News Release: Co-Leader, Decade of Evaluation for Action to Address Jamaican Diaspora Stakeholder Engagement for the National M & E System

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TORONTO, Canada – Khalil Bitar, Co-leader, Decade of Evaluation for Action and Chair, EvalYouth Global Network, Johannes (Jan) VOORDOUW, Monitoring and Evaluation Systems Design Consultant and  Andrea “Delcita” Wright, Actress and Guidance Counsellor will be guest speakers at the “Jamaican Diaspora Stakeholder Engagement for the National M & E System”  which will be held today, July 30, 2020 at 2:00 pm.

Mr. Bitar will bring greetings on behalf of the Co-leaders for the Decade of EVALUATION for Action, also known as the Eval4Action campaign. “The campaign is aligned with the UN Secretary-General’s Decade of Action to deliver the Global Goals (UN Sustainable Development Goals, also known as the SDGs).

The Eval4Action campaign “seeks to promote widespread recognition on evaluation being critical to, and a key accelerator for achieving the SDGs. It will mobilize commitments by different stakeholders – parliaments, governments, and evaluation associations – to invest in stronger evaluation systems to inform public policies, ensuring no one is left behind” (https://www.eval4action.org/)

The campaign also raises awareness about the lack of evaluation evidence in the Voluntary National Reviews presented to the United Nations High Level Political Forum by developed and developing countries.  It also champions the need for building evaluation capacity— including monitoring and evaluation systems, which are critical to the delivery of the goals.

Columbia, Mexico, and Venezuela were among the first 17 countries to present Voluntary National Reviews in 2016, and the only Latin American countries to do so (UN ECLAC). Canada, Jamaica, The Bahamas, and The Dominican Republic reported in 2018, the third round of reporting. While the United Kingdom submitted their first report in 2019. Fifty-one countries were preparing their reports in February 2020.

“Eval4Action is envisaged as a highly inclusive campaign that is led by civil society for the achievement of these objectives, with global coordination and support by the co-leaders”. UNFPA Evaluation Office, EvalYouth Global Network and Global Parliamentarians Forum for Evaluation are the co-leaders. Local action for delivering the goals as well as for ensuring issues unique to countries and their citizenries such as unique challenges faced by Jamaica, and its diaspora both mutually and independently require actions and commitment by individual diasporans, businesses and diaspora organizations says, Meegan Scott of Magate Wildhorse Consulting event host and Eval4Action campaign partners.

Eval4Action aims to “revitalize global engagement and commitment on national evaluation capacities for timely delivery of the SDGs”. Today’s event aims to ensure all Jamaicans can own, contribute, and benefit from the process.

Diaspora organizations public and private must generate data and engage in evaluation so Jamaica and host countries can meet the “the key UN principles for constructing national reviews”. That requires “rigorous evaluations based on evidence,  and informed by data which is high-quality, accessible, timely, reliable and disaggregated by income, sex, age, race, ethnicity, migration status, disability and geographic location and other characteristics relevant to the context of the diaspora and beneficiaries of programmes it funds in Jamaica.

Johannes (Jan) VOORDOUW, the consultant engaged by the Government of Jamaica for delivering the M & E System will facilitate the stakeholder engagement session. He is also a Director of the Board of Caribbean Evaluators International (CEI), an international partner in the Eval4Action campaign.  The CEI is registered in Jamaica with chapters in other Caribbean countries.

Andrea “Delcita” Wright will bring humour as well as serious conversation through her session “ “Genderation Revue” . She will address Jamaica’s unique context and manifestations of the challenges related SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”; and SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Results-based strategy planning that is grounded in systems thinking and informed by evidence is also crucial to the delivering the goals. Dr. Karren Dunkley will present, North East Diaspora Strategic Planning: Ensuring Productivity & Success in a “ Soon Come” Mindset and Mentality Frame.

