Monitoring & Evaluation

Hello and welcome to this course on M&E: Data Collection 101

For whom is this course? This course is designed for junior Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officers working in youth-led and youth-serving organizations

Learning Objectives:
After the course you will be able to:

• Distinguish between outputs and outcomes, and understand the differences between quantitative and qualitative data.

• Develop basic data collection tools—such as surveys and attendance registers—that effectively capture participant demographics, attendance, and other key metrics.

• Apply principles of data accuracy, consistency, and ethical standards (including informed consent) to your everyday M&E tasks.

• Analyze collected data at a foundational level to inform program improvements and strategic decision-making.

• Integrate streamlined data collection processes into your organization’s routine practices, thereby enhancing the overall quality and impact of your M&E efforts.

 
This course is designed to equip junior Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officers working in youth-led and youth-serving organizations with practical skills and foundational knowledge to gather and manage program data more effectively. With some hands-on experience but minimal formal training, participants will learn to systematically collect quantitative data on participant attendance, demographics, and basic knowledge acquisition—ensuring they know who their participants are, how many attend, and what key insights can be gleaned from that data.

Through interactive exercises, case studies, and reflection activities, learners will gain exposure to best practices and standardized tools for data collection. The module offers practical guidance to integrate these methods into everyday M&E work, helping organizations enhance their ability to capture meaningful insights and make data-driven decisions. Participants will collaborate with peers, receive expert feedback, and create simple yet robust data collection tools for their own programs. By the end of the module, learners will be able to confidently collect, organize, and begin analyzing essential program data, bridging the gap between informal data gathering and more structured M&E processes.

Duration: It will take you approximately 7.5-8 hours to complete this course.

Ready? Let's get started!