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Impact Measuring Tool Kit

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A practical tool to help you plan and implement a project to measure the impact of coaching interventions.

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Page 1: Impact Measuring Toolkit

Impact Measuring

ToolKit

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Impact Measuring

ToolKit

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© The National Coaching Foundation, 2012

This resource is copyright under the Berne Convention. All rights are reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for thepurposes of private study, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, no part of

this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,electrical, chemical, mechanical, optical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the

copyright owner. Enquiries should be addressed to Coachwise Ltd.

sports coach UK is the brand name of The National Coaching Foundation and has been such since April 2001.

Author

Jo Schultz

Technical Editors

John McIlroy and Vicki Sutton

Coachwise editorial and design team

Craig Smith and Carl Heath

Cover photos © Alan Edwards and Mark Bullimore. Inner photos © Alan Edwards unless otherwise stated.

Coachwise LtdChelsea Close

Off Amberley RoadArmley

Leeds LS12 4HP

Tel: 0113-231 1310Fax: 0113-231 9606

Email: [email protected]: www.coachwise.ltd.uk

sports coach UKChelsea Close

Off Amberley RoadArmley

Leeds LS12 4HP

Tel: 0113-274 4802 Fax: 0113-231 9606

Email: [email protected]: www.sportscoachuk.org

Published on behalf of sports coach UK by

Throughout this resource, the pronouns he, she, him, her and so on are interchangeable and intended to be inclusive ofboth males and females.

The term parent includes carers, guardians and other next of kin categories.

To enquire about accessing alternative formats of this resource, contact sports coach UK on 0113-274 4802 or email [email protected]

sports coach UK will ensure that it has professional and ethical values and that all its practices are inclusive and equitable.

90789:16

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Impact Measuring Tool Kit

ContentsIntroduction 1

Where to Start – The Things to Consider 3- The project plan 7

Tools, Guidance and Examples 10

Working with Case Studies 11- Some things to remember with case studies 12- How should you use this section? 12- Promotional case study 13- Best practice case study 14- Process case study 15- Impact case study 16- A portfolio approach to impact case studies 17- Output mechanisms 17

Tracking Top Tips 18

Survey Design Top Tips 20- Clearly define your aims 20- Decide on your method 20- Questionnaire content 20- Question types 21- Question wording 23- Question order 23- Additional tips 23- Example workshop evaluation survey 24- Example survey questions 26

Discussion/Interview Guide Top Tips 29

Producing a Video Case Study (VCS) Top Tips 31

Data Analysis 32- Qualitative analysis 32- Quantitative analysis 32- Using the qual to support the quant 33

Good Practice Case Study – Recruit into Coaching 35

Recruit into Coaching Tracking Study Discussion Guide 38- First interview 38

Recruit into Coaching Good Practice Evaluation 41Case Study Interview- Start 41- The programme 41- The impacts 41- Final questions 41

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1Impact Measuring Tool Kit

As part of the £1.96million investment from Sport England intothe delivery of coaching, the 49 county sports partnerships(CSPs) have been tasked with providing information by March2013 that starts to show the impact of coaching on thegoverning body participation and talent agendas.

This is an important year for the local CoachingSystem Support Network (CSSN) across Englandand there is real opportunity to show funders andgovernment that coaching is key in driving upparticipation and supporting talent development.To this end there is a need to demonstrate thevalue of the local CSSN through a range of impact measurements.

As part of the guidance provided by Sport Englandit has been recommended that each CSP providessome/all of the following to demonstrate end-of-year impact against the delivery of the eight coaching objectives*:

• Impact studies (two or three)

• Coach tracking studies

• Good practice case studies

• End-of-year impact report.

* Each CSP will have detailed what they will beproviding at year end within their 2012–2013Coaching Delivery Plan.

The skill set and expertise needed to understandand implement a series of impact measurements isrelatively specialised. This tool kit has beendeveloped in recognition of this point and is to beused to support the CSPs to feel comfortable inplanning for impact measurement in the short,medium and long term.

IntroductionSection 1

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Where to Start –The Things to Consider

Section 2

This section is designed to take you step by step through all thekey things you will need to consider when planning your impactstudy. In taking time to consider the 10 points outlined over thenext few pages, you will be on your way to developing goodquality reports to demonstrate the positive impact the work youcarry out has on coaches and their participants.

At the end of this section you will find a templateProject Plan that has been designed to help youthink through all 10 points. Please feel free to copythis document to help you structure your planning.

1 Choose the projects you want to evaluate

Sport England has requested you produce two orthree impact studies, so think carefully about whichprojects/programmes you have that you will be ableto collect information on, and from which people.

2 Identify the aims and objectives of the projects

• What are they trying to achieve?

• What do you want to see as a result of the project?

Once you’ve chosen your projects, for each one youshould begin by defining the ‘problem statement’. Inother words, why has the project been created andwhat is it trying to achieve?

Being clear on this from the outset will help you to identify what success will look like and what it isthat you need to measure to demonstrate thissuccess. It is often helpful to return to these when

you are writing your questions for a survey orinterview – they will keep you on track and prevent you from going off on a tangent and askingquestions for the sake of it that won’t actually helpanswer the question.

3 What do the projects look like?

• What do they involve?

Setting out clearly what the project consists of willhelp you to think about all the different activities and elements you could evaluate and collectinformation/data on.

4 Who does the project involve?

• Who are the coaches and the participants?

This may seem obvious, but identifying who isinvolved (ie the coaches and the people/groups theycoach) will ensure you include all the relevantpeople in your study. Remember, the more peopleyou can include in a survey the better!

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5 What data will you need to

demonstrate success?

• Quantitative: numbers; percentages; statistics (egattendance figures; satisfaction ratings; retentionnumbers; pass-rate percentages)

• Qualitative: thoughts; opinions and attitudes.

In order to produce a good quality impact study it isrecommended you collect both quantitative (figuresand numbers) and qualitative (interviews, quotesetc) data to add more detail and provide furtherunderstanding to your results.

In general, quantitative research involves as large asample as possible. This is to make sure you get datathat is representative and produces results that arevalid. In contrast, the qualitative research is used toget more detail from a small subsection of the largersample. The qualitative data collection also tends to be more time consuming and so, unless you are starting with a very small sample of people, you wouldn’t realistically be able to consult allindividuals via interview or focus groups.

Large/whole sample Quantitative (survey)

Smaller subsection of sample Qualitative (interviews, quotes etc)

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When thinking about the quantitative data you willbe collecting, think about what you might need toact as your baseline. In order to demonstrate thatthings have changed (eg coaches feel more confidentto deliver sessions as a result of your project, orthere has been an increase in the number ofcoaches going on continuous professionaldevelopment [CPD] courses), you will need at leasttwo sets of data to compare. Having alreadyidentified your project aims and expected outcomesyou will know what changes you want to see and sothis should make it easier for you to plan the datayou will need to compare at the start and end ofthe project.

In terms of qualitative data, case studies are a goodway to present information you may have collectedvia interviews, focus groups etc. However, less formal methods such as videos and photographs can help to deliver important messages and neednot be costly.

