PENNIES

PENNIES

A guide to self–evaluation How to tell if you’re making a difference:

A PENNIESbasic guide for voluntary organisations Written by Julia Kaufmann and Sheila Jane Malley Produced by the BBC Children in Need Appeal PO Box 1000 A guide to self–evaluation London How to tell if you’re making a difference: W12 7WJ A basic guide for voluntary and © 2008 The BBC Children in Need Appeal community organisations Contents

01 Introduction 02 Making a difference to Children in Need 03 Self–evaluation 05 Before you begin 08 Introducing case studies 09 Eight basic steps to self-evaluation 16 Monitoring 17 Collecting the right information 24 Evaluation 26 Writing the report 27 A few last words 28 Case study 38 CES Planning Triangle 39 Reading list 40 Useful addresses Introduction Making a difference to Children in Need

This guide has been written It has arisen from a long- We know from the feedback The BBC Children in Need Again, after the grant is spent The only way they, and we, are for the voluntary and term programme of training given to us by organisations Appeal aims to make a we receive a report that tells going to know for certain is community organisations on how to do self-evaluation who attend that they find it positive difference to the us all about activities - the through evaluation. Evaluation that we fund that work that we offer to some of the an invaluable aid, not just in lives of disadvantaged play scheme, the youth club, is simply comparing the ‘before to help disadvantaged organisations we fund. Those evaluating, but also in planning children and young people. the community work, the and after’ picture to see what organisations are normally in their work effectively. counselling - but hardly anything difference has been made. children and young people We want to make grants receipt of two or three year We would like to thank about what effect these Professional evaluation by across the UK. funding for salaries from BBC to voluntary organisations activities had for children. outsiders can be useful but We are aware that for many Charities Evaluation Services that can really change Children in Need and are for running more than 25 Perhaps we should take it for it is expensive and need only organisations in the field invited to a one-day training things for the children be necessary in exceptional self-evaluation can seem like a seminars a year across the they work with. granted that these activities course which helps them learn UK on our behalf. did make a difference, but we circumstances. For most difficult or burdensome activity how to evaluate what difference It is not always easy to tell purposes, organisations should and the purpose of this guidance Thanks to all who helped in don’t actually know. Sometimes they are making to children and which applications, of all the we ask ourselves whether be doing their own evaluation. is both to stress how immensely use the results to report back the production of this guide, thousands we read, are going This is called self-evaluation. helpful self-evaluation is to and thanks also to the very the organisations themselves to us on the use of the grant. to make that real difference to actually know, for sure. everyone involved, and to offer many organisations that children. Applications tend to accessible and straightforward participate in the trainings and Do they have evidence, tell us a lot about the activities or are they just guessing? assistance on how to go about it. contribute their enthusiasm for which a grant is required, Are you and experience. but not very much about what making a those activities are meant to difference? Sheila Jane Malley achieve for children. It seems to BBC Children in Need be much easier to think about doing things, than it is to think about the results of doing. 02 01 Self–evaluation

If your organisation is serious We promise you that it is We will explain self-evaluation We will show you how to about making a difference, well worth doing and we have through eight basic steps. identify targets and collect Self-evaluation self-evaluation is a must. It written these guidelines to steer We will show flip chart information. should be an essential ingredient you through the basics. will help examples of how to record We will give you the of the way you work because As with any new skill, like your work your decisions. occasional Hot Tip. it is the only way to ensure driving a car, it seems difficult at that you are on the right track. We will show you how to Finally, just in case you get first but eventually it becomes tackle a written report. totally hooked and want Self-evaluation helps you to: almost second nature and you We will provide you with case to become experts, we Develop a better project. will wonder why you thought will provide you with a it was so mysterious. studies to look at. Get valuable feedback reading list. 1. The Longlake Rural as you go along. Youth Group. Change things that don’t The Denver Under Fives. work before it’s too late. 2. These are not perfect examples Collect information required of how to do things because by a grant-maker. no-one is perfect. They are Prove that your project just to give you some idea. works well.

