Summer Work Experience: My work experience in data analysis by Calen

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I am Calen, an A level student studying business, economics and geography – I am hoping to pursue higher education or go into the world of work via a degree apprenticeship after I finish school.

When I was applying to work with the Evaluator for my week of work experience, I was completely lost as to what I wanted to do and even as to what ‘data evaluation’ was – however I applied anyways hoping to get some interesting insight into what an office working environment might entail. I was soon introduced into a world of work involving critical thinking, data analysis and collaborating with a team.

I had a whole week plan set out for me so that I could get a full taste of what it would be like to work for a data evaluation company, the tasks which I took on were extensive and varied such as data processing, attending a client presentation, a market research project – and towards the end of the week even being able to do some analysis myself. Overall, I felt like this whole week was packed full of opportunities for me to learn new skills as well as get great exposure to an office environment.

One part of this week which I have particularly enjoyed has been seeing how the companies’ systems have developed and are developing – for example Oracle (A project management/organisation application) is a relatively new way which the company has started to manage its clientele and I just found it very interesting to visually see how a company is run and organised especially whilst its growing.

The most important part of my week by far was how accommodating and friendly all the members of staff were – they were all so helpful no matter how many questions I fired at them and they treated me as if I was a temporary employee working alongside them – which I really appreciated as it allowed me to learn so much more than I could have hoped for – both about the job itself but also about wider career advice and knowledge which has enriched my week massively.

In conclusion – I have had an amazing week which has allowed me to understand what a role in data analysis and consultancy might be like as a future career as well as what a collaborative work environment is like.

  • A massive thank you to the team at The Evaluator for having me this week

Choosing an evaluation consultant? Learn what charities, not-for-profits and public sector teams could look for when appointing an external evaluator.

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How to Choose the Right Evaluation Consultant for Your Project

If you are a charity, not-for-profit or public sector organisation looking for an evaluation consultant in the UK, it can be hard to know who to appoint.

From the outside, evaluators can look quite similar. Most will talk about impact, evidence, methods and reporting. Most can write a proposal that sounds credible. But the real question is not simply who writes the most polished tender.

The real question is: who will help you understand your project clearly, collect the right evidence, and turn that evidence into something you can actually use?

That matters because evaluation is often commissioned at an important moment. You might be preparing for a major grant, working through a development stage, or starting delivery after a significant funding award. There is usually a lot at stake. You need confidence that the evaluation will satisfy funders, support learning and help your team make better decisions.

So how do you choose the right evaluation consultant?

Start by asking people you trust

One of the best ways to find a good evaluator is still the simplest: ask around.

Ask your peers. Ask partner organisations. Ask funders, advisers, trustees or other senior leaders who have commissioned evaluation before. If someone has had a good experience with an evaluator, they will usually be able to tell you what made the process work.

This is useful because evaluation is not just a technical service. It is a working relationship.

You need someone who can understand the project, work well with senior leaders and delivery teams, ask good questions, make sense of complexity and communicate findings clearly. A recommendation from someone who has already worked with an evaluator can tell you a lot more than a website or proposal alone.

Look for relevant experience and previous work

Track record matters.

If your project involves community engagement, arts and culture, heritage, nature, health, wellbeing or place-based work, it helps to appoint someone who understands those settings. They do not need to have evaluated an identical project, but they should understand the reality of delivery.

Good evaluators know that participation can be uneven, delivery teams are busy, and community work does not always fit neatly into a spreadsheet. They know how to gather evidence without creating unnecessary work.

Ask to see examples of previous reports or outputs. A useful evaluation report should not just look impressive. It should be readable, honest and practical. You should be able to imagine giving it to trustees, funders, partners or senior colleagues and seeing how it would support decisions.

Ask how they would approach the project

Before asking for a full quote, it is worth having an informal conversation.

Look for evaluators who are willing to offer a 20 to 30 minute chat before they write a proposal. This gives you a much better feel for how they think. What questions do they ask? Do they understand the project quickly? Do they spot the right challenges? Do they make the process feel clearer or more complicated?

It also helps you work out whether you would enjoy working with them.

At The Evaluator, we usually try to have this kind of conversation before writing a quote. It helps us understand the client as well as the project. A tender brief can tell us what the work is, but a conversation often tells us how the organisation thinks, what they are worried about, and where evaluation could be most useful.

That matters because a good evaluator should not just price a list of pre-decided outputs. They should help you work out what level of evaluation is proportionate.