With just 10 years for fixing some of world’s most “wicked problems” , when both developed and developing countries were off target to varying degrees before and now dangerously off  track as a result of the COVID _19 pandemic the need for action is urgent.

Delivering the SDGs are crucial to improving the wellbeing of people, planet, and prosperity, but it requires  partnerships like we have never needed it before― if “no one is to be left behind”.

The event is hosted by Magate Wildhorse Consulting and The Community of Practice for Caribbean Immigrant Entrepreneurs. Today’s event partners are the Co-leaders of Eval4Action,  the Jamaica Diaspora Northeast USA, Windsor West Indian Association, the Jamaican Canadian Association Alberta as well as several ethnic media outfits.

Magate Wildhorse is committed to partnering and delivering influential evaluations for the goals.

There is no charge for participating in the event. Individuals with no Jamaican roots but who identify as Jamaicans are welcome to participate in the event.

Pre-registration is required via the following link: https://forms.gle/5CWkWZyUekRcDAr28

For questions, email: magate.wildhorse@gmail.com

Or visit the event links at:

https://magatewildhorse.ca/jamaican-diaspora-stakeholder-engagement-for-national-m-e-system

https://www.facebook.com/events/317139716007839/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDKtzxXh5xx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://twitter.com/MagateWildhorse/status/1287922436890132480?s=20

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Event participants are being ask to pre-register at the link included in the release above.

PDF Version of Release

 

Citizen Generated Urban and Rural Data for Citizen-Centric Smart Sustainable Cities and Diaspora Change Makers

Event Flyer Citizen Generated Data

Happening Tomorrow

Citizen Generated Urban and Rural Data for Citizen-Centric Smart Sustainable Cities and Diaspora Change Makers

Time: 2:00 PM Est | 1:00 PM Jamaica  | 7:00 PM UK

Register to participate or join us on Facebook Live            https://www.facebook.com/MagateWildhorse/

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Presenter: Roza Vasileva

Roza is a PhD Candidate in Digital Economy and Sr. Digital Development Consultant at the World Bank Group.  She has been actively involved in related work in Africa and have contributed to the agenda of the World Economic Forum. She has conducted research in the areas of  using data especially open government data and citizen generated urban data for designing citizen-centric smart sustainable cities. Roza holds an undergraduate degree in Public Relations from Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia in St. Petersburg and a dual master’s degree in Public Administration and International Affairs from  Maxwell School of Syracuse University where she was a Fulbright Scholar. Since 2012 she  serves as an ICT and Open Data consultant to the World Bank’s Transport and ICT Global Practice. At the World Bank she focuses on Open Government Data and Digital Government projects in over a dozen countries including Tanzania, Mauritius, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, India, Kazakhstan, and Russia.

Why You Cannot Afford to Miss This Event

It is known that local actions by citizens and their contribution to providing data, raising issues as well as contributing to monitoring and evaluation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are crucial to the success in meeting the targets.  If we have learnt nothing from the harsh blows of COVID-19 in the BCAME diaspora (Black, Caribbean, Asian and other Minority Ethnic Groups) communities, we have learnt about the importance of not having community data. We have learnt the high price of not having evidence. We have learnt that government cannot generate all the data for supporting plans and policies for effecting the needed transformation in our communities.

We have seen how evidence in the form of videos recordings have helped in the fight against racial injustice the case of George Floyd being among the most notable. But it the data we generate can also help in other ways when it comes to ensuring what matters to you in relation to topics such as social injustice, climate change, mental health, economic inequality, education, entrepreneurship and modern day slavery are included on policy agendas, budgets, action plans, and studies among other. What gets measured gets funded!

Being commitment and having the capacity to generate our own data as entrepreneur communities and diaspora communities will make a significant difference in advancing our progress.  Evaluation is said to have the biggest multiplier effect in driving the delivery of the SDGs. It can work for you in making strong strategy plans, programmes, evaluation and delivering the evidence for ensuring your relevance, ensuring your inclusion and participation as well as transparency and accountability.

