Reflections from emerging evaluators in shaping Voluntary Organizations for Professional Evaluation capacity-building initiatives

Voluntary Organizations for Professional Evaluation (VOPEs) are increasingly realising the importance of ‘mainstreaming’ emerging evaluators (EEs) in capacity-building initiatives for sustaining the evaluation profession. This article aimed to address the importance and role of VOPEs in developing EEs. The article describes the global key issues shaping VOPEs’ interventions for EEs, South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association’s Emerging Evaluators Programme and reflections by two EEs from different sectors on the future of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) in South Africa. The views from the EEs’ reflections show the differences and similarities across their different sectors. Recommendations are proposed on the importance of developing EE programmes that are contextually relevant. This article is valuable for all VOPEs and stakeholders with the intent of supporting emerging evaluators.