Sometimes organisations ask for more than they need. Three reports might sound thorough, but they may not be the best use of the budget. In some projects, one strong evaluation framework, a small number of well-designed tools and good support with data collection will be far more useful.

Do not judge only by the polish of the tender

A clear proposal matters. But the best evaluation partner is not always the organisation with the glossiest tender.

A larger consultancy may have a dedicated tender writer or more capacity to produce a very polished document. A smaller specialist team may not be able to spend a full week making a proposal look beautiful, because the senior people writing the quote are also the people designing, managing and delivering the work.

That difference matters.

A polished tender does not always tell you who will actually do the evaluation, how involved senior people will be, or whether the evaluator will stay close to the reality of the project once delivery begins.

So look beyond the procurement document. Ask who will lead the work, who will analyse the evidence and who will write the report.

Good evaluation depends on judgement, not just process.

Choose someone who makes evaluation useful

Good evaluation is not about collecting as much data as possible. It is about collecting the right amount of data, in the right way, and using it well.

That is where the best evaluation consultants add value. They help you avoid wasted effort. They design tools that work in real settings. They reduce duplicated requests. They make the process manageable for staff, volunteers, partners and participants.

At The Evaluator, we describe this as being creatively simple.

The process should feel simple for the people taking part. A survey should be easy to complete. A feedback activity should feel welcoming. A workshop should generate useful insight without feeling over-engineered.

Behind the scenes, the analysis may be complex. But that complexity should not be passed on to the client. The evaluator’s job is to do the hard thinking, make sense of the evidence, and present it back clearly.

A good evaluation consultant should bring relevant sector experience, proportionate methods, clear communication, honest analysis and practical recommendations that help funders, boards and delivery teams understand what the evidence means.

Look for honesty, not just positive findings

Evaluation is not marketing.

A good evaluator should recognise success, but they should also tell you what the evidence does and does not show. That kind of honesty is what makes evaluation credible.

A useful report explains what worked, for whom and why. It notices where outcomes were weaker or where delivery changed. It recognises the limits of the evidence. It helps you understand what is worth continuing, what needs adapting and what questions remain.

That should not feel threatening. Done well, honest evaluation gives organisations more confidence, not less.

Three questions to ask before appointing an evaluator

If you are choosing an external evaluator, these three questions will tell you a lot.

  1. Can you show us relevant previous work or connect us with a past client? This helps you understand both the quality of their outputs and what they are like to work with.
  1. How would you approach this project? This shows whether they can think strategically, not just respond to a brief.
  1. Who will actually deliver the evaluation? This helps you understand whether the people writing the proposal will be close to the work itself.

What a good evaluator should leave behind

A good evaluation should leave you with more than a report.

It should leave you with knowledge and a clearer sense of where you are going.

When organisations do not have good evidence, they can end up worrying about everything. Every issue feels equally urgent. Every decision feels uncertain. But when you look carefully at the numbers, the stories, the feedback and the wider context, priorities often become much clearer.

Good evidence helps you make decisions with more confidence.

It can show you what to scale, what to adapt, what to stop, what to explain to funders and what to focus on next.

So when you are choosing an evaluation consultant, do not only ask who has written the most polished tender.

  • Ask who will understand your project.
  • Ask who will make the work proportionate.
  • Ask who will be honest with you.
  • And ask who will turn complex evidence into clear learning you can actually use.

Planning to appoint an evaluator?

If you are preparing a brief, developing a funding bid or starting a newly funded project, we are happy to have an initial conversation about what level of evaluation would be proportionate, useful and manageable for your team.

What Is Evaluation? A Practical Guide for Funders and Delivery Teams

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Evaluation Explained

What Is Evaluation and Do You Need It?

Evaluation turns delivery into decision-grade evidence. It helps you understand what changed, who benefited, why it worked (or didn’t), and what to do next.

If you’re delivering public-facing work, seeking funding, or managing multiple partners, evaluation is how you stay credible and in control.

What Evaluation Does

  • Measures: converts activity into insight so you can see what’s working and where to improve.
  • Proves impact: backs up your story with evidence funders can trust.
  • Strengthens funding: increases confidence that investment will lead to real outcomes.

What Funders Look For

Funders need to justify every pound. What gives them confidence:

  • Evidence, not anecdotes: stories land better when backed by data.
  • A clear Theory of Change: a believable pathway from activities to outcomes.
  • A learning mindset: reflection, adaptation, and improvement.
  • Transparency: honesty about challenges builds trust.
  • Alignment: wellbeing, heritage, environment, inclusion and other strategic outcomes.
  • Value for money: impact delivered efficiently and sustainably.
  • Proportionate methods: rigorous enough to be credible, realistic enough to deliver.

