the Step INto Evaluation Program. Phase I as a pilot ran from February to August 2019 and was limited to the summer school participants as mentees and individually invited mentors. Overall, 13 participants, including mentors and mentees, from seven countries took part in Phase I. The feedback from Phase I allowed TFII to make some revisions both in the modules and in the administrative process thus improving the overall effectiveness of the program.

Given the success of Phase I, EY ECA decided to run Phase II as a separate project open to all interested applicants from the region, and not only the Summer School participants. Phase II ran from December 2019 to May 2020. It saw 22 mentor-mentee pairs from 11 countries at the start of the phase with 13 pairs successfully completing the program and receiving certificates at the end. 

The phases were both six months long where mentors and mentees were expected to meet online at least once every four-six weeks. The pairs received study materials as part of four guiding modules adapted by the TF from the EY Global Mentoring Program. The modules covered such themes as evaluation thinking, principles, standards and norms of evaluation; actors and opportunities in the evaluation ecosystem; and identifying the career path. If the pairs preferred delving into other themes outside the scope of the modules, they had an option of customizing the mentoring experience and choosing their own topics they wanted to explore. At the end of each phase, the mentees designed a professional action plan for their further evaluation career development.

Feedback submitted by mentors and mentees was highly positive. It also demonstrated an appreciation and an appetite for this type of programs where young professionals can interact with and learn from seasoned experts.

Regional Mentoring Program Organising Team (phase 1 and 2): Jenishlul Moldokeeva, Zoya Belmesova, Tamara Kabysh-Rybalka, Anna Harutyunyan, Antonina Rishko-Porcescu