6 How are you going to collect the data?

• Surveys, registers, online forums, databases,interviews, email feedback, focus groupdiscussions, anecdotal comments

• How will you contact/get hold of contacts?

Once you know what data you will need todemonstrate success, take some time to thinkthrough how you will go about getting the data. Doyou have registers or databases you can use and/oradapt? Can you set up an online survey – SurveyMonkey is free to use. If you plan to do onlinesurveys consider whether you have the coaches’email addresses and if not, how you will go aboutgetting them. You could also set up online forums toinitiate discussions and get feedback.

Don’t be put off by the concept of a focus group.They are not as scary as they might sound. It’s simplyabout getting a group of your coaches, or indeedtheir participants, together in a room and having adiscussion led and directed by a discussion guide(information on how to design a discussion guide isincluded later on in this document).

Equally, interviews with individuals do not need to beparticularly long or formal. Having an informal chatover a coffee is sometimes the best way to getpeople to relax and feel confident to chat to youabout their experiences. This form of data collectionis just as valid as structured interviews; however,don’t forget to explain to the person why you arehaving the chat, and get their permission to use theirquotes and feedback in your impact study and torecord the conversation if you plan to (seeDiscussion/Interview Guide Top Tips on page 29).

7 Which other organisations may have data you

can use?

• Governing bodies of sport, local authorities, localhealth authorities, schools, leisure centres,private clubs.

Depending on your projects there may be otherorganisations involved whose data you can access;for example, registers and databases. Using othersources of data is no less valid than using data youhave collected yourself and can add value while alsosaving you time and resources.

8 Timings

• At what points will you collect the data?

You will be expected to report back to SportEngland on your impact studies at the end of March2013 and so you will need to plan your datacollection process as early as possible. This will ensureyou get all the information you need and still havesufficient time to look at what it is telling you, andput together a good quality report. There is nothingmore frustrating than trying to pull togetherevidence retrospectively and wishing you hadcollected certain information months ago, so think it through now and plan it in.

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9 Consider any costs and resource implications

• Will you require any additional resources tocollect this data?

• Do you have any links to universities/highereducation institutions (HEIs) who may havecapacity to help?

While you are writing your plan you will need toconsider who will carry out the tasks of datacollection and report writing, and how much time thisis likely to take. You will need to make sure your planis realistic and within your means. If you feel youwould benefit from additional support then thinkabout any relationship you may have withuniversities or educational institutions who may have

an interest in getting involved. Or indeed this might be the perfect opportunity to form new relationships.

10 Reporting

• How will you report back all your data?

When planning how you will report back to SportEngland, consider all the available options tosupplement your written document. For example,graphs and charts for quantitative data, quotes forqualitative feedback. Photographs and video clips are just a few examples of how you could presentyour information.

Shown below is an example of what one of yourcharts may look like:

Completed CPD course

Satisfied with course content

Instigated furtherlearning

Felt they had learntsomething new

0% 100%

Going on the developmentcourse and attending the threeworkshops has given me somuch new knowledge andskills, that I now feel moreconfident in going out thereand delivering sessions to mygroups. As a result, I amplanning on running moresessions over the coming months.

“ “

Comment from a coach

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The project plan

Project Title

Aims and Objectives

What does the project aim to achieve?

Project Sample

Who is involved (coaches and participants)?

Project Outline

What is the project and what does it involve?

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The project plan (continued)

Data Sources and Collection

What data are you going to collect and how?

Other Stakeholders/Data Holders

Are there any other agencies/organisations that may have data you can make use of?

Timings and Deadlines

This will help you to see what needs to be done and when.

Activity Date

eg Collate attendance figures August 2012

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The project plan (continued)

Costs and Resource Implications

Reporting

How will you present your data? (eg quotes, graphs, photos, videos, audio clips)

To include any costs (financial and time) that might be incurred as a result of your impact measurement activities.

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Tools, Guidance and ExamplesSection 3

The following sections consist of a number of tools,templates and guidance documents to help you with yourinformation gathering.

Working with Case Studies presents a number ofdifferent options. For example, providing definitions ofeach one and detailing what they consist of, how theycan be used, their value and any resource implications.

Tracking Top Tips includes some general advice onhow to conduct an effective tracking survey byencouraging people to take part and importantly stayinvolved.

Survey Design Top Tips provide guidance on puttingtogether a survey questionnaire, taking you throughthe different methods, what a good survey shouldinclude, examples of different question types, andguidance on question wording and order.

The Example Workshop Evaluation Survey is takenfrom sports coach UK’s online evaluation of theBreakfast Clubs. They provide an example of the sortsof questions you may wish to ask when evaluating aworkshop and are keen to understand how delegatesbenefited from attending.

Example Survey Questions include a selection ofexample questions sports coach UK has used inprevious surveys. You can use any of these questions inyour own surveys if you feel they would be useful andhelp you to collect the information you need.However, it is important to note that they are not

compulsory questions to ask and indeed some maynot be relevant to your projects and data collection.

Discussion/Interview Guide Top Tips provideguidance for conducting interviews or focus groups, including how to structure them and tips for questioning.

Data Analysis looks briefly at how to go aboutanalysing your qualitative and quantitative data andhow to bring both sets together in your reports.

Producing a Video Case Study (VCS) Top Tips

present five steps to develop a video case study thatcaptures a story worth telling.

Good Practice Case Study – Recruit into Coaching

(RiC) is an example of a best-practice case studysports coach UK produced in 2010 based on the RiCprogramme. Although it is not an example of anImpact Case Study, which may be more relevant toyour reporting, it is a good example of how qualitativedata can be presented alongside photographs and quotes.

This is followed by the two discussion guides whichwere developed for the data collection process; theRecruit into Coaching Tracking Study Discussion

Guide which was used when interviewing a sample ofthe programme recruits on a number of occasionsthroughout the programme, and the Recruit into

Coaching Good Practice Evaluation Case Study

Interview which was used when one programmerecruit was chosen to feature in the case study.

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Working with Case StudiesSection 4

As you will see from this section, there is a wide variety ofcase study options to work with. The choice of case study islikely to depend on four key considerations:• What are you trying to show?• What level of resources do you have (staff, money,

expertise etc)? • How much time do you have?• What level of complexity do your audience need/are

prepared to accept?

The Impact Case Study presented last is the onemost relevant to CSPs for the purpose of reportingback to Sport England in 2013. However, you mayfind it useful to see the evolution of case studyproduction and you may find them helpful for otherreporting purposes.

With so many different options it is hard togeneralise on what a case study should cover, but asa general rule you should try and include:

• the definition of the problem

• how the problem was solved

• what issues arose and how they were dealt with

• what the results were

• what you have learnt.

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Some things to remember with case studies• Make a short list of what you are trying to

demonstrate with the case study. Remember torefer back to this as you develop your questionsand write your case study.

• Think about all the different sources ofinformation you can collect from. For example:project documents, interviews, focus groups and observations.