Businesses and entrepreneurs must also commit to contributing the voluntary national reporting on the SDGs by their cities and countries. Today only a quarter of businesses do so, change has to move from local to global, we must own, participate in and ensure accountability in relation the transformation that is needed by our communities and businesses.

Join us tomorrow learn what, how and the connection to the SDGs from expert Roza Vasileva.

Come ready to ask questions and to seek guidance for improving your programmes in the Q & A session.

Request the registration link at magate.wildhorse(at) gmail.com  or join us live on https://www.facebook.com/MagateWildhorse/

The Marathoner

Moderator: Meegan Scott,  B.Sc. Hons, MBA, CTM, ATM-B, CL, PMP

Brought to you by Magate Wildhorse and The Community of Practice for Caribbean Immigrant Entrepreneurs

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Call for Papers & Review Board Members

Noesis Cover Winter 2020

Call for Reviewers & Editors — Magazine/Journal 2020

The Noësis: MWildhorse Strategy and Performance Magazine (two issues per year) is committed to publishing non-technical as well as technical information in the fields of Business and International Development. With a focus on strategy, marketing, trade, performance management and measurement, intellectual property and the creative industries—the publication aims to provide a complete and reliable source of information, how-to and in field applications on the aforementioned topics.  It will facilitate the growth of grey literature in strategy, marketing and performance management unique to Caribbean-Canadian and Caribbean organizations. By Caribbean we refer to the Caribbean and its diaspora markets.  We are devoted to publishing high quality articles and stories that are easily accessible and sold at an inclusive price.

Deadline: June 15,  2020

Email at: magatewildhorse@gmail.com

More at: https://magatewildhorse.ca/call-for-reviewers-editors-magazinejournal-2/

Call for Papers – Summer Edition

Deadline: July 15,  2020

Deadline for final submissions: July 25, 2020

Special opportunity for publishing the best 2000-3000 words from your Masters thesis or PhD dissertation available.

Word limit for magazine styled pieces [580 to 1200]

Double-blind Peer Review

Please click the link above to ensure your submissions are compliant with the double-blind peer review process applicable to all submissions.

To submit your proposal, article, or query, please contact Meegan Scott by

Email at: magatewildhorse@gmail.com

Entrepreneurs and consultants here is your chance to put your expertise on parade and boost your COVID 19 recovery results.

We look forward to articles, case studies, cartoon and art related to COVID 19 and Evaluation and or for driving the Sustainable Development Goals.

As partners in delivering the Decade of Evaluation for Action we will dedicate a space in the forthcoming edition for related issues.

Visibility and simplicity―do you know an entrepreneur, a consultant, or business that could do without one or the other?

We didn’t think so.  So, we strive to give organizations and entrepreneurs the best of both.

In today’s world where the language of business expands almost daily and growth-related concepts can be tough to understand, The Noësis aims to bring understanding and simplicity —disambiguation.

Its content will facilitate understanding of tough business and development concepts― while accelerating the learning of industry language and how-to.

And by so doing help organizations and entrepreneurs get more out of their investment in consulting solutions. Practitioners and consultants can expect content that will help them to improve their craft.

Find out more at: 

Chief Editor and Publisher, Meegan Scott

Recent addition:

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Mythili Kolluru as academic editor to our review board.  Dr. Mythili Kolluru is an Assistant Professor in the Professional Studies and Undergraduate department of the College of Banking and Financial Studies, Oman.

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Kiran Nair as academic and business editor to our review board. Dr. Nair is Program Director, Master of Science in Leadership and Organizational Development, Abu Dhabi School of Management, United Arab Emirates.

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Programme and Speakers: COVID 19 Opportunities — SDGs, Evaluation, Performance & Your Pivot

Programme Series 9 COVID 19 Opportunities — SDGs, Evaluation, Performance & Your Pivot

 

 

 

 

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COVID 19 Opportunities — SDGs, Evaluation, Performance & Your Pivot

Header for Series 9 revised date

Notice of misprint: Series 9 was held on Friday June 12, 2020 instead of Thursday the 11th.

