Mission Learning Event
January 31, 2022

The first SURGE learning event was a traditional evaluation results presentation and question and answer session for the Mission and activity COR. After the event, the evaluation team and CLAimDev worked with the Task Order and Activity CORs to finalize plans for learning, dissemination, and use. The initial plan was for six small learning events in cities where SURGE had worked. After discussion with the Activity COR, CLAimDev revised the plan for three in-person regional learning events and one smaller hybrid traditional presentation in Manila. However, due to the Activity COR’s time constraints and priorities, CLAimDev again revised the plans to hold one full-day hybrid learning event in Manila and to bring some regional direct stakeholders to Manila for the event.

Presentation of the Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations of the SURGE Final Performance Evaluation and Experience Sharing Workshops
July 14, 2022

The SURGE hybrid learning event sought to build on the successes of the STRIDE learning event by creating one venue for a two-part event. The morning session included a presentation of the evaluation’s overall findings, conclusions, and recommendations, an open session for questions and answers and feedback from stakeholders, and three breakout sessions on local urban development, local economic development, and water and sanitation. The afternoon session began with the evaluation’s specific findings, conclusions, and recommendations on different themes and was followed by seven small group learning sessions moderated by members of the evaluation team. More than 300 participants joined the event, with more than 100 in person and more than 200 online. Most remained in the event for the morning and afternoon sessions. As with the STRIDE evaluation learning event, CLAimDev used social media posts highlighting the web report and hybrid learning event, including Facebook Live streaming, to publicize the event.

Lessons learned from the SURGE evaluation learning events include:
  • Large, hybrid events incur significant costs and involve complex logistics. They may not provide as much value for money as multiple smaller hybrid, in-person, or online-only events.
  • The SURGE project ended before the learning event. Developing an invitation list after an activity has closed requires close cooperation with the activity COR to help identify and contact direct and indirect stakeholders. An external event organizer is not an effective solution to this problem.
  • Publicizing learning events on social media and using Facebook Live to stream the events is an effective way to increase stakeholder participation in the events.
  • The STRIDE evaluation’s lesson learned on the value of tailoring multiple knowledge products and learning event session to distinct topics and issues proved effective for disseminating the SURGE evaluation results to direct and indirect stakeholders.
  • The lesson learned in the STRIDE evaluation of having direct beneficiaries and stakeholders share their experiences with their peers in other regions was effective in increasing the interest of learning event participants and focusing participants on use of the evaluation results.