Evaluation
Evaluation is one of our key areas of work, and we have delivered a range of Contracts in recent years.
Red Door Associates are experienced in:
- Providing independent external evaluation of projects and programmes (for everyday learning and improvement – formative; and at the end of projects - summative)
- Giving training on evaluation, monitoring, self-evaluating…
- Supporting individuals and organisations to design and carry out evaluation themselves (self evaluation)
All our evaluation work is user-focused and we believe in gaining feedback from a wide range of stakeholders.
We use a range of evaluation tools to suit the situation and audience(s). We have tools in our repertoire suitable for work with, for example, children, young people, people with sensory deprivation (hearing/sight), people with English as a second language or with low literacy levels, for people in sensitive situations, for professionals, and for people with a range of experiences of giving feedback.
Evaluation Tools
The tools we use include:
- face-to-face or telephone interviews
- evaluation workshops with groups – generally using participatory tools (based on
- Participatory Appraisal techniques), focused discussion techniques or visual based methods
- questionnaires (from simple ratings to complex open-ended questions)
- photographs, video, journals
- simple ‘voting’ techniques
Sarah and Angie are trained in Facilitation Methods with the Institute of Cultural Affair’s Technology of Participation (www.ica-uk.org.uk). Angie trained in Participatory Appraisal with the Open College Network, and Sarah through the University of Northumbria. Angie is also trained in ABCD (Achieving Better Community Development). Sarah has an MSc in Social Research Methods. Our other Directors (and Associates) also have a range of skills and experience relevant to our evaluation work.
Evaluation contracts include:
Blackdown Hills Leader+ Programe. We evaluated the difference this programme has made for the area and what local people want from a future Programme.
Devon Community Foundation – Sarah carried out an evaluation of the Local Network Fund in Devon for the Foundation.
Exeter Refugee Support Group - Evaluation through user consultation workshops, of the pilot project (Big Lottery funded). See a copy of the report here.
Exeter Community Initiatives – We carried out an evaluation of ECI’s Baring Foundation funded partnership working project. We also evaluated an ECI project providing support within the BME communities in Exeter (Ujima).
North Devon Women’s Aid - We carried out an evaluation of the Pattern Changing Course run by NDWA. Follow this link for a copy of the report.
Royal Albert Memorial Museum – We worked with RAMM to evaluate their ‘Living here... West of the Exe’ initiative – a Heritage Lottery and MLA funded project which aims to involve the community of this area of Exeter in exploring the heritage of their local area. This has involved evaluation of the website element of the Project, evaluation of the overall project, and of one-day events.
Sure Starts Keystone and TamarFOLK – Red Door Associates were the local evaluators for these two Plymouth Sure Start Programmes from 2004 to 2007. This involved a wide range of evaluation activity, including: provision of external evaluation of individual projects, support for staff and parents in undertaking self-evaluation, training staff and local partners on evaluation, co-ordinating and reporting on the overall impacts of the programmes. Following on from this work, we have developed a Self Evaluation toolkit for Children’s Centres – click here for more information… We have also supported Plymouth City Council in the evaluation of all 16 of the Children’s Centres in the City.
South West ACRE Network (SWAN) - Evaluation of “Powering Up Communities” – a series of one day training workshops run across the South West
To discuss how we can support you with your evaluation, contact Angela McTiernan on 01392 202326 (angelamctiernan@blueyonder.co.uk) or Sarah Taragon on 01363 860151 (or sarahtaragon@hotmail.com)
Some of our resources relating to Evaluation will be coming to this website soon...
Registered Office: 19 Temple Road, Exeter EX2 4QB. Tel: 01363 860151. E-mail: info@reddoor.org.uk
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