Outride: COVID 19 Business Threat Seminar

“Embracing risk for driving vision and growth”

The series is grounded in risk intelligence (RI). RI is that process of embracing risks and putting it to work for ensuring your business can survive or thrive during a crisis and beyond. It is also about value creation and protection. About delivering your vision and mission in the face of crisis as well as during the “normal”.

We were delighted to present series nine (9) in the Outride: COVID 19 Business Threat Seminar series yesterday.  Originally scheduled for Thursday the 11, 2020, heavy rains in the USA, Internet woes in Jamaica and Canada sought to outride our participants.

We empathize with those who were still experiencing challenges and had to join by phone or to missed the session.

While we wanted to wait for you; we had to make the week’s delivery timeline, so we did yesterday, June 12, 2020. Nothing would stop our special edition in support of our commitment to The Decade of Evaluation for Action.   And we were richly rewarded by the responses and ease with which attendees stayed  for the event which was held 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM, on a Friday evening.  For that we promise you workshops and discussions that expand on some of the topics touched on as you rollout plans and execute your COVID 19 recovery strategy and actions. Those sessions will also help those who joined the series in the later half,thus making it more difficult for them to complete the series assignment for strenghten their organizations because of the sessions missed.

When: June 11, 2020  |  Time: 3:00 PM EST  | Toronto & New York

Where: Online  | Registration detail below

Cost: Free

Event Programme: Click here to view.

Featured Sessions: 

The Decade of Evaluation for Action – What’s in It for Caribbean Communities presented by Meegan Scott. 

The Marathoner

Biography

Shared in that session were the campaign messages for the observation that were provided by conveners– UNFPAEvalYouth and the Global Parliamentarians Forum for Evaluation.  In addition, the what, whys, who, and how for delivering the intended and desires results of the Decade of was presented.

Meegan shared how evaluation helped to tell where we were in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 5 and 8 (No Poverty, Gender Equality, and Decent Work and Economic Growth).  The gathering examined why those goals were important and reflected on some of the associated indicators and targets. With greater success in delivering those goals globally the Black, Caribbean, Asian and other Minority Ethnic Groups (BCAME) would not  have been hit so hard by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Attendees found answers to the questions:

  • What is evaluation?
  • How it differs from data analysis?
  • How evaluation provides evidence for informing decision making versus data analysis by itself (especially as borrowed from research for another purpose)?
  • Why evaluation is critical to delivering the SDGs, pathways of transformation (broad and contextual).

Ten (10) evaluation approaches were presented; and of the ten, seven (7) were highlighted for significant increase in demand and use by community service organizations in the Jamaican and Caribbean diasporic markets.

Among the ten listed were utilization-focused evaluations, randomized control trials, gender-based, humanitarian and empowerment evaluations.  Types of evaluation generally applied at various stages in the life of an intervention, evaluation questions associated with each; the need for better evaluations and capacity building in evaluation was also shared.  Meegan, also shared the Magate Wildhorse commitment related to influential evaluations— facilitating the use of evaluations, partnerships for evaluation, accelerating the SDGs through evaluation, strategic planning, and critical friend evaluation support.

Also shared were four types of influential evaluations, features, utility and impacts of good influential evaluations.  Attendees were encouraged to join and commit to the Decade of Evaluation for Action. We are pleased to note that one attendee is in high gear with planning for the delivery of one action by next week; and another is moving to establish a supporting business..

That session was the second action delivered by Magate Wildhorse as a  committed North America organizational partner in the delivery of the global goals and expected results of the Decade for Evaluation for Action.

Theo Chambers

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Theo Chambers delivered another laughter extracting power treat, Joy Spot Motivational Session. He reminded participants that “knowledge was not power, but that power was what you do with knowledge”.  “Thank you Theo, Great reminder of how to live life” and  ” well said” were among the comments participants share in response to Theo’s message.