• Make sure you explain clearly what happenedwith the programme.

• Initially you want to prove that a project hasbeen a success. Provide the evidence for success(eg numbers and statistics or acknowledgementsfrom participants).

• Don’t forget to explain how and why theproject was a success. If you’re interviewingsomeone be sure to ask lots of ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions.

• Be prepared to add extra questions if you needfurther clarification on a subject.

How should you use this section?• Have a look at the description of each case

study provided in bold at the top of each page.This is the big picture. Based on your knowledgeof the area, what would be the most useful orinformative angle – long-term change; how torun a project; what’s happening on the ground;promoting a project?

• Have a look at the table with each case study. Inthe ‘how do we get the information?’ section, doyou have the resources, contacts and/orexpertise to collect this information? If not, youmay want to think of another case study option.

• Look at the output options. Which would bemost suitable? Make sure you also take intoaccount what impact these might have on datacollection (eg if your output will be a videomake sure you video your interviews!).

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Promotional case studyThis places an emphasis on reporting that a project exists, what it is trying to achieve or what the results

are. It is descriptive rather than trying to explain how or why something worked. As such, it is much easier

to put together at short notice.

What is it? Reporting what a project is trying to do or what results it has achieved

How do we get the information?

Reading promotional material

Interviews with the people involved or quotes

Looking at published results

Traditional/suggested output

Numerous options, including one-page document, magazine article,video/audio/blog

Value Highlighting good work that is happening

Resources/implications One-day interview and write-up.

Example: A Participation Initiative

With this approach we could write a magazine articleabout the initiative. We could use material alreadyproduced and possibly some quotes from thoseinvolved in the project. We might also add some datatables to show how it met the participation targets.

This would be aimed at others sports to show howan organisation went about addressing theirparticipation targets. To discover more about theinitiative, other sports would be signposted to talk torelevant people.

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Best practice case studyWith these case studies we are interested in how projects are implemented on the ground, and in

particular what the most successful people are doing. We want to understand what they do and how this

can be shared and copied by others.

What is it? Demonstrating new approaches that have led to improvement

How do we get the information?

Interviews with people who implemented the approach and those it has beenused with (eg a coach and their athletes)

Traditional/suggested output

A 2–3-page written case study with top tips that others can use

Alternatively this could be produced as a video case study with interviews orobservations of what the coach is doing

A third option would be to write an article for a publication, such as Coaching Edge

Value Tips and ideas an organisation or individual can try themselves

Resources/implications 1–2 days of interviews and two days to write up

For a video it depends on existing footage; if it doesn’t exist then 1–2 daysfilming plus editing

If writing for publication in a magazine you might want to think about hiring a journalist.

Example: A Participation Initiative

Identify a coach who significantly increased thenumber of participants attending their sessions. Weattend a session and interview the coach and theparticipants to discover what it is they do that

works, or what it is about them that has encouraged participants.

Alternatively we could video a session and interviewthe coach and participants, editing the video tocreate a short film.

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Process case studyThese types of case studies are most useful to those developing programmes and developing coaches.

They focus on how the project was planned and seek to identify good practice or problem areas that

need to be addressed before implementing another project. This will not prove the impact of the project

but rather what lessons have been learnt during the process.

What is it? Understanding what lessons have been learnt from running a project/programme

How do we get the information?

This will tend to be based around logic models

Analysis of programme documents to identify objectives and targets

Interviews with people who planned the programme

Interviews with those who implemented it and those who benefited from it(eg coach development manager, coach, participants)

Traditional/suggested output

A 3–5-page written case study with recommendations on how theprogramme could be improved in the future

This could be accompanied by some audio/visual materials such as listening toparts of an interview with a coach

Value An organisation can benefit from specific project delivery ideas and the widercoaching network can receive generic recommendations for how toimplement projects

Resources/implications Two days of interviews and three days to write up.

Example: A Participation Initiative

This approach is mainly interested in speaking withstaff. How did they come up with the idea for theinitiative? How easy was it to implement?

We would then talk to some regional staff to see iftheir experience was the same as that described atnational level? Was there an issue at a local level thatneeded local intervention?

The results will most likely be a report showing whatworks in planning and implementing projectsnationally, or highlighting the lessons learnt.Alternatively, it could show the importance of localknowledge to implement the initiative. Areas thatmight be covered include planning, communication,reporting, funding etc.

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Impact case studyThis answers the big question. Has the programme led to a change in behaviour or made a lasting impact?

Such impacts are long term and therefore this approach requires data collection over a longer period

of time.

What is it? The most comprehensive evaluation focusing on the long-term effects of a programme

How do we get the information?

Analysis of programme documents to identify objectives and targets

Interviews with people who planned the programme and those whoimplemented it

Longitudinal analysis of participants through surveys or interviews

Traditional/suggested output

A report demonstrating the long-term impact of a project

This could be accompanied by some audio/visual materials such as listening toparts of an interview with a coach

Value This will provide a detailed understanding of cause and effect in programme delivery

Resources/implications Long-term resource intensive (see next page for ideas on shorter-term opportunities).

Example: A Participation Initiative

With this approach we would want to know if theparticipation initiative has increased the number ofparticipants and are they continuing to take partseveral years down the line?

In the first instance we would speak to staff abouthow they came up with the idea. How easy was it toplan and implement?

We would also follow participants and coaches over an extended period of time. Has there been a long-term change in their behaviour thatdemonstrates the success of the project?

The results would most likely be a report. For thegoverning body of sport this would be usefulinformation on their ability to implement projectsand how they could do this better. It would alsoallow them to demonstrate to the public/funders/Board members the long-term impact of the programme.

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A portfolio approach to impact case studiesAlthough your Impact Case Study is a longer-termproject there is still plenty you can do in the short term.

• Why not write a promotional case study at thestart of the project to show what you are doing?

• Even after the first year is there any goodpractice you would want to share more widely?

• Did you have any issues setting up orimplementing the project? How did youovercome these and would it be valuable toshare the lessons learnt with others?

• Do you have any positive feedback fromparticipants (such as videos or blogs)?

Using this approach will help keep the project in theminds of the public and funders. It will also help youat the end of the project as you have a record ofwhat happened. When you have to demonstrateyour final impact you will now have a portfolio ofcase studies that demonstrates good practicethroughout the life cycle of the project.

Output mechanismsThere are several potential outputs which these case studies could appear in. One case study couldbe delivered using a combination of these, asappropriate. For the purposes of your report toSport England we would recommend you produce a written document, but fully encourage you toincorporate other formats to supplement it, inparticular video and audio.

Reports

Probably best used when the information isdetailed, needed for reporting, or if it is likely to be given out at events/forums. Reports can be in many forms and will vary in lengthdependent on the complexity and audiences of the case study.

Examples: Factsheets, impact documents, guidesof best practice, promotional posters/flyers usedat events.

Video

Probably best used when the information ismore tailored to a visual demonstration or tocreate an instant impact using images andsound. It also gives a personal feel if people arebeing interviewed.