04 03 Before you begin

1. Planning comes 2. Do it in a group A group of between five and 3. Give it time 4. Be Clear before doing Don’t do self evaluation on your eight people is ideal. If the group You must set aside generous Many a good idea has failed Time spent on planning is time own. Self-evaluation should is too big, proper discussion blocks of time for working because the people involved well spent if you plan thoroughly draw on the ideas, opinions becomes difficult to manage. through the steps that follow. don’t agree how to go about first, the doing will be much and perspectives of a number If it is too small it gets starved Perhaps as much as half a day it. Sometimes they don’t even easier, and less time will be of “stakeholders”. of ideas. Remove yourselves for each step. A little less if know that they don’t agree from distractions such as the wasted as you go along. Stakeholders are people who you have already done a lot yet they wonder why they phone and organise tea and of thinking about your work; all seem to be pulling in Time spent on steps 1 - 7 in have a vested interest in the biscuits to keep you going. a little longer if you haven’t. difference directions. these guidelines will help you to work you are doing. They might clarify your thinking before you be staff, volunteers, trustees and Involve anyone who is crucial Gasps of horror? But this really Start by getting everyone who actually start the “real” work. management, parents, young to the success of the work so is not long to think about a is involved to write down, in When you have finished steps people themselves and, perhaps, that they get to understand piece of work that may take one or two sentences, what 1 - 7, you will of course realise a teacher, community worker the work thoroughly and up to three years to complete the aims of the project are. that thinking is the real work! or health visitor. become better motivated. and cost thousands of pounds. Do you all agree? Most of us would happily take In future, think through steps weekends or months to plan a 1 - 4 before writing a grant It is very important that wedding or buy a new car. application. Your application all those working on a success rate might benefit A good chair or group leader project agree on the dramatically. will save time by allowing basic principles. The everyone to have their say, self–evaluation process summarising well and moving ensures that they do. things on to a decision.

06 05 Before you begin Introducing case studies

The following exercises will 1. What difference you 5. Collecting information It is always helpful to know how Longlake We will show you how Longlake give all those involved want to make to the on your targets. others approach self-evaluation. The Longlake Rural Youth tackled the eight steps that with the work a clear and children’s lives. - Your evidence We have two case studies Group is managed by a group follow. We have had to be fairly shared understanding of: - Your aims 6. Collecting information for you to use as examples. of eight - a local community brief so we include only two How you will know you on your indicators. worker, a teacher, two young of their three aims, and have 2. One, the Longlake Rural are making that difference. - More evidence 1. people, three parents and a cut short some of the ideas Youth Group is used in stages How to use the information retired shopkeeper. on collecting information. - Your signs of success 7. throughout the guide to you collect to check or indicators demonstrate each of the They came together through your progress. 3. What you will do to eight basic steps. mutual concern about the meet your aims and - Monitoring young people hanging around The progress of the other, make a difference. 8. How you will assess the 2. the playground in the local Denver Under Fives, is - Your objectives overall impact or value housing estate. These young described in full on pages How you will plan those of your work. people were getting into trouble 4.  28 - 37. activities. How often? - Evaluation for vandalism and anti-social How many children? behaviour. Longlake believes - Your targets part of the problem, is that there is very little to do in the The basic area. They do organise a drop in youth club in their own steps you premises, but it is not very need well attended. They now have to know a grant to employ a youth worker whose task is to change things. 08 07 Eight basic steps to self–evaluation

