Cultured monitoring and evaluation getting it right Steven MarwickEvaluation Support Scotland

Who we areSteven Marwick, Evaluation Support Scotland

Fiona Campbell, Voluntary Arts Scotland

Fiona Rogan, Scottish Community Drama Association (and serial volunteer!)

Evaluation Support Scotland We provide specialist support to voluntary organisations and funders to enable them to evaluate and learn and so provide better services for communities.

Website and resources Workshops Tailored support Partnership with others

What is evaluation?

What stops it happening?

How do we get it right?

What do you think?

And what do you know?!

Starting point1= not really 4 = yes definitely

Evaluation is important to my organisation.We know what difference we are trying to make.We collect information about what difference we are making.We take time to analyse and report that information.

What is evaluation?Evaluation is a process of asking questions gathering evidenceanalysing itbeing prepared to act on the results.

Its easy!!

Serious stuff Lack of skills, capacity and time to evaluate - voluntary orgs, funders, policy makers.Evaluation seen as someone elses job.Outcomes can be tough to express and to measure.Some organisations dont collect the right information.Few take time to analyse it.We are confused by the language.The products of evaluation often not used for learning.

M&ECollecting output info

Collecting outcome info

Analysing output info

Analysing outcome info

And LEARNING!

Outcomes!Outcomes are the changes or difference you want to make through your services or activitiesSkillsKnowledgeBehaviourFeelingsCondition (health, environment)

The science bitOutCOMEs are the changes and differences come out of your activities.OutPUTs are the activities or services you put on for your users.Inputs are the resources you need to do the work: money, people, time, premises, equipment.Input output outcome impact

Singalong eventWhat difference or changes should I hope to make?

To learn more about musicTo improve your ability to singTo meet new peopleTo have a good time

These are outcomes!

Input

Output

Short term outcomes

Medium outcomes

Longer term outcomes

Volteers

Music

Conductor

Nos of people who sang

A concert?

(

Learn more about music

Improved singing ability

Meet new people

Have a good time

(

Continued participation in music

Increased confidence

Improved social networks

More volunteering

(

More creative Scotland

Less isolation, more engagemt

Collective confidence

Whose outcomes?For example Bill joins a running club:

To get better at running? (excellence)To get fitter? (health)To reduce isolation? (inclusion)To stop me getting into trouble? (crime)

Participants views matter.

Where are the outcomes?From participants (and audience?)ObservationThird partiesResearch / stats

Making evaluation part of the performanceWhat do we collect already?Is this evidence of outcomes or outputs?What new information do we need?How can we build information gathering into activities?

How can we make it creative?Are we able to learn?

Fiona Campbell, Voluntary Arts Scotland

Fiona Rogan, Scottish Community Drama Association

In conclusion Evaluation matters!Its about learningIt should be as creative and participative as our practiceIts not just numbers

ReviewNever B flat

Never B sharp

Always B natural

Questions for us

Questions for youWhat evaluation does your do and what do you use evaluation for?

Do you encourage organisations you fund to use evaluation for learning and development?

Are the evaluation methods and systems we have in place currently fit for purpose. If not, what would improve things?

ECSnet 27 Sept - ESS slidesECSnet 27 Sept - ESS slidesSTEVENECSnet 27 Sept - ESS slidesECSnet 27 Sept - ESS slidesECSnet 27 Sept - ESS slidesECSnet 27 Sept - ESS slidesECSnet 27 Sept - ESS slidesECSnet 27 Sept - ESS slidesImagine I am running a come along and sing event. We are going to perform a scratch Messiah or a scratch Abbamania depending on your tastes. Im delighted because Ive got the numbers. But is that enough?ECSnet 27 Sept - ESS slides