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Higher Folds Community Centre Evaluation of the BIG Lottery Funded

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Higher Folds Community Centre Evaluation of the BIG Lottery Funded Higher Folds Community Centre Evaluation of the BIG Lottery funded project Into the Future 2008-2013 and continuing evaluation of further progress to date Company number: 03560600 October 2015 Charity number: 1076911 1 Contents Page Section Section title number 1. Introduction and methodology for our self-evaluation 4 Contributors to the evaluation Sources of guidance Steps taken to evaluate the Project 2. The work of the project – Into the Future 2008-13 5 Planned outcomes Higher Folds Community Centre objectives Wigan Council strategic priorities Market research to assist evaluation Progress reporting to stakeholders 3. The methods and tools we used to collect our 8 information and monitoring data Various methods and tools 4. Review and analysis of the information and data 9 Measurement against planned outcomes Successes and failures Examples from project users Improvement actions during and after the Project 5. External evaluation of the project 14 G & M Associates Wigan Council Surveys of users, non-users and other stakeholders 2 6. Conclusions and recommendations from “Into the 16 Future” – moving forward What worked What didn’t work What we can improve Benefits to users 7. Further developments at the Centre since July 2013 20 when the BIG Lottery project “Into the Future” ended Wigan Council, the Deal for the Future for Communities 2015-2020 and the Community Investment Fund Work to meet the strategic priorities of Wigan Council and other local public services “We Decide” the Participatory Budget project and event with Greater Manchester Police and local groups Latest market research on issues to be addressed in the Higher Folds and wider WN7 area 8. Summary of developments since the end of the “Into 26 the Future” project What we have learnt What we are doing to continually improve 9. 10.9. The planned project “the Hub of the Community” 26 A development of “Into the Future” Issues it will address Planned outcomes 3 Higher Folds Community Centre – Into the Future 2008-13 Self-evaluation of the project – at August 2014 and continuing evaluation of progress to date 1. Introduction and methodology for our self-evaluation 1.1. Self-evaluation of the BIG Lottery funded project “Into the Future” and further evaluation since the end of the funding period has been carried out by the staff of Higher Folds Community Centre, who managed the project, with contributions from other stakeholders including: Beneficiaries, existing customers and potential customers of the project whose issues we were addressing and whose needs it was our aim to meet through our activities. The Management Board of the Community Centre, who had strategic responsibility for delivering the project. Volunteers and tutors who took an active part in delivering the project. Partners in the project, mainly Wigan Council through the Deal for Communities and other public, private and third sector partners involved in the work of the Community Centre as a community hub. 1.2. To carry out the evaluation we used three sources of guidance: BIG Lottery Fund – Understanding self-evaluation Charities Evaluation Service – first steps in monitoring and evaluation Paul Hamlyn Foundation – Evaluation Resource Pack 1.3. From these we used a four step approach to evaluate the work of the project, as follows: Step 1 Clarify the expected outcomes of the project Step 2 Define the methods and tools we use to collect information to give a robust, rounded understanding of progress Step 3 Collect, review and analyse information and data to guide future project direction Step 4 Evaluate, report and plan for the future from our findings 4 1.4. Each outcome will have an information collection tool or method to gather the data about project users. 1.5. The evaluation will also consider the effectiveness of Board, staff and volunteers in delivering the project. 2. The work of the project – Into the Future 2008-13 2.1. The project had six planned outcomes these were: Outcome Planned number number Description of beneficiaries 1 People will have better life chances through training 8,800 2 Local people gain IT skills in the IT Suite 200 3 Local people attend confidence building 2,000 4 Active citizens attend citizenship development activi- 440 ties in Wigan and Greater Manchester 5 Older people to attend healthy eating and exercise 3,500 classes 6 The benefits of the project will be sustained longer Ongoing term, after funding from BIG ends 2.2. In its work Higher Folds Community Centre has the following objectives: Links to project HFCC Objective outcome number To improve the fitness and health of local people 5 To improve life skills and chances of employment 1,2,3,4 To reduce isolation 1,2,3,5 To be an effective organisation 6 5 2.3. To meet the strategic priorities of Wigan Council which are: Strategic priority How the priorities will be achieved By improving economic and social opportunities; developing an attractive, Confident places accessible and lively borough, with a prosperous economy