Monitoring & Evaluation of Livingwell

Workshop at Annual Conference

Workshop Structure

Part 1: Presentationo GHK and this studyo Challenges facing uso Two possible approacheso The one we used

Part 2: Group Discussion

Who are GHK? What are we doing?

GHK:o Employee-owned research firmo Multi-disciplinary: work in most policy areaso Specialism in evaluationo Local

Livingwell Project:o WMRAo Quarterly monitoring o Ongoing evaluation o Of projects, but at regional level

Inherent Challenges

All the usual evaluation challenges, plus… Diversity of projects:

o £o target groups o desired outcomeso interventionso contexts o capacity at project level

The need to ‘add it up’ to regional level:o Inputs (£) are easy…outputs more

problematic…outcomes the real challenge

One Possible Response & Our Approach

Possible Response:o Decide what a wellbeing iso Give projects a tool to measure ito Advantage: can add this up easily (compare

approaches??)o Disadvantage: ignores complexity / reality

Our Approach:o From the ‘project up’ (not ‘programme down’)o Based on individual project planso Guidance and support to projects’ self-

evaluation o Backed by some external evaluation

Basis of Approach:Theories of Change

Inputs

(what you have)

Activities

(what you do)

Outcomes

(the effect this has)

Impact

(wider societal change)

Rationale for intervention

(problem / opportunity – and most appropriate response - identified)

Do this for each project, then add-up each element ...

Applying this Model

Project M&E plans:o Project-level theory of changeo Specific quarterly / annual indicatorso Common tools for common outcomes, e.g.

Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scaleo Common outcomes at ‘theme’ level o But – not a blanket approach (e.g. adults with

learning difficulties / low project capacity) Where does this leave us?

o Allows aggregation, but retains flexibility o Makes our job more complex, but more like the

real world!

Final Reflections

Needs different skills:o More collaborativeo More facilitative o Understand constraints facing practitioners

Requires a balance between: o Adding things up (quantitative)o Explaining and learning (qualitative)

Overall, a sound approach - given challenges outlined at start

Thank-you for Listening

Questions & Group Discussion