How Evaluation Builds Credibility

  • Focus effort where it matters: evidence shows what delivers results.
  • Prove and improve: demonstrate outcomes and strengthen delivery over time.
  • Stand out in bids: funders back organisations that can show learning and results.

When You Should Invest

For smaller projects, a light in-house approach can be sufficient — surveys, reflections and basic outcome tracking.

Once a project reaches roughly £50k–£100k+, independent evaluation often represents better value: more stakeholders, greater scrutiny, and more upside from credible evidence.

Need Practical, Funder-Ready Evaluation?

We help organisations measure what matters and turn findings into better decisions — without overcomplicating delivery.

Evaluation. Measurement. Impact.

We’re Hiring: Come Help Us Figure It Out

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At The Evaluator, we help brilliant organisations understand the difference they make.

We work across arts, heritage, nature, health and community projects — combining rigorous research with warmth, creativity and clarity. Our ethos is Creatively Simple. Honest. Useful. And our promise to clients is straightforward: We’ll figure it out for you.

Now, we’re growing.

And we’re looking for thoughtful, capable people who want to build something meaningful with us.

Why join The Evaluator?

We’re a small consultancy in an active growth phase. That means:

You’ll do real work that matters.
You’ll see projects from start to finish.
You’ll help shape how we work — not just slot into a fixed system.
Your ideas will count.

This isn’t a corporate machine. It’s a focused, ambitious team who care deeply about quality, ethics and doing right by our clients and communities.

We offer:

A quarterly bonus scheme (up to £2,000 per year)
28 days’ holiday (rising to 33 after one year)
Hybrid and flexible working
Real progression as we grow
A reflective, supportive culture

But more than that — you’ll be part of a team that takes pride in clarity, rigour and kindness.

The Roles We’re Recruiting

We’re currently recruiting across several positions

Senior Evaluation & Learning

£35–45k depending on experience | Permanent | Hybrid

This is a senior appointment, shaped around the right candidate.

You might be:

A Project Lead who thrives on client relationships and end-to-end delivery.
A Senior Evaluator who leads on methodology, analysis and quality assurance.

Either way, you’ll help shape our next phase of growth and maintain high standards across projects.

Project Officer – Data Focused

£27–29k | Permanent | Hybrid

If you love spreadsheets, clean datasets and turning numbers into insight, this role will suit you.

You’ll:

Clean and manage datasets.
Support survey design and analysis.
Create charts and visual summaries.
Contribute to reports and dashboards.

This role is for someone precise, analytical and organised — who enjoys bringing structure to complexity.

Project Officer – People Focused

£27–29k | Permanent | Hybrid

If you’re confident facilitating conversations, gathering stories and working in community settings, this could be the one.

You’ll:

Support interviews, workshops and focus groups.
Coordinate fieldwork.
Code qualitative data.
Draft case studies and narrative insight.

This role suits someone calm, adaptable and genuinely interested in people’s lived experience.

Intern Opportunities (2–3 days per week, £25k pro rata)

We’re offering two flexible, part-time internships (initially 6 months, with potential to extend):

Data Intern (Business Systems & Analysis)
Perfect for someone studying or recently graduated in economics, maths, statistics or business analytics.

Creative Intern (Graphics & Visual Outputs)
For someone confident in Canva, layout and visual storytelling — turning insight into clarity.

These roles are real, paid opportunities to work on live projects and gain meaningful experience.

Who Will Thrive Here?

You’ll enjoy working with us if you:

Like building and improving systems.
Are comfortable with change and growth.
Can create structure rather than waiting for it.
Take ownership in a small team.
Care about doing good work properly.

If you need rigid structures and narrow boundaries, this probably isn’t the right fit. We’re building something — and that requires energy, judgement and initiative.

How to Apply

To apply, please send:

  • Please send your CV.
    Please include a supporting statement (no more than two sides of A4) outlining why you are a strong fit.
  • If applying for a specific focus (Data, Engagement, Creative), please make this clear.
  • For the Creative Intern role, please also include a short portfolio.

Closing date: 28th March 2026

Senior role applications:
📧 Kirsty@theevaluator.co.uk

All other roles:
📧 Rebecca@theevaluator.co.uk

Full job details are available here: 2026 02 26 Job Advert.docx

If you’re looking for a role where you can think clearly, work meaningfully, and help organisations demonstrate real impact — we’d love to hear from you.