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Biography

Andrew Sharpe gifted us with “Bun and Cheese” for life in the session A Moment with Miss Lou.  Participants had the following comments for Andrew, “Enjoyable Love Ms. LOU”, “Great work Andrew”,  “ Nice piece of Jamaica culture @Andrew” and “He’s good, am sorry he did not pursue it as a career”. “I loved it”.  Andrew we at Magate Wildhorse was hearing “Bun and Cheese” by Miss Lou for the first time. Thank you for that treat.

Meegan Scott also delivered the fourth session, COVID 19 Opportunities — SDGs, Evaluation, Performance & Your Pivot (For profits & Non-profits) .

In this session we took a quick recap of the entrepreneurial skills gap of the Caribbean Immigrant Entrepreneurs (See Fact or Fiction). Following the pre-COVID 19 capacity challenges of both for profit and non-profits, Scott challenged the gathering to become industry influencers. She emphasized the need to conduct needs assessment for entrepreneurship and other community development interventions, experiments, case studies, SMARTER and measurable indicators that would stretch and reward organizations and their leaders as they stepped to the COVID 19 challenge.  She also highlighted the need for capacity building in evaluation for both programme and business operations, for  Caribbean communities and the rest of BCAME.  The need to “do it ourselves” when it comes to business recovery as well as purpose and profit for driving the delivery of the SDGs in host and home countries was also stressed. The need for more and better evaluation, advocacy,  grey literature, and community finance was hammered home.

Could You become an Industry Influencer

From Session 4 , Getting ready for re-opened markets

Session four is where for-profit leaders got a deep dive into why BCAME did not benefit from stimulus monies and the fact that the writting was on the wall before the funding became available. The 5C’s and 5P’s methods of evaluating credit risk;  periodic cashflow red flag; indicators, results trees and how they were used to track changes in beneficiary outcomes and validate resilience or transformation was covered.  Given, the interest of several participants in the agriculture and food business sector the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) guidelines and examples referenced since the start of series  was expounded on in greater depth yesterday.

Not All Doom and Gloom – Pent Up Demand– Get Ready for Re-Opened Markets

Socio-economic trends globally, sustainable ocean economy (blue economy) opportunities by way of home countries were discussed as was tactics for tapping the COVID 19 BCAME legacy.  Meegan shared that many BCAME businesses thought to be dead in the service sectors will have significant opportunities for filling pent up demand; the need for new inventory by retailers; and heightened demand for variety, plus willingness to bargain shop and to try new things. She cautioned entrepreneurs to get ready to meet the demand, protect health and provide reassurance to clients related to the protection of their health. She left them with  ten tactics for seizing the opportunities presented by COVID 19. And a reminder to plan, execute, monitor, conduct ongoing environmental scans, evaluate, adjust, and update strategy and plans if they are to attain increased risk intelligence and resilience.

What participants had to say about the two sessions presented by Meegan Scott:

“The session was an informative one and there was valuable information shared that a I think that the Caribbean Diaspora could benefit from especially the group that is involved in non-profit organizations”.

“Excellent information”, “Informative session”, “Great presentation Meegan”, “Awesome presentation.  I felt like I was in a PHD class.  Thanks”

“Great point about able to do higher level analysis @ Meegan”.

As always the session ended with the gathering and chit chat among attendees.

Event Rapporteur, Dania Sammott will provide notes from the session report for attendees.

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Biography

Join us next Thursday at 2:00 PM Eastern for series 10.

If you’ve never been to one of the sessions and would like to join us, please pre-register at the link below.

https://forms.gle/PtpZAT8czWYExWpZ7

We commit to facilitate

 


Outride: COVID 19 Business Threat Seminar is a global disapora entrepreneurs affair!                                                                                                                            Leaders of mainstream businesses with an interest in doing business with diaspora entrepreneurs are welcome to register for the match making and networking sessions.