as the location of choice for investment By Protecting vulnerable groups and enhancing self-reliance. Improving life Confident People opportunities and independence for everyone to start well, live well and age well; particularly for those most dependent on public services. By re-focussing its reduced resources towards early intervention and Confident Council prevention to achieve more for less – integrating public services around whole life issues to build self-reliance and maximising community assets 2.4. BIG Lottery Reaching Communities aims include: People having better chances in life, including being able to get better access to training and development to improve their life skills Strong communities, with more active citizens, working together to tackle their prob- lems Healthier and more active people and communities. 2.5. The planned BIG aims and outcomes, Higher Folds Community Centre objectives and Wigan Council strategic priorities have a planned link to address issues and meet needs for the benefit of the local community in their day to day lives. 2.6. The project, centred on Higher Folds Community Centre, is aimed generally at people living in the WN7 postcode and specifically the 3,500 residents of the Higher Folds estate which is geographically isolated. 6 2.7. Our market research in 2012 through Local and National statistics shows the following: Higher Folds North is in the bottom 1% of generally deprived communities in the United Kingdom. Higher Folds South is in the bottom 10%. Both communities are among the most deprived in Wigan. GCSE attainment is well below the national average. Income deprivation level is higher than Wigan and the UK. Child development at age 5 is 20% lower than UK. Unemployment is 50% higher than UK average. General health is 30% worse than UK average. Levels of binge drinking and poor eating habits are higher than the UK average. Emergency hospital admissions are 26% higher than the UK average. Life expectancy is 5 years less than the UK average for both females and males. 2.8. These are the conditions the Centre works in and the issues facing local people. The Project, Into the Future, takes action to address these issues and meet the needs of stakeholders. These statistics will form the benchmark to improve on for any future projects. 2.9. Surveys and previous evaluation 2.6.1 Prior to the External Evaluation there is little evidence of large scale consultation with users of the project. Consultation was through users completed customer questionnaires and these unanimously felt the Centre was a great place to visit and the project was doing what it promised. 2.6.2 The External Evaluation by G & M Associates was the first true measure of the success of the project and to evaluate the project they interviewed users and stakeholders who all felt the project was a success, numbers using the project exceeded the originally planned numbers and the project was giving value for money to funders and users. 2.6.3 Wider consultation on the project took place after 2011 and this is discussed in more detail in section 5.3. 2.10. Reporting on progress of the project 2.7.1 In July 2011 the Centre appointed a new Manager to develop and improve the progress of the Project. 2.7.2 Ongoing reporting on the progress of the project and involvement of staff and volunteers was improved as follows: BIG Lottery continued to receive their annual returns showing performance against each planned outcome. Board received regular reports on the progress of the BIG Lottery funded project at their formal monthly meetings. 7 Staff were included in the discussion around reports to Board on the progress of the project. Volunteers were involved as appropriate and given more praise for their valuable work. Wigan Council received regular updates on progress through meetings involving local Councillors and the local Town Manager. Other public services were also given updates as required through the Higher Folds Strategic Group meetings and other media as appropriate. 3. The methods and tools we used to collect our information and monitoring data 3.1. Monitoring data on people using the project was collected by keeping attendance records for each session. The summarised information shown in the table in section 4.1 shows performance for each project outcome. 3.2. Project user’s progress was tracked to ensure they gained benefit from the Project to address their issues. Examples of project users and their achievements are in section 4. 3.3. We also collected data to ensure equal opportunities for activity users. 3.4. The following data and information collection and management methods and tools are used to understand the progress and success of the project: Stakeholder meetings with partners in delivering the project including: Higher Folds Strategic Group (includes local public service and other partners working on the Estate) Wigan Council Trust in Leigh Other public services Customer surveys – face to face, through customer comment cards and through comments on social media Board reports and minutes covering: Strategic direction of the project Financial management of the project Use of resources on the project.
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