Step 1 – What difference Group Work Try to be clear: An aim Conclusion Longlake – you want to make to the Having done everything you such as “to make them happy” You might then end up with Step One is too vague. Longlake’s aims are: children’s lives can to understand the children, one difference you want to – Your aims their problems and needs, Try to be realistic: Aims make, or two, or even three. 1. To involve the young people you must ask yourselves what like “prevent children being These are your aims - in constructive alternatives Introduction difference you want to make to hurt from divorce” are too Aims are a statement of what to vandalism. We assume that you have their lives? Remember, at this ambitious! you want to achieve. They are already done everything possible stage we are not interested in 2. To improve their self - esteem Brainstorming is a good way the reason for your project’s and sense of responsibility. to understand the problems you activities or services. We want existence. Check that they are are attempting to do something to know what differences you to generate ideas. Cover a huge piece of paper with the clear and realistic. Write them about - a needs assessment. want to make. These are your up on a flip chart. If you don’t know what the aims and they should be clear group’s ideas. Then go back “before” picture looks like you and realistic. and underline the ones you want to take seriously. won’t be able to compare it Discuss this together: with an “after”. So, you should You will all have ideas that you take the trouble to find out have never shared or written what the problems really are. down. Those ideas are often differenceWhat do Don’t “guess”: get this wrong quite different - better to know and all your work will be this now than later! Get rid of you want to

based on false assumptions. anything describing what you make? are going to do - think only of the end result.

10 09 Step 2 – How you will know that you are achieving your aim These are the indicators of Step 3 – What are you going Group Work Make sure that activities are that you are making that of getting fit - which is why they success for your project. to do? What activities will This is a creative process so designed to achieve the aims difference? are known as indicators. If you find you are having you organise? don’t go for the very first idea you have identified. They should – Your indicators of success Your signs of success or a problem with indicators, – Your objectives you hit upon. not unnecessarily duplicate other services in the area. indicators will help you to it may be because the aims Consider a number of different Introduction decide what to do. If you know you have written on your flip Introduction They should be relevant to ways of achieving your aims and children and young people, and This next part is probably the where you are going it will be chart are unrealistic or vague. Your objectives are the practical discuss the pros and cons of most difficult because it is like easier to get there! To return to Go back to them and make things you will do to achieve of high quality. They should be each, including how many staff affordable. working backwards. You need our example, if you know that sure that they are as clear as you aims. At last we are looking or volunteers will be needed to imagine what your “after” a “fit you” means a “slimmer you can make them. at doing. We are seeing what and what that will cost. Objectives should be picture will look like. services and/or activities you you” it is easier to decide that If you reword your aims, write SMART - Specific, You know the difference you you must watch what you eat. will provide to achieve each of Measurable, Achievable, them on another page of the aims you have identified. want to make for children. Although it might be more your flip chart. Then ask your Realistic and Timed. But what will it “look like.” difficult to actually do it. questions again. “How will Let’s take an example from we know we are making that Conclusion everyday life. You want to get Group Work difference? What indicators Write on your flip chart, fit. So, that becomes your aim. Look at the aims you wrote on should we be looking for?” under each aim, what you Now, how will you know you the first page of your flip chart. are going to do. Take them one at a time and ask are fit? What might your signs Conclusion These are your objectives. of success be? You are slimmer, yourselves “How will we know Write your indicators of you can walk to work without we are making that difference? success on the next page feeling exhausted, you have What will it look like? What of your flip chart. more energy. These changes changes (in the children or in are what will indicate to you the environment) should we 12 look for?” 11 Longlake –

Step Two Longlake – Step Three Step 4 – How you are going Setting targets is an important Over to you Longlake’s indicators are: to plan those activities part of planning. You might Targets aren’t simply plucked Less vandalism in the area. Longlake’s objectives are: – Your targets want to provide activities or out of the air. They have to 1. services for all 200 children on Aim: To involve young people be worked out sensibly, in 2. Young people get involved in constructive alternatives Introduction the local estate, but that may order to balance two crucial, in new activities. to vandalism. This exercise will help you to be impractical. Be SMART! and sometimes contradictory, Setting Specific andM easurable 3. They take some To provide a programme of set targets for each of your things: 1. targets is a way of making responsibility for the estate. challenging activities led by activities or objectives. Targets sure that your objectives To do enough for each child responsible and qualified adults. are never, ever vague. They are are Achievable and Realistic to make the difference you specific and usually expressed as Aim: To improve their and Timed. want to achieve. numbers or dates. For example, self-esteem and sense “10 sessions”, “50 children”, “by Grant applicants often try to To be cost effective. of responsibility. March”, “3 times a week”. The impress by overstating the numbers make these targets 2. To establish a task force number of children they help. Conclusion of young people to take measurable. You don’t have to This could backfire if it raises So, think carefully about your responsibility for cleaning up argue about the result, you can questions about the quality targets and, when you are and improving the estate. count it. (But only if you keep of the work or the impact agreed, write them on your flip good enough records - that on individual children. chart against each objective. comes later).