Please note that this event is not just for small and micro-businesses, big businesses and big nonprofits can benefit also.

Brought to you by Magate Wildhorse Consulting, and The Community of Practise for Caribbean Immigrant Entrepreneurs (Home of BIDEM Conference & Trade Show)

Advance or maintain the progress.

You can’t spell BAME without the C.  The contribution of the Caribbean has been too significant.  The impact on the Caribbean community is significant and different BCAME (Black, Caribbean, Asian and Minority Ethnic Groups) #BCAME    #BAME

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Save The Date: COVID 19 Opportunities — SDGs, Evaluation, Performance & Your Pivot

Evaluation Session in 9 Save the Date

Mark your calendars!

Coming to you Thursday, June 11, 2020                                                                  COVID 19 Opportunities — SDGs, Evaluation, Performance & Your Pivot

Time: 2:00 PM EST [Toronto & New York] | 1:00 PM Jamaica                                                      7:00 PM UK  | 8:00 PM Zambia

Rescheduled:  To be held,  Friday, June 12, 2020  @ 2:00 PM EST.

Registration: Free  | New participants pre-register at the link below 

https://forms.gle/PtpZAT8czWYExWpZ7

About the series:

https://magatewildhorse.ca/outride-covid-19-business-threat-seminar-2/

Watch this space for session topics and speaker details!

We are proud partners in the Eval4Action Movement and Campaign.

We Commit to Influential Evaluation

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What a transition to a new day?

It was 12:56 PM on June 2, 2020 when we received the invitation to participate in the #Eval4Action Global Marathon of Engagement via Email from the IOCE Network.

Knowing the urgency and importance of the initiative we did not hesitate.

After all, since April 16, 2020 we have been supporting Caribbean and diaspora business leaders with responding to the coronavirus pandemic and how to exit COVID 19 with stronger more risk intelligent competent businesses.

It fact, it all began on April 2, 2020 with the help of the media when Meegan Scott shared the article Beyond Risk Management, Stay on Top COVID 19  https://www.caribdirect.com/beyond-risk-management-stay-on-top-covid-19/

Our participants include leaders of mission-driven and profit-driven organizations, media, members and change makers within the Jamaican and Caribbean diaspora leaders based in Canada, the USA and UK as well as other stakeholders and supporters.

Our Outride COVID 19: Business Threat Seminar series are inclusive.  Entrepreneurs from mainstream groups worldwide, Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific, North America have been invited to join. We run no wire fence related to size, scale, colour, or origin.  Our presenters also reflected our position on inclusiveness and unity for driving economic recovery and the SDGs.

On early outcome of the series among others Jamaica Stock Exchange to Develop Pooled Funds for Driving Diaspora Investment in Productive Capital .

1_day_to_goSo, submitting our expression of interest to partner for this initiative was extremely easy.

As June 2. 2020 slipped into June 3 submitting our expression of interest to join and one to partner was a done deal. With our submission receipt security tucked away we inquired about the need to wait for additional green light for getting on the job of delivering our commitment. We got that green light and there has been no turning back.

Today, June 9, 2020 is 1 day before the #Eval4Action Global Marathon of Engagement. Coincidentally, it is also 1 day less than a week since we submitted our expression of interest to partner and commenced our support for the initiative.

We are delighted by every minute spent sharing the message.

Won’t you join?

10 June 2020, 1-3pm GMT, 9-11am ET

Everyone can join!

Register: bit.ly/3dn10s

Don’t forget we will be adding one extra special session in support of this initiative to our Outride: COVID 19 Seminar for June 11, 2020. There was another evaluation related session slotted in before we joined the campaign.

To register for the series, click the following link:

https://magatewildhorse.ca/outride-covid-19-business-threat-seminar-2/

See you tomorrow at the Marathon. See you Thursday at Outride.

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