From Local Voices to Global Impact

Urban youth-led placemaking programs present unique challenges in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) due to the diverse socio-political and cultural contexts in which they operate. Standardized evaluation frameworks often struggle to accommodate these variations, making it even more complex when working across multiple countries with distinct youth realities. This article advocates for an adaptive MEL framework, drawing from the S2Cities programme—a cross-country initiative integrating participatory methods with robust evaluation strategies. Key learnings highlight the necessity of real-time adaptation to local youth experiences, the need to balance standardized evaluation with localized indicators, and the critical role of young people as co-creators in MEL processes. These insights underscore the importance of a flexible yet rigorous framework that captures urban dynamics' evolving nature. By embedding adaptability into MEL, policymakers and practitioners can enhance the impact, relevance, and responsiveness of placemaking initiatives tailored to youth engagement.