14 13 Monitoring

Longlake – Step Four (a) Longlake – The first four steps have Basically, monitoring is a Monitoring will give you what Longlake’s targets are: Step Four (b) helped to clarify your checking process that keeps instinct won’t. It will give you you on the right track. It helps facts and figures, evidence and To identify at least 6 leaders aims and objectives, with 1. To plan at least 6 challenging 1. identify problems at an early real insight. Monitoring provides activity sessions by March. willing to establish a Task Force. indicators and targets to keep you on track. The stage and allows you to make valuable feedback from users 2. From March to hold weekly 2. To hold first meeting by April. adjustments. It is not enough or beneficiaries and helps you next three steps (5, 6 and activity sessions. To involve 30 young people in to rely on your instinct alone make good decisions. It will help 3. 7) will help you to develop To attract at least 10 young the Task Force. to know if you are on the right you to achieve what you set out 3. a system of monitoring. track or to spot all problems to do. people to each session. To clean up the estate by the 4. It is very important to do as they occur. It is not enough end of the year. There are two parts 4. To involve at least 40 young these steps as part of to imagine that everything is to monitoring: people in regular activities by 5. To achieve a 50% drop in vandalism your planning and before fine as long as no one actually the end of year 1. by the end of 9 months. the actual work begins complains. People don’t like Collecting the right to complain. They might feel information 6. To make vandalism a rare occurrence by the end of 2 years. that “something is better than – Steps 5 and 6 nothing”, and don’t want to Checking that information 7. To agree a programme of appear ungrateful. improvements by the end of as you go along the year. – Step 7 8. To carry out improvements in year 2.

