Learning Exchange Library
Theory of Change Community This page on the Theory of Change Community website explains what the 'theory of change' means. To explore the resources on the Theory of Change Community website, you need to register. It only takes a minute and it's free to do so.
Jargonbuster This wonderful little book, produced by the Jargonbuster Group, has been written to help charities and voluntary and community sector organisations (in fact anyone involved in running a project that involves procurement or evaluation activities in the course of running it) to use technical terms more consistently and to have a clearer understanding of the ideas behind the technical terms.
What is monitoring? Information collected through checking of records, writing notes and recording discussions is called 'monitoring' when it is routinely and systematically carried out against a plan. Read more about what Charities Evaluation Services says.
What is evaluation? Evaluation involves using monitoring and other information you collect to make judgements about your project. Evaluating also involves using that information to change and improve what you are doing.
What are outcomes? 'Outcomes are the changes that you can attribute to your organisational or project activities. These can be intended or not intended, positive or negative, and you may have set indicators for these.' Read more about what Charities Evaluation Services says.
The Magenta Book Useful, timely (and well written) guidance from HM Treasury about evaluation. Although primarily for policy makers, it also offers useful insights to anyone working in local government, in charities and the voluntary sector (see chapter 4). It explains what to consider when designing effective evaluations and why it is so important to do so - and more importantly, the costs and losses incurred by not evaluating effectively. Also explains how to explain evaluation results and where they fit into policy and project design.
Extended Schools Subsidy Pathfinder Evaluation Interim report by Mark Peters, Hannah Carpenter and Oliver Norden (BMRB Social Research); Dr Liz Todd and Colleen Cummings (Newcastle University), July 2009. Findings have important policy implications around the management and implementation of the disadvantage subsidy. A significant proportion of schools in the study struggled to engage economically disadvantaged pupils in extended school activities.
Monitoring and evaluation resource guide (Charities Evaluation Services) Over 100 online and published books, tools, discussion papers, factsheets.
Practical Monitoring and Evaluation From Charity Evaluation Services, a practical, how-to guide to monitoring and evaluation for voluntary and community organisations - with expanded sections on outcome and impact monitoring. Find More publications at Charity Evaluation Services.
National Outcomes Programme 2009 The National Outcomes Programme, which is run by Charities Evaluation Services, aims to embed sources of support to frontline organisations through its pool of trained practitioners. Find your nearest 'Outcomes Champion' in your region who has expertise in the field of outcomes monitoriing.
The Charities Evaluation Services' definition of impact The Learning Exchange uses this definition when referring to impact: 'Wider and broader changes, benefits, learning or other effects’.
How well are they doing? The impact of children's centres and extended schools (Ofsted)
Monitoring whole-school practice to improve attendance and behaviour Advice from the Department for Children, Schools and Families
Becoming more effective: an introduction to monitoring and evaluation for refugee community organisations (Charities Evaluation Services).
Monitoring Outcomes: Ingredients of success This document (published in November 2010 by Substance and Nesta) argues for a culture shift in the design and delivery of public services and a more strategic focus on outcomes. It offers a strong and simply-put message for anyone offering a service that aims to improve people's life outcomes. 'Collaboration between these groups... [funders, organisational leaders, managers, frontline staff and service users]... can turn evaluation from a laborious ‘add-on task’ to a dynamic process that can transform and improve services.' See page 8 for their six key guiding principles.