Taking a Critical Stance
In 2008 PINS focused on ‘Taking a Critical Stance’ and exploring how we in the voluntary sector think about and evaluate the work we do with children and young people who are disaffected or disengaged from learning and schooling. Work on this theme culminated in the PINS seminar ‘Taking a Critical Stance’ in Glasgow on the 13th March 2008.
Now that our particular focus on this theme has ended you can still link to relevant organisations, resources and reports that can support you to develop how you think about and evaluate your work with children and young people. Please do continue to let us know about approaches and resources that you find helpful.
Using visual approaches to evaluate your project
Evaluation Support Scotland workshop: Thursday, November 26, 2009 Glasgow
Or in other words – ‘not another questionnaire!’. This course is for you if you are clear about the outcomes of your project or organisation but want more ideas on how to gather and present them. You will need to prepare in advance a list of outcomes you want to use. At this workshop you will explore different visual approaches to evaluation; Learn the underlying steps and principles to follow; Be able to adapt those approaches for your own project.
Take me to more information HERE
Learning from Evaluation: Fitting the pieces together
Edinburgh Wednesday, 13 January 2010. This conference is for charities, voluntary sector organisations, public sector bodies and charitable trusts. It is a chance to learn from each other about how evaluation can help you to improve your work. Delegates will have the chance to share ideas about how evaluation can help to improve work, find out about what Evaluation Support Scotland has been doing recently and network with other people interested in evaluation.
Take me to more information HERE
Learning Together: Opening up learning
A new guide published this week by HM Inspectorate of Education is to stimulate professional reflection, dialogue and debate about learning and how to improve it. It emphasises self-evaluation and describes good practice. Section 5 (annexes) gives examples of reflective questions, for example for staff who are evaluating the impact of the curriculum and innovations.
Take me to this resource HERE
HMIe reviews of voluntary sector agencies
Using the quality and performance indicators from HMIE publication ‘How Good is our Community Learning and Development 2’ HMIE has published reviews of some of Scotland’s most established voluntary sector agencies.
The Boys’ Brigade go HERE
The Girls’ Brigade Scotland go HERE
making the most of evaluation
This paper from SQW (an independent consultancy) considers the lessons form policy evaluations and the importance of making more of them to improve public sector resource allocation and use. Take me to this reportevaluation support scotland
Evaluation Support Scotland works with voluntary sector organisations and funders so they can measure the impact of their work. The organisation provides practical support through web based tools/resources/case studies and regular training and workshop events. ESS aims to build evaluation and learning into funding and policy making processes.
Take me to this resource HERE
Download the Evaluation Support Scotland information Leaflet for Voluntary Sector
curriculum for excellence: building the curriculum 3
This paper is relevant to all those involved in promoting effective learning for children and young people from 3 to 18. It outlines the case for developing the curriculum, provides guidance on a new curriculum framework and sets out considerations which are critical to the adoption of Curriculum for Excellence.
Take me to this resource HERE
improving the odds: improving life chances
This HMIe report documents good practice from a number of schools that are making a significant difference for lower-achieving groups of pupils, often in less advantaged communities.
Take me to this REPORT
what community development does: a short guide for decision makers on how it achieves results
This resource explains what community development is and why policy makers should value community development as a way of achieving local and national outcomes.
Take me to this RESOURCE
the evidence guide
This easy to use Barnardos modular resource is for anyone – from commissioning managers to social work students – wanting to know how to make better use of research evidence in practice and service development.
Take me to more information about this RESOURCE
improving services to protect children: how good are we at assessing risks and needs to help children and families?
Services and staff who have responsibilities for protecting children from abuse and neglect can use this guide to help self-evaluate and improve the services provided. The guide helps users to recognise how good are we now? and identify what needs to be done to decide how good can we be?.
Take me to this REPORT
improving services to protect children: how good are we at sharing and recording information to help children and families?
Services and staff working who have responsibilities for protecting children from abuse and neglect can use this guide to help self-evaluate and improve the services provided. The guide helps users to recognise how good are we now? and identify what needs to be done to decide how good can we be?.
Take me to this REPORT
developing evidence based practice in voluntary organisations: the barnardos experience
This resource outlines Barnardos evidence based approach to practice and service delivery.
Take me to this RESOURCE