9. To maintain the changes in year 3.

16 15 Collecting the right information

Collecting information requires Quantitative information is Qualitative information is about Step 5 – Collecting This kind of information is You might find it helpful to look us to be organised and mostly a matter of recording changes in the way that children information usually recorded in registers, at our case study on page 28. systematic. That doesn’t come “hard” facts, usually in the feel and behave. This cannot on your targets log books, databases, naturally to everybody. Some form of numbers. That is why be expressed in numbers. But, – Your evidence membership files etc. It is very Conclusion people prefer to act on “gut it is sometimes referred to since these changes are what important to be systematic and Write up on your flip chart feelings”. These have their place, as “number crunching”. It is your work is really all about, Introduction regular and to record things what you have decided about but information is evidence very important but number they are very important indeed. This is mostly about recording on the spot rather than relying collecting information on targets and can be shared with other crunching alone, without Collecting information on them things such as names, frequency, on your memory to do the – Quantitative information people. With it, you can learn qualitative information, is more to do with feedback and numbers, and dates that are recording after the event. from your mistakes, make the is not enough. observation. The secret is to linked to the targets you necessary adjustments and keep You are achieving your do it in a structured way and to identified. For example: Group Work on track. Without it you are in indicators of success write it down. As a group you will need danger of drifting with the tide. How many children attend – Qualitative information The important thing is to be each project session. to decide: You need to collect information systematic in the way you that tells you if: How many times each child What information you collect and record information need to collect. You are meeting your targets so that you can make proper attends project sessions. comparisons. That means The number of disabled How you are going to – Quantitative information Collect your keeping records on a regular children attending. collect it. information basis: every day, every week How often this will be done. or every month. In reality, you regularly! Who will be responsible will find it sensible to keep for it. some types of record on a daily basis, some on a monthly How you will use basis and some on a half- the information. 18 yearly or annual basis. 17 Longlake – Step Five The methods you will use to Longlake will collect Step 6 – Collecting Group work Conclusion information collect this kind of qualitative For each indicator of success Use your flip chart to make information on targets information are observation, (see step 4 on p.15) by: on your indicators you have identified you should a list of the information you are – More evidence feedback, discussion groups, show at least one good way of going to collect on your signs Programme of activities surveys, questionnaires. recording progress. In doing or indicators of success Introduction You can think up your own 1. Keeping careful attendance so, you should be clear about (see step 2 on p.13) and how registers for each activity. This is about recording those imaginative ways of doing things. how each chosen method will you are going to collect it. changes in behaviour and But, whatever you do, you must work in practice. There is no Task force attitude that you identified do it regularly and systematically. point choosing feedback as a 1. Recording the young people when you were working on If you’re stuck, try to get method if you’re not absolutely involved. your indicators of success. free help from the research clear how you will get the These could be changes like: department in a local college. feedback and whether it will Recording the number of 2. be worth having. new vandalism incidents Whether the children are less Finding out about how to every 6 months. quarrelsome. collect qualitative information Surveys and questionnaires could be delegated to one are the most difficult methods Recording the number of Whether they can concentrate 3. or two enthusiastic people of all, unless your organisation young people attending Task for at least five minutes. who could do the research is very experienced, or can Force meetings. Whether they are more and report back to the group. get good advice. willing to try new things. Their reward will be valuable professional knowledge that Collecting information on will look good on their CV. these things is not as easy as collecting information on numbers but it is far easier if you have managed to identify 20 some very specific indicators. 19 Longlake – Step Six (a) Longlake – Step 7 – How to use the But checking for changes in You need to think about what Notes on collecting information Step Six (b) behaviour can only be you are going to check and how on indicators: Young people invited on a monthly information you collect to check your progress done every few months, often you are going to check it. basis to tell the Youth Worker or even longer. Vandalism about successful and unsuccessful – Monitoring Don’t be too impatient. A “before” picture of vandalism activities. Youth Worker to keep It’s the regular pattern that Some things take time to get from a survey of the estate with careful notes about what did and Introduction counts. So get the pattern going established. Don’t keep pulling photos, written descriptions and didn’t work. This is about monitoring, which on a weekly, monthly, or six up the plants to inspect the recorded interviews with police is simply checking your progress monthly basis, depending on roots. But whatever checking Taking responsibility and residents. as you go along to ensure that what you are looking at and you do, do it regularly. for the estate you are on the right track. what is sensible and realistic. An “after” picture at end of years Checking your progress on Weekly diary kept by Youth Conclusion 1 and 2 using the same methods. a regular basis allows you to Worker to record any evidence Group Work Write on your flip chart All to be done by young people identify problems at an early that young people are taking more You will need to check or how you are going to check with help of youth worker and stage and to make any necessary responsibility for the estate. monitor the information you your progress. research student. adjustments to what you A photographic record of all collect on your targets and Getting involved are doing. improvements made and written on your indicators of success. in new activities notes about how long they last. The most important thing is This will help you to identify A “before” picture created by to establish a regular pattern. problems at an early stage and a survey by young people on The pattern will change to put things right. In other the estate, using a checklist of depending on what you are words, this will help you to “fine activities, including a catch-all looking at. If you want to tune” the project and get the heading called “other”. Ask young know whether the youth club very best performance out of it. people to tick those they have is attracting young people, tried. Repeat every 3 months. you might check attendance 22 registers every week. 21 Evaluation

Longlake – Step Seven (a) Longlake checked progress by: New Activities

Every week - check numbers Towards the end of your You will have attending. grant you will want to look Clear and realistic aims and Every 3 months - check how back and judge how well indicators of success. many activities each young person you have done overall. This is Objectives for each aim attended and follow up those evaluation. It involves asking together with targets for each attending only once. yourselves “Did we achieve objective. Discuss Youth Worker notes on our aims? What difference Lots of carefully collected successful and unsuccessful activities. have we made?” information, which you have Annually discuss results of survey and It is like comparing those before monitored on a regular basis. progress made. and after pictures, only it is based on evidence rather than All that hard work and time Task Force/Vandalism/Taking on personal opinion. spent in planning will now pay Responsibility dividends. The last exercise Because of the work you have you will have to do, at the end Monthly meeting to discuss done, you will have a sound of your project or the period information collected and basis on which to make useful of your grant, is to meet up to progress made. and informed judgements. look at the evidence. Annual meetings to include young people, residents and police reps to look at evidence. Assess progress and discuss next steps.

