EDIAIS : Conference papers

PALS (Participatory Action Learning System) is a new approach to monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment which aims to empower programme participants. The goal is not to 'police' past programme performance to please donors but to develop an ongoing action learning process to continually improve the services, interventions and policies of development agencies operating in an area including NGOs and government. The main methods used are participatory diagram tools, building on a number of existing approaches and methodologies, notably: Appreciative Inquiry, Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) diagram techniques and REFLECT literacy methodology. Participation of illiterate people is facilitated through use of symbols. These participatory diagram methods are used for both quantitative and qualitative analysis and supplemented where necessary by quantitative and qualitative methods. As a system PALS builds on and develops existing forms of information collection at different levels:

grassroot groups
programme level
donors and policymakers and research institutions.

The primary focus is on building up grassroots skills, capacities and networks particularly for the most disadvantaged groups. Information collection is not seen as an end in itself, but as a means for improving programmes and policies. The aim is not only to produce information but to build institutional structures and networks for participatory decision-making and collective action. In this way the process of collecting information contributes in and of itself to civil society development, poverty eradication and empowerment. PALS also focuses on streamlining each existing information system to make it more consistent with institutional vision and mission at both programme and daily level. Sustainability and dynamism are further maintained through networking the different systems and direct linking of learning with action. This paper discusses experience of introducing and implementing PALS in Kabarole Research and Resource Centre, Western Uganda. Although still in the piloting phase use of the methods has already had a positive impact on group level participation and problem-solving. A number of multilateral and government development agencies in Uganda are also looking at ways of integrating the methodology into their programmes.

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