An Independent Evaluation

An independent external evaluation in 2019 gathered evidence of outcomes from young people, teachers, parents, principals, facilitators and state officials. It highlights Taqaddam’s positive impact on several core strengths and skills related to young people’s personal lives, position in society and future work prospects. It found that Taqaddam is a deeply personal initiative that carries lifelong value, helping students to repair broken trust issues, lifting them out of periods of self-doubt and depression, empowering them to persevere during traumatic experiences, and breaking down harmful gender norms and expectations.

94% of young people rated the workshops good or awesome
85% of young people felt they had more control over their lives
74% of boys and 77% of girls said that Taqaddam makes them happy
78% of young people felt better connected to different people
81% of young people felt they knew themselves better

Among students, the evaluation found that the most frequent and well evidenced outcomes were improved teamwork, more effective communication, increased confidence, increased self-awareness, enhanced social consciousness, improvements to mental health, strengthened focus and drive and increased creativity. Among teachers, the evaluation found that they benefited from new teaching techniques, professional advancement, personal development and enhanced relationships with students.

Our external evaluation highlighted that Taqaddam is:

 

Impactful: Taqaddam has a powerful and proven positive impact on the life skills and learning of young people and teachers, which holds lifelong personal value.

Unique: Taqaddam is one of few initiatives focusing on soft skills and addressing young people’s social and personal needs, not just employability. 

Relevant: Taqaddam’s programme and curriculum are relevant to the needs and demands of young people and their educators.

Timely: Taqaddam is responding to a unique window of opportunity in the region, and in young people’s lives

Innovative: Through pioneering, innovative approaches, Taqaddam is helping to shape the life skills conversation in the MENA region.

Sustainable: Taqaddam has a strong core programme with a flexible model that can adapt to different contexts, to different audiences and to changing educational needs.

 

‘Taqaddam has provided a safe and empowering space for young people to gain a heightened sense of self and build crucial skills that equip them to lead fulfilling lives. It is the only programme of its kind in the Arab region to fully adopt a life skills learning approach and favourably intersect with existing educational, social, technological and family channels.’

Ecorys, Independent External Evaluators, September 2019