24 23 Writing the report

Step 8 – Comparing the The kinds of questions you We are not providing a flip By now, your report has A description of how you At an early stage find someone “before” and “after” should now ask yourselves are: chart example for this piece of almost written itself! There is monitored the project in the group who enjoys writing pictures Did the work achieve all its work, but the answers to these no one right way of doing it - Your indicators of success reports or is prepared to have – Evaluation objectives? questions will form the basis of but here are some headings (step 2). a go. They can keep notes as a written self-evaluation report. you could use. they go, making it easier for all Did its activities run as - Your targets (step 4). With all their evidence You may be required to do this of you. planned? Your organisation and its assembled, your group should as a condition of your grant. aims (two sentences). - What information you meet for a ‘post mortem’ and Which activities worked But, even if you don’t have to, collected (steps 5 and 6). Background to your this time they deserve chocolate well and why? it is well worth doing. project - How you kept a regular biscuits with their tea! What didn’t work and why? Use your findings for feature check on progress (step 7). articles, news stories, - With a short description of Did the work achieve the your annual report, grant the needs or problems that Your conclusions, i.e.; aims it set out to achieve? applications, press releases, you identified. - How well you did overall. your AGM and training events. Did the work lead to any Your aims - What lessons you learnt. unexpected results? - What you set out to - What needs to be changed. What lessons have achieve (step 1). - If your project is going to been learned? Write a Your objectives continue and how. What is the future - What you did (step 3). great of the work? report!

26 25 A few last words Case study

Proper planning and As we said, at the beginning, Denver Under Fives They got involved in self-evaluation is hard work and self-evaluation should be an Introduction self-evaluation after being time consuming but it pays off essential part of the way Denver Under Fives have been awarded a three-year grant by in the end. You will be so much you work, throughout the involved in running play activities BBC Children in Need Appeal. clearer about your project and whole of your organisation. on the Denver Estate for Self-evaluation was a condition your work. You will work more Self-evaluation is the only nearly five years. They have a of that grant. productively as a team. You will way to ensure that you are management committee of eight They decided to involve all collect valuable information. You achieving results and making - a health visitor, a grandmother their staff (including the new will not only make a difference, a real difference. and six parents. The project full-time person made possible but you will be able to show has three part-time staff. by the grant), and three of their you’ve made that difference. Quite honestly, they feel a bit management committee, in the But don’t let this end as soon jaded. They work very hard self-evaluation process. as your funding has run out! but they don’t feel as if they Self-evaluation is not something are making much difference to to be done just in order anything except giving parents to satisfy those tiresome a bit of a break now and then. grant-makers.

