1. Evaluation of Youth Employment Initiative
Anna Galazka Impact Assessment and Evaluation Unit

2. Guidance already available
Guidance on YEI
Guidance on monitoring and evaluation
Guidance on evaluation plans
Practical Guidance for ESF Managing Authorities on counterfactual impact evaluations
Guidance on ex-ante evaluation

3. Requirements of the Regulations
At least two evaluations (Art 19(6) ESF Regulation)
At least twice during the programming period, an evaluation shall assess the effectiveness, efficiency and impact of joint support from the ESF and the specific allocation for YEI including for the implementation of the Youth Guarantee.
The first evaluation shall be completed by 31 December 2015 and the second evaluation by 31 December 2018.
Art 50(2) CPR Regulation
Annual implementation reports (…) shall also set out a synthesis of the findings of all evaluations of the programme that have become available during the previous financial year (…)

4. Requirements of the Regulations
AIRs in 2016 and 2019 shall: (Art 19(4) ESF Regulation)
present the main findings of the evaluations
set out and assess the quality of employment offers received by YEI participants, including disadvantaged persons, those from marginalised communities and those leaving education without qualifications
set out and assess their progress in continuing education, finding sustainable and decent jobs, or moving into apprenticeships or quality traineeships
Art 50(2) CPR Regulation
Annual implementation reports (…) shall also set out a synthesis of the findings of all evaluations of the programme that have become available during the previous financial year (…)

5. Requirements of the Regulations
Consistency with the general requirements for evaluations (Art 56 CPR Regulation)
(…) At least once during the programming period, an evaluation shall assess how support from the ESI Funds has contributed to the objectives for each priority. All evaluations shall be examined by the monitoring committee and sent to the Commission.
Involvement of youth organisations (recital 12 ESF Regulation)
In order to ensure that the results of the YEI are clearly demonstrated and communicated, specific monitoring and evaluation, as well as information and publicity arrangements should be envisaged. Youth organisations should be involved in the monitoring committees' discussions on the preparation and implementation, including evaluation, of the YEI.

6. Requirements of the Regulations
Reporting by the Commission (Art 53(1) CPR Regulation)
The Commission shall transmit each year from 2016 to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, a summary report in relation to ESI Fund programmes based on the annual implementation reports of the Member States submitted under Article 50 as well as a synthesis of the findings of the available evaluations of programmes. (…)

7. Reflections on key elements for the assessment
Target groups
Intervention logics for different target groups (for ex. drop-outs, low skilled unemployed, unemployed graduates)
Types of interventions
Quality of offers
Impacts – on participants/structures/policies
Link with the Youth Guarantee

8. Issues to be covered by the evaluations
Strategy for YEI implementation; Complementarity with other instruments; Planned contribution to Youth Guarantee (how);
Intervention logic. Contribution to ESF specific objectives (how);
Functioning of the delivery system; Changes in structures, partnerships to facilitate the implementation; Is the implementation on track? If not, why?
Outputs; Outreach to specific target groups (art 19(4)); Quality of the offers;
Expected and achieved results

9. Issues to be covered by the evaluations
Results: Are YEI participants in employment /education/training after leaving the intervention? Have they gained qualifications? Quality of the results. Which interventions were the most effective (poss. net-impact) at which cost?
Contribution to ESF specific objectives and to YG. Effectiveness of the scheme – sustainable integration in the LM. Dead weight loss and substitution effects.
Structural impact (education system, vocational training system, PES)
Unintended effects