Example: ‘Become a Coach – Getting Involved’on the sports coach UK website –www.sportscoachuk.org

Audio

Similar to video and useful to record interviewsif video footage is not available.

Example: Sound bite.

Article

These are best used to target a specific audiencedepending on where the article appears. Themessages are then tailored to that specificaudience. Therefore a case study could haveseveral articles about it all written from differentangles to engage the different audiences.

Example: Magazine or journal article.

Blog

Blogs are a more informal method ofcommunication to get a message across, almostlike telling a story but with a serious purpose.Case studies written this way are designed toengage the reader in a topic which intereststhem and provides key messages within the blog.

Examples:Visit the blog section on the Resource Bank of the sports coach UKwebsite – www.sportscoachuk.org

Tweet

Short statement signposting audience to furtherinformation – more than likely to be a websitewhere a full article/case study will be displayed.

Examples: sports coach UK Twitter page.

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Tracking Top TipsSection 5

When it comes to tracking a cohort of individuals, whoever theymight be, there are a few things to consider and remember.

1 Different coaches may need different strategies– bear in mind that not everyone is computerliterate and may not check their emails regularly.Therefore if you are planning on carrying out asurvey, depending on who your coaches are,you may want to consider creating a paperversion as well as an online version.

2 Incentives help maintain involvement – we allknow how precious our time is and being askedto complete a survey can seem like a task wecould do without. With that in mind, offering anincentive to those who take part cansignificantly increase your response rate.

You don’t necessarily have to offer everyrespondent an incentive however; doing so wouldinevitably become quite costly. Alternatively, offeringrespondents entry into a prize draw is a commonlyused incentive. It goes without saying that what youcan offer as an incentive will depend upon yourbudget and industry, but for some ideas to startwith, see below:

• discounts on a CPD course

• prize draw for an iPad/iPod/anything you haveaccess to

• prize draw for tickets to a sporting event of interest.

3 Sell the benefits of taking part – as we havealready acknowledged, completing a survey isn’talways the top of our priority list of things todo. However, one way to increase the likelihoodthat an individual will complete your survey is tofully explain the purpose of the survey/project.Knowing why their involvement is importantand how getting involved may benefit them inthe long run (eg continuation of funding tosupport them and their development) is likelyto significantly increase the likelihood a coachwill take the time to answer your questions.

4 Updates keep people involved throughout thestudy – whenever you are asking people torepeatedly take part in some research, it is agood idea to keep them updated on a regularbasis. This is especially important if your study istaking place over an extended period of time. Itis easy for people to forget that they have takenpart in your project and they may forget thepreviously mentioned benefits to them ofremaining involved. Remember though thatupdates don’t necessarily need to be extensiveor overly detailed. Simply letting respondentsknow where the project is up to, what hashappened so far and the next steps would beenough. It might also be worth letting peopleknow when you next expect to be contactingthem to ask for their involvement again.

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5 Make it as easy as possible – another way toencourage people to get and stay involved is toput as little demand on them as possible.Keeping your surveys and questions short andto the point is key. Don’t fall into the trap ofasking question after question simply becauseyou think it might be interesting to know theanswer. Keep referring back to your project aims and objectives to stay on track and avoidasking questions that won’t provide you with theevidence you need and that tire/bore your respondents.

6 Expect people to drop out – it is highly likelythat people will drop out when you are carrying

out a piece of research over an extendedperiod of time. Life changes and time pressuresaffect us all and inevitably result in somerespondents dropping out of your project atsome point or another.

7 When you are following a group of people overa period of time and you plan to send them anumber of surveys, it can be tempting to simplysend out the same survey each time and see ifthere has been any change in the responsesgiven. However, it is important to revisit youroriginal survey and check whether any questionsneed adapting or removing and whether youneed to add any new ones.

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Survey Design Top TipsSection 6

The next few pages provide some guidance on designingsurveys. Although fairly straightforward, there are a number ofguidelines that should be followed to ensure you are collectinginformation that is both useful to you and reliable.

Clearly define you aims

• What are you trying to find out?

• Why?

• What are you going to do with the information afterwards?

This will help you to determine the questions youwill need to ask, who you will need to ask and whatbreakdowns/cross tabs you will be interested inanalysing (eg to know whether more men thanwoman engage in a particular sport).

Decide on your method

• Face-to-face

• Self-completion (postal, online etc)

• Telephone.

Questionnaire content

A questionnaire should have a good introduction. Itis important the introduction explains the nature ofthe research, the topic(s) under investigation and thetime needed to complete the questionnaire.

Think about aims and create more detail for each one.

Break the subject down into topic areas or types of information (eg facts and knowledge, opinionsand attitudes, motives, past behaviours and future behaviours).

Try and group questions that naturally flow together.

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Question typesLists

What qualifications do you hold or are you currently working towards? (Please mark all that apply.)

Qualification type Hold Working towards

Leadership qualification

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Categories

Age groups – please mark all that apply to thepeople you work with:

4–6 years

7–11 years

12–16 years

17–21 years

Over 21 years

Attitude

Five-point scales with a midpoint are thought to bethe easiest to understand and allow respondentsto express their points of view.

Overall, how satisfied are you with the BreakfastClub event that you attended?

Very satisfied

Quite satisfied

Neither satisfied

nor dissatisfied

Quite dissatisfied

Very dissatisfied

Don’t know

Ranking

Please rank the following in terms of how importantyou feel they are to your role as a coach, where 1 ismost important and 5 is least important.

Professional

development courses

Mentoring

Communities

of practice

Self-reflection

Governing body of

sport workshop

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Grids (to record answers to more than one question at a time)

How well supported do you feel you’ve been in relation to the following issues over the last 12 months from agencies such asyour governing body of sport and sports coach UK? (Please tick one box in each row.)

Very wellsupported

Supported Supported a little

Not supported at all

Identifying your

development needs

Knowing the next steps for

your coaching

Identifying development

opportunities

Help with the cost of

development opportunities

Help with finding appropriate

opportunities to coach

Help with career opportunities

in coaching

Help with moving up the

‘coaching ladder’

Overall support

Open/verbal

What suggestions do you have for improving the support available to coaches?

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Question wording• Use simple language.

• Use audience appropriate language and communicate the meaning of questions precisely.

• Don’t ask two questions in one (eg ‘Do youenjoy watching and playing sport?’).

• Be specific and not ambiguous (eg ‘Do youoften play sport?’ is ambiguous as people’sdefinition of ‘often’ is likely to be different).

• Avoid leading questions.

• Do not rely upon respondents’ memories – tiea question down to a specific event/time. If aquestion taxes respondents’ memories, providea list of options.

• Be aware of sensitive questions (eg providecategories for age ranges).

• Avoid leading questions (eg ‘Are you intendingto vote for the Liberal Democrats in the nextgeneral election?’ ). This wording suggests theanswer.

• Avoid hypothetical questions (eg ‘What wouldyou do if your house burnt down?’). Whatpeople think they would do and how theywould actually behave may be entirely different.Collecting info on people’s past actions is abetter predictor of future behaviour.