28 27 Aims Indicators of success They decided to ask some local Objectives Targets They had to choose between Denver Under Fives had just Denver Under Fives spent doctors and teachers (they had Denver Under Fives looked at Denver Under Fives had quality and quantity. They went one major aim: hours discussing indicators, their own health visitor on the their aim and discussed what never set targets before and for quality and for making a team) what they thought would difference. If things worked well To give the 119 under fives without immediate success. activities they would need to it was more difficult than they They wrote down dozens of give children a better start in set up to achieve that aim. imagined. For example, although and they could show they had on the Denver Estate life. They divided up the work made a difference, they could a better start in life. ideas including things such as They found this quite difficult, they were very used to running “they grow into better adults”. between them and met again probably because that aim was pre-school activities, they were apply for more money This started arguments: “How the following week. They now rather too vague. But their now into discussions about to expand their services. on earth are we going to know had loads but they couldn’t do indicators were very clear making a difference by giving if they grow into better adults?” everything so they decided on indeed, so they cheated a bit children a better start in life. someone asked. the following indicators because and used those to plan their They decided that activities they were achievable: They got on better when they activities to meet their aims could only make a difference if started to talk about how they Regular attendance of children which were to: they were of a very high quality would give their own children in pre-school activities. Organise a variety of and the children attended on a better start in life. This led pre-school activities a regular basis. Once? Twice? Children read, or are read Three times a week? They hit them to realise that they needed to, every day. (objective 1). indicators that covered the a problem of resources. If they Children eat fruit and Run a children’s reading club wanted to encourage each child health, education and emotional and library (objective 2). development of children. vegetables every day. to attend the playgroup three times a week, they couldn’t Parents understand the Start a parents club to possibly afford to run enough importance of listening and encourage good parenting sessions to cater for all the 119 talking to their children. skills (objective 3). children on the estate. Liaise with health visitors and teachers (objective 4). 30 29 They had to revise For objective 1 For objective 2 For objective 3 For objective 4 Monitoring their aim To run eight supervised To establish a Saturday To run two club sessions a By September, to identify Denver Under Fives knew they Their new aim read “To give play sessions a week, each morning reading club for week, attracting at least 25 health visitors, teachers and needed to collect information 50 under fives on the Denver catering for up to 20 children children accompanied by parents to each. others involved with the on their targets and on their Estate a better start in life.” on a pre-booking basis, on a parent (to get parents To attract each participating estate’s under fives. indicators of success in order The targets they eventually the condition that each child interested in children’s books, parent to at least one club To invite them to monthly to monitor their progress. came up with were: is booked in for three play in the hope they will read to session a month. joint meetings, starting in sessions a week. the child at home). October. Monitoring targets By September, to identify To organise a rota of at least First of all, they tackled their and publicise other local 15 volunteer readers and targets. What information did pre-school opportunities library organisers by July. they need to collect, and how in the area. often, in order to tell whether they were meeting their targets? And what would need to be monitored regularly?

32 31 They ticked their best ideas. 3 Attendance registers for each 3 Records of children They then discussed how they Check the parents’ signing- Monitoring Indicators play session. Daily. with special needs, diets, would monitor this information, in book at the end of every The Denver Under Fives By playleader. disabilities. As they enrol. and why. month to ensure that each looked back at their indicators 3 Attendance registers for the By co-ordinator. parent attends at least one of success. How were they reading club. 3 A register of parents They decided to club session a month and, if going to find out if they were Check play session attendance not, to (very tactfully) find making any progress with 3 A signing-in book for the attending the reading club. (Too patronising?) registers each week, on a out why. these? They took them one at a reading club (name and age). Friday, to ensure that children time. Through discussion, they 3 Finally they decided to review At each session. A signing in book for parents were attending three times a realised that they occasionally By volunteer-in-charge. at the club. At every all their activities after six week. They would sort out months to determine what had to add further things to 3 A list of all the children session. By club leader problems of non-attendance their list of objectives or targets responsible. was working well and what on the estate. on a monthly basis. was not and to make any in order to make sure they 3 would make the difference they 3 A list of all the children Names, addresses, phone Check the reading club’s necessary changes. wanted to make. That is why it on the waiting list for numbers of volunteers. signing in book every two is important to do this thinking the project. Maintained by months to see: How many and planning before starting on co-ordinator. children have attended 3 Names, addresses, ages of the actual work. children attending the play 3 A diary to record activities altogether (breadth of sessions. As they enrol. that took place. Maintained interest)? How many have By co-ordinator. by co-ordinator. attended more than four times (depth of interest)? 3 Names, addresses, ages of children attending the reading club.

