Esteem are looking for a Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant

Role	Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant for Esteem
Accountable to	Esteem’s Head of Programmes
Based at	Hybrid - In person sessions held at The Old School House, Ham Road, Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 6PA
Contract	As agreed from brief below
Budget	Up to £5,000
Dates	Proposed start date from Jan 2025
Interview Dates	w/c -  2/12/24
Application Deadline and details	Application deadline: 9am - 18/11/24 To apply please provide a proposal for how you intend to meet the objectives, along with evidence of your experience, such as a CV to hr@esteem.org.uk For an informal conversation please email emma.edwards@esteem.org.uk or call 07395313874 We understand that not everyone excels in written tasks please let us know if you would prefer to submit a video or audio application.

 

Esteem is seeking a Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant to work with our youth charity, Esteem to establish a consistent framework for managing and measuring our impact. The ideal candidate will bring an innovative, participatory approach that actively involves young adults in the process, ensuring that the data we collect is not only robust but also reflective of the lived experiences of those we work with. Additionally, this framework will provide the quality of data needed to effectively communicate our impact to funders and stakeholders.

Our Theory of Change:

Our Theory of Change, identifies five key benefits we aim to deliver:

●     Thriving: Supporting young adults to live fulfilling and healthy lives.

●     Coping: Helping young adults build resilience and navigate challenges.

●     Using Initiative: Encouraging proactive behaviours and self-leadership.

●     Feeling Valued: Creating environments where young adults feel recognised and appreciated.

●     Adding Value to Others: Empowering young adults to contribute positively to their communities.

We believe that if we can evidence these benefits it will lead to our long term aims of creative positive cycles of growth, contributing to the wider community and resilience into adulthood.

Research shows that when social and emotional skills are developed, it leads to broader positive outcomes in both personal and community life. Our monitoring and evaluation process will ensure we are effectively capturing and communicating these benefits. We want to highlight areas where we could be doing more, being more effective or missing a vital area of support.

Esteem employs a staff team of 14 and works with over 250 young adults each year offering opportunities such as social activities, mentoring, volunteering and participation opportunities, wellbeing sessions and counselling. The organisation has grown year on year with our annual income rising from  £329,700 in 2021/22 to £497,409 in 2023/24

The brief includes working with Esteem’s staff team and young adults to meet the following key objectives:

1. Establish a Consistent Evaluation Framework:

-      Help us to design a framework that enables us to systematically measure and evaluate the impact of our programs across multiple projects and time periods. This framework should provide consistency in how data is gathered and reported.

-      Ensure the framework is built around our Theory of Change and our five core aims: Thriving, Coping, Using Initiative, Feeling Valued, and Adding Value to Others.

 

1. Use a Participatory Approach:

-      Work closely with young adults to co-create the evaluation process. This includes involving them in defining the key questions we should be asking to assess progress in each of the five benefit areas.

-      Employ participatory and creative data collection methods alongside our existing quantitative systems that empower young adults to contribute meaningfully. This could include workshops, interviews, storytelling, and arts-based methods that align with the participatory ethos of our charity.

-      Ensure that these methods are replicable and can be applied across future projects to ensure consistency.

 

1. Diverse & Inclusive Monitoring:

-      Develop a strategy for tracking the demographics and backgrounds of the young adults we engage with, focusing on ethnicity, socio-economic background, gender, and other intersectional factors. This will help us identify who we are reaching and who we are not, ensuring our programs are inclusive and reaching diverse groups.

-      Identify gaps in our reach and propose actionable recommendations on how to better engage underrepresented groups.

-      Take a DE&I approach to M&E and embed in the framework

 

1. Data Collection & Analysis:

-      In addition to our existing qualitative data (stories, case studies, etc.) and attendance figures, introduce quantitative and mixed-method approaches that provide a more holistic view of our impact.

-      Create tools and templates for staff to use in data collection that are user-friendly, trauma-informed and aligned with the framework, and can be integrated within our youth work offer.

-      Ensure that all data collected can be compared year-on-year and across projects to track long-term progress and trends.

-      Support the production of high-quality impact measurement data that can be used to report back to funders and stakeholders, demonstrating the effectiveness of our work and ensuring continued support. The data should enable us to clearly show how our programs contribute to the personal, social, and emotional development of young adults, as well as broader community benefits.

-      Explore options for ways young adults can benefit from the data that is collected eg. documenting, tracking and acknowledging their journey with Esteem

 

1. Reporting and Communication:

-      Develop a reporting structure that allows us to communicate our impact clearly to internal stakeholders (young adults and staff), funders, and external audiences. Reports should be clear, concise, and accessible, highlighting key outcomes and impact areas and identify ways to give feedback ongoing.

-      Ensure reports capture not just quantitative outcomes but also the personal, social, and emotional development of the young adults we work with, in line with our long-term goals of fostering Positive Cycles of Growth, Resilience into Adulthood, and Positive Contribution to the Community.

-      Provide funders with compelling evidence of the value of their investment, showing how their support contributes to tangible, positive outcomes for young people.

Current Data Collection:

We have a foundation of data, including:

●     Quotes, stories and case studies that highlight individual experiences.

●     Attendance figures and session reports that show engagement levels.

The consultant will build on this existing data, enhancing our ability to gather rich, participatory insights while ensuring our tools and methods are adaptable for future use.

 

Esteem is looking for a consultant who has:

●     Proven experience in designing and implementing monitoring and evaluation frameworks, ideally within the youth or charity sectors.

●     Demonstrated experience with participatory and creative data collection methods.

●     Strong understanding of intersectionality and inclusive practices in monitoring and evaluation.

●     Ability to involve young adults in co-creation processes.

●     Strong communication and reporting skills, with experience creating accessible reports for diverse stakeholders.

●     Understanding of the need for charities to produce impact measurement data that meets the needs of funders and demonstrates the value of the work being done.

Please provide a proposal for how you intend to meet the needs of the objectives, along with evidence of your experience, such as a CV to hr@esteem.org.uk. If you are successful you will be required to undertake an interview and enhanced DBS.