Question orderHaving established you are using the right wordsand phrases and the right type of question, the nextstep is to establish an order in which to ask the questions and an overall layout for the questionnaire.

• Start with the easier questions to answer –gives respondent confidence!

• Start with the more interesting questions –grabs interest.

• Start with the more generic questions, gettingmore specific as the questionnaire progresses.

• Personal, emotive or complicated questionsshould come later in the questionnaire.

• Questions should flow in a logical order.

• Use subheadings and titles to help respondentsto move from one topic to another.

• Avoid repetition and use a variety of question types.

Additional tips• Provide a ‘don’t know’ option – Market

Research Society guidelines specify this (these can be accounted for/removed duringany analysis).

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Example workshop evaluation survey

Thank you for attending the Talent Coaches Breakfast Club.

So that we can continue to provide you with informative and useful sessions, we would be grateful if you could complete thisshort survey to provide us with your feedback on the content of the workshop and your overall thoughts and opinions.

Please be advised that all responses will be kept anonymous, with names kept confidential. Therefore please be honest in your responses.

About You

Name:

Email:

Main sport coached:

Highest level of sporting qualification (eg Level 1, Level 2):

Would you be happy for us to contact you in the future in relation to Talent

Development communications and your attendance at the sessions?

Which Breakfast Club did you attend?

Adherence – The Power of Athlete ‘Buy In’

Elite Communication Skills

What is a Master Talent Coach Anyway?

Assessing and Developing Physical Competence

Using the ‘C System’ to Develop Excellence in Coaching

Developing Talent – The Role of the Coach from the Frontline

‘What About me’ – Athlete/Player Perspectives on Talent Coaching

Talent ID to Junior National Squad – The Journey

Measuring and Developing Resilience and Mental Toughness

Other.

If other, please tell us which Breakfast Club it was and who the speaker was:

Date and venue of Breakfast Club:

Yes No

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Content

Was the content and information presented current to you and your role?

Did the content meet your expectations?

Were you able to express your own views and experiences?

As a result of attending the Breakfast Club do you feel you have learnt something that you will use to inform the

way you coach?

If you answered ‘Yes’ above, please tell us what this is and how you intend to use it to inform the way you coach(if you indicated that you do not mind being contacted again in the future, we may contact you to find out how you have usedwhat you learnt):

Yes No Don’t know

Yes No Don’t know

Yes No Don’t know

Yes No Don’t know

Overall Ratings

Would you recommend this deliverer for future Breakfast Clubs?

Overall, how satisfied are you with the Breakfast Club event you attended?

Yes No Don’t know

Very satisfied

Satisfied

Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

Very dissatisfied

Don’t know.

Do you have any comments you’d like to make about the Breakfast Club?

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.

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Example survey questions The following are some examples of questions thatsports coach UK have used in previous surveys. Theyare included to provide you with some examples ofhow to ask certain questions. It may be that some of

them have relevance to the surveys you mayconduct, in which case you should feel free to copythem into your questionnaires. However, it isimportant to note that these are not compulsory

and indeed may not be relevant to your survey.

Demographics and Contact Information

First name:

Surname:

Address:

Postcode:

Tel Numbers:

Email address:

Would you be happy for us to contact you in the future in relation to...and your attendance at...?

Home:

Mobile:

Yes No

Coaching Careers

Over the last 12 months have you typically coached in anunpaid/voluntary, paid part-time and/or paid full-time capacity?

(Please tick all that apply.)

Unpaid

(voluntary)

Paid part-time or paid sessional

(less than 30 hours paid work

per week)

Paid full-time

(over 30 hours paid work

per week)

Thinking about your paid coaching, are you self-employed, employed or both?

(Please tick all that apply.)

None of these (volunteer)

Self-employed part-time

Self-employed full-time

Employed part-time

Employed full-time

Note: Coaches should not code themselves both as employed full-time and self-employed full-time.

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On average, how often have you coached in the last 12 months or, if applicable, in the last season? (Please tick one.)

Almost every working day

At least once a week

At least once a month

At least once every six months

At least once in the last year

On average, how many sessions have you delivered per week over the last 12 months or, if applicable, over the last season?(Enter number per week.)

On average, for how many sessions do you receive payment for per week? (Enter number.)

Do you expect to do more, about the same, or less coaching over the next 12 months? (Please tick one.)

More About the same Less

Do you intend to stop coaching in the next 12 months? (Please tick one.)

Yes No

If yes, provide details why:

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Coach Qualifications

Do you have an up-to-date governing body of sport recognised coaching qualification? (Please note: Preliminary awards,leadership awards, CPD workshops, short courses and PE teaching qualifications, are not included as governing body of sportrecognised coaching qualifications in this question.)

Yes No

Please provide information on all your governing body of sport coaching qualifications. (Please enter qualifications in relation tothe order you achieved them.)

Awarding governing body of sport

Qualification name Approximate levelLevels 1–5

eg Football Association eg Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Football

Workshop Feedback

As a result of attending the workshop do you feel you have learnt something that you will use to inform the way you coach?

Yes No

If ‘yes’ please tell us what this is and how you intend to use it to inform the way you coach. (If you indicated that you do notmind being contacted again in the future, we may contact you to find out how you have used what you learnt.)

Was the content and information presented current to you and your role?

Yes No

Did the content meet your expectations?

Yes No

Overall, how satisfied are you with the workshop you attended?

Very satisfied

Quite satisfied

Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

Quite dissatisfied

Very dissatisfied

Don’t know

6

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Discussion/Interview GuideTop Tips

Section 7

This section provides guidance on how to write you discussion orinterview guide. As with survey designing, it is fairlystraightforward, but there are a number of guidelines to followthat will make the process easier (for yourselves and theinterviewees) and will also ensure you are collecting informationthat is valid and accurate.

In particular the way you structure your guide isimportant in helping you get good qualityinformation. You need three things: a clearintroduction, clear headings, and a clearly signalled ending.

1 A clear introduction will help to give youconfidence and help you to settle into theinterview and begin building a rapport with the individual(s).

In the introduction you should:

• say something about yourself (name, organisation)

• tell individuals about the reasons for thediscussion or interview

• tell individuals how long it is going to take

• tell them about your role and that you are thereto listen and collect information

• tell them how and why they were chosen

• give assurances about confidentiality and/oranonymity unless they have agreed to be named

• tell them you might make some notes duringthe interview

• if recording, make sure you have theirpermission to do so

• tell them how the information will be used

• let them know their involvement is voluntaryand they can stop the discussion at any timeand do not have to answer everything

• mention that there are no right or wronganswers, that it is not a test, and it is theirexperiences, feelings and opinions you areinterested in.

2 Clear headings or statements about the topicsthat the questions will look at are useful insignposting things for you.

For example, you can insert statements or sentencesalong the following lines:

• The next set of questions is about...

• I’d now like to ask you about...

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3 A clearly signalled ending or wind down is veryimportant in ensuring the interview does notcome to an abrupt end. You should saysomething like: ‘We’re almost finished now. Just afew more questions’. Remember to thankindividuals for giving up their time and forsharing their views and experiences with you.

