By Tashi Choden
Young and emerging evaluator
In a world that increasingly values evidence-based decision-making, evaluation plays a crucial role in shaping public policies, programmes, and services. The Evaluation Association of Bhutan (EAB) has emerged as a key player in fostering a culture of evaluation in Bhutan, with substantial involvement of youth in this field. By enhancing the capacity of young evaluators, EAB not only contributes to their personal and professional growth but also to the country’s overall development.
The EAB Policy Brief of Bhutan offers significant opportunities for young and emerging evaluators by emphasizing capacity building and partnerships. Young evaluators can play a vital role in shaping the future of evaluation in Bhutan by contributing fresh perspectives and innovative approaches. The policy encourages the integration of local knowledge and culturally responsive evaluation, areas where youth can bring unique insights.
Importance of Youth in Evaluation
Youth are not just tomorrow's leaders, many are already stepping into leadership roles today. Their distinctive perspectives, energy, and creativity make them valuable contributors toward shaping effective policies and programmes. EAB recognizes that involving young people in evaluation processes can provide more inclusive and sustainable solutions that reflect the needs of Bhutan's diverse population.
Engaging youth in evaluation also has long-term benefits. EAB helps build an open and more accountable society by developing a culture of evaluation in the younger generation. EAB’s focus on building an inclusive evaluation culture aligns with its mission to strengthen the evaluation system in Bhutan and promote accountability and good governance.
The EAB initiative
In this direction, EAB has undertaken a series of important initiatives about youth participation in evaluation, providing platforms and resources for capacity building. These activities are meant to be hands-on experiences, skill-building, and networking opportunities for the young evaluators. EAB organizes workshops and training sessions targeting young professionals and students interested in evaluation.
EAB actively supports youth-led evaluation projects, allowing young people to take front-row seats in the conduct of such programmes and policies. This not only provides them with hands-on experiences but helps illustrate better the value of youth perspectives in evaluation. It also provides opportunities to help bridge the gap between theory and practice, equipping emerging evaluators with practical experience and professional networks.
The impact created by EAB can be best drawn out by narrating the story of EvalYouth Bhutan, which is a group formed by young and emerging evaluators that grew out of support and training provided to them by EAB. Fortunately, I was one of those who benefited from EAB’s support to build our capacity as evaluators. With EAB's support, a group of young evaluators, including myself, came together to form EvalYouth Bhutan in February 2021, a platform dedicated to promoting youth engagement in evaluation activities across the country.
Additionally, EAB’s efforts to integrate youth into national and international discussions on evaluation were highlighted during the 5th Evaluation Conclave in 2022, where a young evaluator from EvalYouth Bhutan presented on the theme of “Youth in Evaluation.”
Success stories from EvalYouth Bhutan
Besides being a member of EvalYouth Bhutan, I was working for EAB and received additional benefits from it. I had the opportunity to receive training in evaluation through EAB's initiatives and my involvement in several projects on evaluation. The training did not stop there, valuable networking opportunities also came my way at EAB. Being part of the national VOPE, my team and I got the opportunity to connect with evaluators from various regions and even attended international seminars. This was a great exposure for me and EvalYouth members of Bhutan.
During my service at EAB, I worked with international evaluators from the Asia Pacific Evaluation Association and EvalYouth Asia. These interactions helped me to understand global evaluation practices and enhanced my professional networking. Working with internationally reputed evaluators and participating in international seminars provided me with greater exposure to the role of evaluation in development.
EvalYouth Bhutan also received a grant under the Asia Pacific Evaluation Association, EvalYouth Asia and PHILDEV Small Grants Project for Young and Emerging Evaluators (YEEs). With this support, EvalYouth Bhutan successfully organized a training on Evaluation and Data Visualization.
Working with internationally reputed evaluators and participating in international seminars provided me with greater exposure to the role of evaluation in development.
Further to this, my involvement in these networks resulted in a few young representatives, including myself, joining the board of the EAB. The young team from EvalYouth Bhutan conducted a study titled An exploratory study on evaluation practices in Bhutan. Through this research, the team was able to identify and analyze the current evaluation practices carried out across Bhutan. This effort underscores the team's dedication to enhancing the understanding and implementation of evaluation practices, contributing valuable knowledge to the broader field of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) in Bhutan. The opportunity to contribute at the leadership level allowed us to have direct influence on the policies and strategies that guide EAB's efforts in promoting youth in evaluation.
Conclusion
As Bhutan progresses toward sustainable development, young evaluators will help ensure that policies and programmes are inclusive and effective in meeting the needs of every citizen. The efforts of the EAB and EvalYouth Bhutan serve as a testament to the transformative power of youth leadership in evaluation. Success stories of groundbreaking initiatives such as EvalYouth Bhutan remind us of the transformational impact that youth can bring about when given the opportunity to lead in evaluation. In doing so, they not only enhance the profession of evaluation but also contribute to a more resilient and forward-looking society. EAB mentors, trains, and provides hands-on experiences to young evaluators, enabling them to shape a different future in public policy and national development. As these young leaders grow their capacities and gain more confidence, they are more likely to substantially contribute to better decision-making processes that are more effective and more equitable, securing Bhutan's development trajectory in a more inclusive and impactful way in which can be sustained for generations to come. By engaging young evaluators, Bhutan is raising a new generation that values accountability, inclusivity, and evidence-based decision-making.
Tashi Choden is a dynamic and emerging evaluator affiliated with the Evaluation Association of Bhutan (EAB) and EvalYouth Bhutan. She also plays a vital role in advancing youth engagement in evaluation as a co-leader of EvalYouth Asia. Beyond her contributions to these organizations, Tashi serves as a Planning Officer at the Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan (KGUMSB) and is a valued board member of EAB. Connect with Tashi on X.
Disclaimer: The content of the blog is the responsibility of the author(s) and does not necessarily reflect the views of Eval4Action co-leaders and partners.
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