The 18th FEAD Network Meeting took place on 7-8 November 2019 in Brussels and focused on the topic of ‘Monitoring and Evaluation in FEAD’.

On day one, delegates were involved in a panel discussion with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which gave them the opportunity to engage in a discussion with the panel, and a practical workshop which focused on how to design and implement a monitoring and evaluation system.

On day two delegates had the opportunity to engage with two different sessions that showcased a range of case studies that the delegates could use for monitoring and evaluation. Across both days, delegates engaged in a variety of sessions that aimed to further their knowledge and discussion on monitoring and evaluation in the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD).

Those in attendance at the two-day event included:

• EU-level partner organisations
• FEAD Managing Authorities
• European Commission representatives
• Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) from across Europe
• and monitoring and evaluation experts.

Maria-Anna Paraskeva, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL), welcomed the delegates on behalf of the European Commission. Deputy Head of Unit 4 at DG EMPL, Jeannette Monier, then introduced the topic of the event, explaining the importance of monitoring and evaluation for FEAD accountability and learning.

Day 1 – Panel discussion and FEAD case studies

The first session of the day began with a panel that discussed the challenges of monitoring and evaluating FEAD-funded actions, with an added emphasis on what lessons can be learnt and the solutions to overcome these challenges. Included in the panel were:

• Jeannette Monier, Deputy HEAD of Unit G4 at DG EMPL
• Jan Vranken, academic expert in poverty and social exclusion at the University of Antwerp
• Elodie Charmat from Les restos du Coeur, a French FEAD partner organisation.

Delegates were then presented with several country-specific case studies that showcased good practices of monitoring and evaluation systems that have been put in place at Operational Programme level. Presenting case studies were:

• Ingrid Mangulson, who showcased a monitoring system in OPI level Estonia 
• Johanna Greiss, who presented an evaluation system in OPI Belgium and
• Gerd Walter, who presented an evaluation system in OPII Germany.

Day 2 – FEAD case studies and practical workshop

The second day gave delegates further opportunities to look at a range of different case studies, this time focusing on monitoring and evaluation systems put in place by FEAD partner organisations. Presenting in the session were:

• José Luis Diez del Corral and Francisco Greciano Rodriguez from the Spanish Federation of Food Banks (FESBAL) in Spain
• Przemyslaw Bartczak from the food bank foundation in Ciechanów and Marcin Fedoruk from the Polish Food Banks Federation Office in Poland
• and Marie-Francoise Thull from Secours populaire francais in France.

The final session of the event was a practical workshop. Aimed towards the design and implementation of a monitoring and evaluation system, the session asked delegates to develop their own using a theoretical example of a FEAD-funded project.

Throughout the event, delegates were encouraged to consult the FEAD Network website and share their experiences on the FEAD Network Facebook group, which aims to connect members, encourage discussion and share the latest policy news. To find out more about the event, you can join the Facebook group today where we will be sharing: photographs, presentations and reports from the meeting.