The style of questions used in qualitativeinterviewing varies from those used in quantitativeinterviewing. Questions on a quantitative survey will be mostly closed, whereas questions on aninterview or discussion guide are mostly open-ended, non-directive questions. These sorts of questions allow respondents to relate to thetopic in their own way, to use their own languagewith little or no direction on how to answer.Examples of these sorts of questions include:

• ‘Tell me about a typical day.’

• ‘Describe your first impressions.’

• ‘How did you find out about this?’

You might also want to use questions like those toprobe, follow up or clarify – ‘Who told you?; Howdid they tell you?; Was someone available to talk toyou afterwards?’

Probing is a way of encouraging individuals to giveyou more detail. Prompting is another way toencourage them to answer in more detail:techniques include repeating or rephrasing thequestion or using non-verbal cues – encouraginglooks, nods of the head, and pauses and silence. It isvery important of course to keep a balancebetween encouraging the individual to answer andleading him, or putting words in his mouth; forexample by saying, ‘I suppose you were sorry youeven asked’.

It is a good idea to record your interviews/discussions if possible so you don’t have to writedown everything they say, and you can go backand listen to it again if you want to check orclarify what was said.

© s

port

s co

ach U

K

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Producing Video Case Study(VCS) Top Tips

Section 8

Below are five steps to producing a video case study that capturesa story worth sharing.

Content and Format

Script and Set-up

Capturingon Camera

Review and Edit

Presentationand Promotion

• Tell the story to a colleague or friend who is unfamiliar with it and decide

on the key messages/events that need to be communicated.

• Decide on a filming format (eg interview, narrative, hosted1).

• Identify individuals and situations that need to be captured and make the

appropriate arrangements.

• Construct a script to be followed throughout filming, have colleagues read

over it and consider doing a run through with those involved if time allows.

• Ensure filming venues are quiet and have suitable lighting. Have a contingency

plan if unforeseeable factors prevent filming (ie another venue or another date).

• An effective case study will last between 6–10 minutes.

• Most static action can be captured easily enough on a good quality video

camera, though if you want to ensure a professional presentation then it is

worth hiring a professional filming and editing company.

• Play back each section after filming to determine if you need to do another

take. Don’t be nervous about shooting until you get it right – it’s a lot

harder to correct film later.

• There are numerous free programmes that allow you to edit video footage,

but again if you want it to appear professional it is worth contacting

a specialist.

• Make sure you give those individuals who feature in the VCS an opportunity

to see it before it is signed off.

• Ensure that the style and effects within the video do not distract viewers

from the true message.

• Once signed off, use the VCS as a tool for promoting your organisation/

programme. How about posting it on YouTube, airing it at your local

cinema, emailing the link to local press, or using it as part of a

Facebook/Twitter campaign?

1 Suggested formats:Interview: Questions are asked or displayed on screen followed by an individual answering them clearly.Narrative: Story is told over images/clips of related activity or text.Hosted: An individual plays host and provides the links to interviews/clips that occur within the VCS.

There are some completed video case studies on the sports coach UK YouTube channel (eg http://goo.gl/esLZl).

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Data AnalysisSection 9

Qualitative analysisThe aim when analysing qualitative data is to identifythe key themes and messages emerging that relateto the project objectives.

• The first thing you need to do is to refamiliariseyourself with all of your data – this will ensureyour analysis is not biased or overly influencedby the last interview or group discussion you ran.

• As you go through your data (notes, audiorecordings, video clips etc), it is important tokeep your project objectives close to hand.These will remind you what the project isaiming to achieve and will help to keep youfocused on the relevant information.

• There is no right or wrong way to go aboutyour analysis – some people like to make notesas they read through their data, others willhighlight sections to revisit, and some will doboth. Whatever your preferred method, bygoing through this process you will produce anumber of key headings under which you canassign quotes.

For example, by reading through your notes andlistening to your audio recordings, you may identify acommon finding that coaches feel more confident tocoach their sport as a result of attending yourcourse. You would then group all comments relatingto increased confidence and pick a selection toinclude in your impact report. Bear in mind it is notnecessary to include all the quotes that relate to aspecific theme. If you only have a few then it may berelevant to include all of them, but if you have manythat are more or less saying the same thing, then youonly need to select a handful that best represent the point.

Quantitative analysisIn social and market research, quantitative data isoften analysed using statistical tests. However, for thepurposes of the reports you will be producing forSport England, you will not need to do any statisticaltests. The quantitative analysis relevant to yourreports will mostly likely include:

• frequency counts

• averages

• percentages

• comparative figures (where two or more sets ofdata have been collected).

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Where you have used scales (eg five-pointsatisfaction scale), you may wish to combine some ofthe groupings in the analysis. For example:

When asked how far they agreed or disagreed

that the information they had received had a positive

impact upon the work they had done, three-quarters

of respondents agreed to some extent.

Stronglyagree

Agree Neither/nor Disagree Stronglydisagree

Don’t know

4% 70% 18% 6% 0% 2%

74% agree to some extent.

When deciding how to present your data, thinkabout how it can be done in the clearest way.Graphs can sometimes be a good alternative totables to visually present your data. This can beespecially useful when you have two sets of data to compare.

Using the qual to support the quantWhen you come to write your impact studies it isimportant to remember that you do not need to

present your qualitative and quantitative dataseparately. The purpose of qualitative data often is toadd detail and provide support for the quantitativeinformation. Therefore, where relevant, the twoshould appear together. For example:

Of the 31 respondents who completed this

question, two-thirds agreed to some extent that

the information they had received had a positive

impact on the work they do.

Stronglyagree

Agree Neither/nor Disagree Stronglydisagree

Don’t know

0% 61% 29% 76% 0% 3%

61% agree.

Additional comments included:

It is very much like a supermarket with shelves and we are at a positionwhere we need specialist shops now.“

Being new into the coaching role I found all the resources of value.“

For general resources they are very expensive and become a barrier topeople attending CPD courses.“

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Good Practice Case Study

A Coach’s JourneyHow do you solve a problem like disruptive behaviour in afterschool clubs? With a boxercise teaching

lollipop lady! This is just one of the results of the RiC Programme in Wolverhampton.

This case study looks at how Westcroft Sports and Vocational College in partnership with Westcroft School

Sports Partnership (SSP) successfully used RiC funding in afterschool clubs and follows the story of one

recruit, Carla. Transforming from lollipop lady to coach, Carla’s story demonstrates the positive impact RiC

can have on individuals, participants and the community.

Westcroft SSP covers one third of the

Wolverhampton district, an urban

Unitary Authority ranked the 28th most

deprived local authority in England.

Within the area covered by Westcroft

SSP there are local areas ranked within

the worst 1% for overall deprivation and

for child well-being (source:

Wolverhampton City Council, Window

on Wolverhampton, 2009).

