1st April

Planning for Impact Assessment 

This training will be tailored to the needs of IDEA members. It will focus on outcomes-based planning, enabling participants to use the logic model to distinguish between outputs and outcomes in their workplans, to develop indicators of success that are appropriate to their work and to collect evidence of the impact of their work. The training is designed and delivered by Gladys Swanton of Community Evaluation Northern Ireland. It will be held in Dublin city (Carmelite Centre) and a regional location on the 7th April (TBC).
Register before March 25th by emailing Eimear: eimear@ideaonline.ie

The tailored programme will address the following themes:
a.    What do we mean by outcomes and why focus on outcomes?
b.    Types and dimensions of change
c.    Challenges with outcomes and possible strategies
d.    Using the project logic model - linking input, output and outcome
e.    Identify outcomes for your project/work
f.    Measuring progress – quantitative and qualitative - indicators/targets/baselines
g.    Self-evaluation planning
h.    Collecting evidence of change - methods and strategies
i.    Collating, interpreting and using the evaluation findings
j.    Reporting your projects’ achievements

Resources will be photocopied for all participants including powerpoint slides.  Website and bibliography lists and copy of CENI publications will also be circulated including:  ‘Prove and Improve’ a self-evaluation resource for voluntary/community groups; Summary Social Capital Outcomes & Indicators Framework; and the Social Assets Research Report

About CENI

CENI provides tailored training on a range of evaluation and quality themes designed to meet the needs of staff, managers and volunteers in voluntary and community organisations, as well as statutory service providers. Training is also designed to meet the needs of funders, to provide support with monitoring and evaluation to grantees.  Through training we promote the development of knowledge and skills and the implementation of good practice in the use of evaluation which ultimately strengthens organisations’ ability to meet accountability requirements as well as contributing to planning and improved service delivery.
In the design of programmes we promote a utilization approach to evaluation ie that evaluation should be a valuable tool for both accountability and learning purposes for supported groups.  In addition we recognise the value of joined up approaches where project level planning, monitoring and evaluation activities link with programme level objectives.
Gladys Swanton is CENI’s Training Manager and has had direct responsibility of managing training services for several years and as such has been designing and delivering training and mentoring support in self-evaluation, outcomes and quality across a range of themes and contexts.
In the design and delivery of training modules and programmes Gladys has gained knowledge and experience in the use of models and tools developed to support organisations to gather information on project outcomes.  These include the Logic Model linking input, and output to outcome and the underpinning rationale and evidence base; and pre and post test tools such as Rickter (widely used within employability programmes) and the use of tools to capture distance travelled.  Gladys has also utilised CENI’s Social Capital Outcomes Framework and Toolkit and subsequent work on measuring Social Assets to support V/C groups to consider the added value dimensions of their work including outcomes and indicators relating to bonding, bridging and linking and organisational capability and capacity.
Gladys holds MSSc in the Management of Lifelong Learning and also holds a ‘Teacher Tutor’ certificate, a certificate in ‘Community Development Practice’, a certificate in ‘First Line Management’ and modules in ‘Organisation & Management’.