34 33 Regular attendance of – A reading time at each Children eat fruit and Parents understand the parents discussions. Then, children in pre-school play session three times a vegetables every day. importance of listening rather than checking on the activities. week (to be added to the Provide children with fresh and talking to their parents’ understanding of Well, this was fairly easy objectives). fruit at every play session children. the importance of listening since it was covered by the – Check with parents at the (add to objectives). Bring in This was the hardest of all. and talking to their children, information collected on club. Provide a reading list nutrition experts to talk to How to check understanding perhaps they should check targets. But they would also and ask them to keep a parents (add to objectives). without making people sit an if they were doing more encourage the children to tell record of every book they Ask both parents and children exam? Thinking about this listening and talking to their them about what else they do read to their child. to record fruit and vegetables helped them to think more children and change indicator outside the home e.g. reading eaten by the child daily clearly about what would accordingly. How to get club, swimming, one o’clock – Ask children what they on a wall chart. happen at the parents club. at this? club etc. Each child would be read yesterday, at every As well as talking about encouraged to keep a picture play session. Or get them nutrition and encouraging They decided diary on a weekly basis. to tick the picture of a parent to read to their At the beginning of the year, book in their diaries if they Children read, or are children, they must get to ask parents to estimate did some reading the day over the importance how many times they read to, every day. before. Denver Under Fives came up of listening and talking. listened and talked to each with a number of ideas and They agreed a number of of their children for at least decided upon the following: ways to do this, including five minutes at a time, on outside speakers, work something that interested – Checking the reading club on language development, the child. signing-in book. hiring educational videos,

36 35 CES Planning Triangle Adapted from materials produced by Jane Weaver at Charities Evaluation The Denver Under Fives also Conclusion Services plan to ask the local primary The Denver Under Fives found school if they would find a way self-evaluation to be hard work, to evaluate the children who difficult in places, but well worth eventually leave the Denver the effort. They discovered Under Fives to start full-time how important it is to do all schooling. They would like to Organisational the planning before starting to purpose establish whether there is any do things because this had led Reason for our significant difference between them to modify their aims, to existence or mission. these and other children’s add some new objectives and behaviour and performance change one of their indicators Aims in the intake year. as they thought things through. They now feel that they have a much better understanding of where they are going and Why we do it what they are doing. They made Making a difference some mistakes but they learned or outcomes. a lot as they went along and felt more motivated and more in Objectives control, as a result.

What we do Activities or outputs. (Services, play groups, leaflets, videos etc). 38 37 Reading list Useful addresses

First steps in monitoring 5. Performance Indicators: Some useful websites England and Wales and Evaluation Use and Misuse General Helpline BBC Children in Need Appeal Evaluation Suport Scotland Published by Charities 6. Using Evaluation to BBC Children in Need Appeal Broadcasting House Evaluation Services Explore Policy evaluationsupportscotland.org.uk PO Box 1000 Llandaff (Among other materials London Cardiff 7. Outcome Monitoring Practical Monitoring they have a handy guide W12 7WJ CF5 2YQ and Evaluation 8. Benchmarking in the to report writing) Tel: 020 8576 7788 Tel: 029 2032 2383 By Jean Ellis Voluntary Sector For Charities 9. Assessing Impact Community Evaluation Scotland Northern Ireland Evaluation Services Northern Ireland (CENI) BBC Children in Need Appeal BBC Children in Need Appeal (A little pricey but full Everyday Evaluation ceni.org BBC Scotland Broadcasting House of useful stuff) on the Run G10, 40 Pacific Drive Ormeau Avenue By Y Wadsworth Charities Evaluation Glasgow Belfast Charities An Australian publication Services G51 1DA BT2 8HQ Evaluation Services available from publishers, ces-vol.org.uk Tel: 0141 422 6111 Tel: 028 9033 8221 has a series of 9 Allen and Unwin, in London discussion papers: (We haven’t read this but The Big Lottery Charities Evaluation CES highly recommends it biglotteryfund.org.uk Services 1. The Purpose of Evaluation as a hands-on guide) (Some useful evaluation 4 Coldbath Square Different ways of Seeing 2. materials. Try their leaflet London Evaluation onusing questionnaires and EC1R 5HL 3. Self-Evaluation surveys if you are planning Tel: 020 7713 5722 a survey) 40 4. Involving Users in Evaluation 39 Notes