When the SSP initially got involved with

RiC they enlisted the help of a Coach

Manager – who had considerable

experience of training and employing

coaches – to put together robust

planning and delivery mechanisms for

the programme for the area.

Background Recruiting local people into the RiC programme was seen as a priority. The SSP

wanted coaches who connected with the area and were known to local people. This, it

was argued, would help the RiC coach to engage with the community as both parents

and children feel safe with people they know and would therefore be more willing to

get involved.

Carla was one such local. Her job as a

lollipop lady was an obvious connection

with the community and the Westcroft

Partnership Development Manager noticed

‘everyone tended to be around her chatting’.

Carla was initially involved in a scheme

called Women Get Set Go, involving

leadership and multiskills training, and

had shown a definite talent that could be

channelled towards coaching.

For Carla, Women Get Set Go was an

enjoyable experience that she felt had been

very interesting and helped boost her

confidence. She was therefore grateful for the

chance to take this to the next level with RiC.

Local coaches

Continued overleaf

Section 10

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Good Practice Case Study

Building confidence in the groupTwenty recruits from the local area joined the Westcroft SSP programme in the first

year. They represented a diverse range of people and interests including secretaries,

dinner ladies, sixth formers and firemen. For many in the group, confidence was an

issue and this was something that needed to be addressed from the outset.

‘Some of the people on the course would not have gone off and done a course

on their own. We needed to build up their confidence and build a team,’ said the

Coach Manager.

Every other Tuesday, the recruits would meet at a local primary school and it was

there they completed their First Aid and Safeguarding Children courses. For many,

this was a reintroduction to a learning environment and, by doing these courses

together, they were comfortable with the environment, which helped build their

confidence. As a result, when the time came to do their Level 1 course, they were

quite happy to proceed.

In this environment the Coach Manager noticed the recruits wanted to do more

because they felt part of a team, and they were keen to support each other. The

range of ages and experiences also allowed people to learn new things. ‘There’s a

big age gap, but I’m not alienated...we click and bond,’ said Carla.

Recruits were involved with delivering

sessions within the multiskill academies

organised by the SSP. This provided

practical opportunities for coaches to use

their new skills linked to the sports they

were qualified in.

The SSP also plan to use the new

coaches during National School Sport

Week. This, it was argued, will increase

the profile of the coaches and the RiC

programme among other schools.

A particular success for Carla was working

with both the RiC programme and Sport

Unlimited in an afterschool boxercise club.

Together with the Coach Manager, she

approached schools with the offer of

taking an afterschool session in boxercise.

The response from girls and boys alike

was amazing.

Although most of the 15-year-old lads

were expecting an ex-boxer rather than

someone like Carla, the fact they

continued to attend week after week

speaks volumes for the success of

the sessions.

For Carla, bonding with the children and

earning their respect made this an

invaluable experience.

Continued from previous page

Since coming on the RiC programme

Carla has become a focal point in the

community. Her position leads to regular

contact with parents and she has used

this to emphasise the importance of

healthy eating and physical activity. This

has had a positive influence on a number

of parents, especially with weight loss and

exercise. Carla has since been

approached by these parents looking for

more information on courses.

Her progression from lollipop lady to

coach is also an inspiration to others

and she says to them: ‘If I can do it, so

can you.’

For the children too, having a coach who

they see every day in the community

creates the feeling of belonging and trust

that they do not get with a coach they

might only see once a week.

The more sports the better...As part of their induction, the recruits

were asked to provide information about

themselves such as: their favourite

sports; what physical activities they do;

any leadership courses they had taken;

and what sports/activities they wanted to

get involved with.

The SSP wanted recruits to take courses

in sports they had an interest in and

as a result there was a diverse range

of Level 1 courses covering traditional

sports such as football and netball, but

also new activities including cheerleading

and boxercise. By choosing their favourite

sports the SSP contacts believed recruits

would have a passion for it when they

were out delivering.

An additional consequence of the diversity

of sports was that for many children it was

these newer sports, such as cheerleading,

that attracted the most interest.

Opportunities for recruits

Continued overleaf

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Continued from previous page

In another afterschool club there was an issue with boys in the club constantly fighting.

When asked why they did it the children said ‘fighting is what we do, we want to fight.’

The Coach Manager was approached by the school to see if he could come up with a

programme to help which included Carla’s boxercise sessions for Years 3, 4 and 5.

Again, the results were good.

Everyone involved, including the boys, were so focussed on the classes that behaviour

improved. Recently, requests have been made for a community based club to be set up

in the area, so friends who are not at the school can get involved.

Now that the recruits have finished the

programme the SSP was keen to

establish a pathway to further coach

development opportunities. The recruits

were also keen and were in touch with the

SSP looking for more opportunities.

As a first step, the recruits were set to act

as ‘buddies’ to help develop next year’s

trainees. The plan is to involve them in the

induction by talking about their

experiences with RiC and they might

possibly run some coaching sessions with

the new recruits. This will be a real life

inspiration for the new recruits who can

say ‘that will be me next year’.

Ultimately the SSP would like to see a RiC

Stage 2 to offer Sportsability training and

continue the development with local

clubs by offering them a role within the

programme. As the Coach Manager said

of Carla: ‘The pathway is important...we

need to make sure she doesn’t just stop

now...we can set up programmes and

continue with the training.’

The SSP have been keen to use RiC

recruits to link with other programmes in

the community. The Change for Life

campaign had a high profile in the area

and recruits have been active in

promoting it. With Cycling for Life and

Dance for Life soon to be promoted in

the area the SSP wants to make sure

they have cycling and dancing recruits

coming through to seize these high-

profile opportunities.

What next for recruits?

Top tips andrecommendations • Finding recruits who are well

known in the local area can help

promote the programme and build

trust among children and parents.

• If you’re working with a group of

people who are low on confidence,

building a supportive team

environment and starting with

courses just for that group are

good ways to address this.

• Recruits with a diverse range of

sporting interests provide

opportunities to capture children’s

attention with something new.

Not everyone is interested in the

traditional school sports and

activities such as boxercise and

cheerleading have proved

particularly attractive for those

traditionally disinterested in sports.

• Look for ways to promote the RiC

programme through high-profile

campaigns such as the National

School Sport Week and Change

for Life. Getting your coaches

involved in these areas can help

reach a wider audience.

• Bringing Year 1 recruits back to act

as ‘buddies’ for new trainees may

have a positive benefit for both.

The coaches get experience and

continue to feel involved while

providing an inspiration to the

new trainees.

• An experienced coach manager

can be a real asset to any SSP

in planning and delivering

coaching programmes.

The final word about RiC in the area goes to Carla:

‘I never expected it to go this far. Just thought I was going to be left there

having a certificate and little bit of experience. But to be put on RiC and go

through courses and actually delivering round schools has met more than

my expectations.’

A final word...

Page 43: Impact Measuring Toolkit

Introduction

The research has been commissioned by SportEngland and Youth Sport Trust to examine theimpact of the RiC programme (eg what has beenworking, not working, and why).

Note: You may not be aware that you are an RiCcandidate or coach!

