Commissioning Unit: | UNCDF |
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Evaluation Plan: | 2014-2015 |
Evaluation Type: | Others |
Completion Date: | 09/2015 |
Unit Responsible for providing Management Response: | UNCDF
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Documents Related to overall Management Response: |
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Key Action Update History
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Management Response: [Added: 2015/10/28] [Last Updated: 2018/08/24]
UNCDF welcomes the findings and recommendations of the YouthStart?s final evaluation, as they are very much in line with our own previous internal learning. As a matter of fact, most of the recommendations, if not all, are being addressed and/or will be addressed in the expansion of YouthStart: YouthStart Global (YSG).
Key Actions:
Management Response: [Added: 2015/10/28] [Last Updated: 2015/10/28]
Although FSPs were encouraged to forge partnerships with Youth Serving Organizations, TVETs, schools etc, not all of them were able to develop these kinds of partnerships, either because there was a lack of supply of those organizations, or because their coverage area was different. In the countries where those partnerships were possible (Ethiopia and Rwanda), we can see a better linkage of access to finance and increase economic opportunities. With that in mind, YSG will employ a consortium approach in which from the beginning, FSPs will be partnering with YSOs, TVETs etc, and the grants will be given to the consortium. This approach has been already employed in the design of the Inception Phase of YouthStart Global (YSG). In regards to the age of the youth that YouthStart targeted, it is important to first explain our rationale for this choice. Developmental studies show that the earlier we start working with young girls in asset building programmes the greater the positive effects for their future (see publications by the Population Council). The choice of going only up to 24 and not until 35 as many African countries do, is because the youth that are most excluded from financial services are in fact those up until 24. Youth from 15 to 24 is already a very diverse group of individuals that need specific products and services for them. However, UNCDF acknowledges the importance of aligning their youth definition to the national age. As a result, we will take into consideration the national youth definition for YSG, but always keeping an emphasis on the most vulnerable youth (those between 12 and 24). Finally, the evaluators? recommendation about consider adopting a more holistic/market development approach for YSG is very well taken. This is also integrated into the design of YSG. In order to achieve this, UNCDF has engaged a team of consultants to help YSG design a theory of change and a result chain framework that takes into consideration CGAP?s latest guidance for measuring market development system that will also enable us to have greater impact at the national level.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
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1.1. Design YSG with a concrete goal to link access to finance to more concrete economic opportunities, even if that means a more modest scale
[Added: 2015/10/28] [Last Updated: 2017/01/26] |
UNCDF/ YSG | 2016/06 | Completed | YSG Programme document drafted and ready to go to Investment Committee History | |
1.2 Design YSG taking the national youth definition into consideration, but with an emphasis on youth between 15 and 24 years old, as they are the most vulnerable and often times the most excluded from services that can help them create their own economic opportunities
[Added: 2015/10/28] [Last Updated: 2017/01/26] |
UNCDF/YSG | 2016/06 | Completed | YSG Programme document drafted and ready to go to Investment Committee History | |
1.3. Develop Result Based Management system for YSG that takes into consideration a comprehensive market systems approach
[Added: 2015/10/28] [Last Updated: 2017/01/26] |
UNCDF/YSG | 2016/06 | Completed | YSG Programme document drafted and ready to go to Investment Committee History |
Management Response: [Added: 2015/10/28] [Last Updated: 2015/10/28]
YouthStart exceeded delivery of results relative to planned targets even when regional infrastructure did not initially function as planned. UNCDF has put in place revised guidance for staff to address these issues, and believes the adjustments are resulting in smoother implementation. YSG, will fully benefit from these adjustments, while also building into the budget sufficient staffing to support the programme (cost-shared with other UNCDF programmes when possible) so that we ensure proper support at the country and regional levels.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
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2.1. Design YSG with adequate resources to be able to support delivery of results
[Added: 2015/10/28] [Last Updated: 2017/01/26] |
UNCDF/YSG | 2016/06 | Completed | YSG Programme document drafted and ready to go to Investment Committee History | |
2.2. Develop more detailed monitoring systems for YSG that allows the programme to better measure the changes achieved thanks to the TA activities
[Added: 2015/10/28] [Last Updated: 2017/01/26] |
UNCDF/YSG | 2016/06 | Completed | YSG Programme document drafted and ready to go to Investment Committee History |
Management Response: [Added: 2015/10/28] [Last Updated: 2015/10/28]
The roll out of credit products remains behind because all of the FSPs started by designing, testing and scaling up savings services before credit services based on global experience that low-income clients have a stronger demand for savings than credit. This choice also allowed them to better understand the youth market and to build a relationship with the youth before starting to give them credit. Likewise, this allowed the youth to better know the FSP and its products. We believe in the importance of savings in particular for youth, and therefore a similar approach will be taken for YSG. However, the consortium approach will certainly put FSPs in a better position to scale up credit for youth. In addition, YSG may consider the recommendations of the evaluators regarding financing mechanisms to reduce the risk for FSPs. Finally, the feedback of the evaluators regarding the low outreach of young women are well taken and YSG will strive from the beginning of the programme to make sure consortiums reach their targets. Some of our suggested actions to enforce this may be to include in the Performance Based Agreement targets of women staff serving the youth for example. This strategy, has given very promising results in our partner FUCEC who was the last FSP to be awarded funding, and thus also benefitted from the lessons learned from earlier partners.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
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3.1 Design YSG employing a consortium approach and allowing FSPs to use the grants to reduce the credit risk of youth lending
[Added: 2015/10/28] [Last Updated: 2017/01/26] |
UNCDF/YSG | 2016/06 | Completed | YSG Programme document drafted and ready to go to Investment Committee History | |
3.2 Ensure PBA targets for consortiums of YSG ensure other meaningful indicators and targets (e.g. percent staff female) to increase outreach to young women
[Added: 2015/10/28] [Last Updated: 2017/01/26] |
UNCDF/YSG | 2017/06 | Completed | YSG Programme document drafted and ready to go to Investment Committee. Monitoring framework and PBAs will reflect new meaningful targets History |
Management Response: [Added: 2015/10/28] [Last Updated: 2015/10/28]
The YouthStart pilot was primarily designed as a programme to engage with FSPs and demonstrate the potential of serving the youth segment. While YouthStart was not designed as a policy project, and the limited resources allocated for policy work, nonetheless YouthStart did generate significant lessons about how YSG could engage national and regional stakeholders at the policy level as part of programme design. . As a result, the Inception Phase of YSG has placed emphasis on the engagement of national governments and YSG will have a national advisory committee in each country and will also actively disseminate learnings at the regional and national level.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
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4.1 Inception phase of YSG provides UNCDF a roadmap to engage national stakeholders in the implementation of the programme
[Added: 2015/10/28] [Last Updated: 2017/01/26] |
UNCDF/YSG | 2016/07 | Completed | YSG Programme document drafted and ready to go to Investment Committee History |