How and why does participatory evaluation work for actors involved in the delivery of a sport for development initiative?

Purpose: Understanding how and why a participatory approach to evaluation could work within, and add value to, sport-for-development programmes is crucial if to enhance the current approaches to evaluating sport-for-development programmes and foster use of evaluation findings.

Design: This study consisted of realist interviews with 12 actors whom had been involved in mobilising participatory evaluation within a sport-for-development programme to establish and explain what worked, why and under what circumstances. The findings are synthesised to inform a refined model to guide practitioners in mobilising participatory evaluation.

Findings: The findings support the utility of participatory evaluation within sport-for-development. The flexible nature, role of the researcher as facilitator and appropriate participatory opportunities are key mechanisms in co-producing and implementing a contextually relevant monitoring and evaluation framework.

Practical Implications: Incorporating stakeholder motivation(s) to evaluate, evaluation capacity building and reflection on evaluation practice is required if to embed a participatory approach to evaluation.

Research Contribution: This paper adds knowledge to operationalising participatory evaluation within sport-for-development programmes.