RiC provides opportunities for new coaches toreceive training and to go on coaching placements.The fact I am talking to you means you are an RiCcandidate or coach! When I ask you questions aboutthe RiC programme, or just ‘the Programme’, pleasetalk about your recent induction, development andplacement experiences.

sports coach UK’s Research Team are undertakingthe evaluation.

The interview will probably last between 30 minutesand an hour, but it really depends on how much youhave to say.

This work is confidential – no-one will be able toidentify you, and we will never attribute your nameto any comments we publish.

We would like to record the interview/discussion sowe don’t miss anything – is this OK with you?

To begin, can you explain a little bit about you and

your background in sport?

• Tell me a little bit about your sportingexperiences...have you played much sport?

– Where? When? What level? How long? Didyou enjoy it? What sport?

• Have you any previous coaching experience?

– Where? When? What sport(s)? How long?Did you enjoy it?

– Who did you coach (eg children, participants,high performance athletes)?

• Where do you live? Are you local?

• What is it like living in this area?

– What are the opportunities(sporting/coaching opportunities?) like forlocal people?

• What were you doing before you joined theRiC programme?

– Employment?

– Education?

– Life in general?

38 Impact Measuring Tool Kit

First interview

Section 11

Recruit into Coaching TrackingStudy Discussion Guide

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39Impact Measuring Tool Kit

Can we now move on to talk about the

programme in more detail?

• How did you become aware of the RiC programme?

– Who told you? How did you find out? Didyou see advertising? Did you find out about itthrough another course or programme?

• Why did you decide to get involved?

– To become a coach?

– To do something different?

• How did you get involved in the programme?

– What did you have to do?

• Has anyone else been involved at theapplication/set-up stage?

– Other people/agencies?

• What are you looking to achieve from the programme?

Can we now talk about your involvement in the

RiC programme?

• What involvement have you had with theprogramme to date?

– What have you done?

– Who has been involved?

– What has been good/bad?

– What has helped/not helped?

Interviewer: Many of the following prompts

are included if the following issues have not

been discussed.

• Did you go to an induction session?

– Where was it held?

– What was it like?

– What information were you given?

– What attracted you to the programme?

– What would you improve if anything?

• What paperwork have you had to fill in?

– Was it easy/difficult?

– Have you had any support?

• What development opportunities have youbeen offered?

– Leadership awards?

– Coaching qualifications?

– Mentoring?

– Chance to observe other coaches?

– Books/DVDs?

– Active Passport?

For each development opportunity received, ask:

• What happened?

• Who was involved?

• Was it useful?

• How did it help you?

• Were there any problems or issues accessingthese development opportunities?

– What were the issues (eg not available whenyou wanted it)?

– What would you improve?

– What would you like more/less of?

• Have you had a coaching placement as part of the RiC programme (recruits have toundertake 20 hours of volunteering to completethe programme)?

– If no, why not?

– If yes, where? When? How long?

– What happened?

– Who was involved?

– Was it useful?

– How did it help you?

11

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© s

port

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• Have you had any problems accessing coachingplacements (these are usually in clubs, schools,youth centres, community projects)?

– What were the issues?

– What would you improve?

– What would you like more/less of?

• What support have you had from others inrelation to the RiC programme (eg a mentor)?

– Who has been most involved?

– In what way have they helped/not helped?

– Could they have done anything else?

• Have you had to do anything else (eg completean Active Passport)/had any other support aspart of the RiC programme?

– What happened/what are the details?

Can I now ask you about the impact (or effect) of

the RiC programme since you started?

• In what ways has the programme helped you?

• What have been the main problems with whatyou have been offered?

• Has the programme had an impact on your coaching?

– In what ways?

• Has the programme had an impact on your lifeand life plans?

– In what ways?

• Have the improvements you have experiencedhad an impact on others?

– Your club, the athletes/participants?

– Your local community?

– Your family and friends?

• Are there any other benefits you haveexperienced from being on the programme thatwe haven’t talked about?

• Are there any other problems or issues youhave not mentioned?

• What would you improve?

Finally, I would like to ask what your plans are for

the next 12 months?

• Plans for coaching?

• Plans for your life?

• What are you excited about (in relation tocoaching or life)?

• What are you nervous about (in relation tocoaching or life)?

• Before finishing, is there anything else you wouldlike to add about what we have talked about?

Thank you for your time!

The next steps are:

• We will write up the notes from the interview.

• We will then share them with you to see if theyare accurate.

• These notes will be used (anonymously andcollectively with all the other interviews) toinform Sport England and Youth Sport Trustabout the success and problems with the programme.

11

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41Impact Measuring Tool Kit

Recruit into Coaching GoodPractice Evaluation CaseStudy Interview

Section 12

The interviewer should start by explaining why the interview is being carried out, ask for permission torecord the interview and agree to let the interviewee see the report before it is published.

Start

Can you give a quick overview of Carla’s involvementin the RiC programme and then we can go intomore detail?

Initial planning and set-up:

• How did the SSP first become involved in the programme?

• What sort of planning was required?

• Was there anyone else involved in the initial set-up?

• Are there any issues with planning in a schools setting?

• How did you go about finding recruits?

• How did you come up with the idea to use Carla?

• What were you expecting to be the result?

• Recruit: Can you tell me a bit about yourself

• Recruit: How did you first hear about the programme?

The programme

• Can you tell me a bit about what you did as partof the RiC programme?

• Was there an induction? What happened?

• What courses did you do as part of the programme?

• What was the placement/deployment?

• Were there any other developmentopportunities offered?

• Was anyone else involved in training and deployment?

• What are you doing now?

The impacts

What have been the main impacts for the:

• recruit?

• schoolchildren?

• community?

Final questions

• What have been the key learning points fromthis experience?

• If there was anything you could do differentlywhat would it be?

• Is there anything else that we have not talkedabout that you would like to add?

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42 Impact Measuring Tool Kit

Notes

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43Impact Measuring Tool Kit

Notes

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Our Vision What we would like to see

UK coaching excellence enabling all children, players and athletes tofollow their dreams, have fun and fulfil their potential.

Our MissionWhy we exist

To support our UK partners to recruit, develop and retain coachesto achieve their participation and performance goals (in thecontext of The UK Coaching Framework).

Our Strategic ObjectivesWhat we will do

To achieve our mission, we will:

1 champion and drive policy and investment in coaching

2 support and challenge our partners to improve their coaching systems and grow their contribution to a cohesive UK coaching system

3 provide products and services that add value to our partners’coaching systems and their coaches

4 provide research and share good practice that will benefit coaching

5 develop quality leadership, good governance and a skilled teamto ensure an effective UK coaching agency.

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sports coach UKChelsea CloseOff Amberley RoadArmleyLeeds LS12 4HP

Tel: 0113-274 4802 Fax: 0113-231 9606

Email: [email protected]

This resource has been developed to help countysports partnerships effectively measure the impactof the work they do. It is designed to be a practicaltool and takes the reader through the keycomponents for planning and collecting data.

Impact Measuring

ToolKit