Mental Health Program (MHP) Phase III mid term evaluation

Background:
The objective of this programme (since 2005) has been to contribute to a resource culture for mental health in Arabic. The main contribution has been to publish resources, literature about mental health issues; some of the most important ones were translated from the English origin, and contextualized to Arab culture or “arabized.” The modus operandi of the Arab Resource Collective (ARC) is to develop and publish resources in a participatory process involving partners from throughout the region, NGOs, international organizations and institutions. This process is also aiming at enhancing mental health by advocacy work and capacity building. 

Purpose/objective:
To examine to what extent program activities are relevant in order to reach the overall goals of the programme. By doing this, using the criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability, the evaluation will also help developing a strategy for moving the MHP further, into a next phase.

Methodology:
Multi-dimensional, analyzing qualitative and quantitative data from project documents, reports, key informants, and an opinion online survey of partners.

Key findings:
• MHP strongest assets: a flexible approach, networking with partners across the region, including partners’ affiliations with other civil society actors, institutions and governmental bodies.
• MHP has clearly made an impact in the field of mental health the region.
• Too many MHP project objectives and outcomes are not clearly enough measurable, quantifiable.
• MHP has a potential for higher performance i.a. by capitalizing more on inter-relational support and mobilization of network/partners.

Recommendations:
• On relevance, future design should be complemented with a more macro-vision approach in order to enhance mental health on a behavioural level, improve activities and practices (advocacy) of partner’s in their communities, and make them agents of change.
• On efficiency, a more coherent log frame should be developed, more focus on quantifiable logics, targets set against indicators, etc, and the project team further trained in result based management (RBM), design clearer activity tracking tables, and risk log listing.
• On effectiveness, improve design tools, develop a clear communication strategy, and increase visibility (i. a. social media, website) reaching new audiences/more activities on Syria, Iraq, possibly Gulf and North Africa.
• On impact and sustainability, involve partners more in co-managing, on programmatic and managerial levels; outreach to more humanitarian settings (Syria, Iraq), tailoring of resource use to humanitarian response. Generate more easily accessible resources.

Comments from the organisation, if any: NA