We’re not just hiring to fill posts.
We’re hiring to build what comes next.

Evaluation Services that Drive Impact, Insight and Innovation – The Evaluator UK

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At The Evaluator, we offer a comprehensive suite of evaluation services tailored to the needs of UK organisations across the cultural, community, and public sectors. From project evaluation and social return on investment to bespoke evaluation frameworks and digital tools, our work is designed to generate actionable insights and support real-world impact. Whether you’re measuring change, improving delivery, or strengthening your case to funders, we help you tell your story with clarity, confidence, and evidence. Explore our services to see how evaluation can drive your mission forward.

Our services

Project Evaluation

The Evaluator takes a strategic and insightful approach to project evaluation, ensuring that data collection is not just a process but a tool for real impact. We go beyond ticking boxes, focusing on gathering meaningful insights that help shape and strengthen organisations. By balancing efficiency with depth, we ensure that every piece of data serves a clear purpose—helping organisations to understand their audiences, measure success, and identify opportunities for growth. Our evaluations are not just about reporting results; they are about guiding future decisions, making sure that each project reaches its full potential.

At the core of our approach is a commitment to making evaluation both practical and powerful. We recognise common challenges, such as time constraints and survey fatigue, and address them with streamlined, intelligent methods that prioritise quality over quantity. Our focus is not on overwhelming organisations with data but on ensuring that insights are actionable and drive meaningful change. Crucially, we believe that data should never sit unused in reports—it should actively shape the future. Through our work, we help organisations remain relevant, responsive, and ready to grow, turning evaluation into a dynamic force for progression.

Evaluation Frameworks

At The Evaluator, we create evaluation frameworks that are clear, strategic, and designed for real-world impact. Our frameworks are not just documents—they are roadmaps that guide organisations in measuring success effectively and meaningfully. We take a tailored approach, ensuring each framework aligns with an organisation’s goals, values, and ambitions. By identifying the right metrics and methods, we help organisations track progress, demonstrate value, and make informed decisions. Our focus is always on creating frameworks that are practical, easy to use, and capable of driving real learning and improvement.

What sets our evaluation frameworks apart is our ability to balance rigour with usability. We strip away unnecessary complexity and provide structured, accessible tools that make data collection and analysis seamless. We ensure that organisations don’t just gather data but use it to reflect, adapt, and grow. Our frameworks give teams the confidence to evaluate their work effectively, turning insights into action. By embedding evaluation at the heart of a project, we empower organisations to make a lasting impact, proving not just what they have achieved but how they can achieve even more.

Social Return on Investment

At The Evaluator, we design Social Return on Investment (SROI) projects that go beyond the numbers, capturing the full impact of an organisation’s work. We take a rigorous yet accessible approach, translating complex data into clear, compelling insights that showcase both financial and social value. Our method goes beyond traditional reporting, helping organisations quantify the wider benefits they create—whether that’s improving wellbeing, increasing opportunities, or strengthening communities. By working closely with organisations, we ensure that our SROI projects reflect their unique impact, providing the evidence they need to demonstrate their value with confidence.

Our expertise lies in making SROI both meaningful and actionable. We don’t just calculate figures; we tell the story behind them, ensuring that social impact is fully recognised and understood. Our process helps organisations to identify where they are making the biggest difference and where they can maximise their impact even further. With a focus on clarity and strategic insight, we provide organisations with the tools needed to communicate their value to funders, stakeholders, and communities. Through our SROI projects, we empower organisations to strengthen their case for support, enhance decision-making, and drive lasting, positive change.

Impact Evaluation

At The Evaluator, we deliver impact evaluations that go beyond surface-level reporting to uncover the true effects of a project or programme. Our approach is rooted in clarity, relevance, and depth, ensuring that organisations can confidently demonstrate the differences they are making. We design evaluations that capture both the tangible and intangible outcomes—whether it’s shifts in attitudes, improvements in wellbeing, or long-term societal benefits. By using robust methods tailored to each organisation’s needs, we provide meaningful insights that highlight successes, identify areas for growth, and support future planning.

What sets our impact evaluations apart is our ability to turn data into compelling narratives that resonate with stakeholders. We go beyond simply measuring change; we help organisations to understand why and how change happens. Our evaluations provide actionable insights, helping teams refine their strategies and amplify their impact. With a focus on practical recommendations, we ensure that evaluation is not just a retrospective exercise but a forward-thinking tool for learning and development. Through our work, we help organisations strengthen their impact, communicate their value effectively, and drive meaningful, lasting change.

Process Evaluation

At The Evaluator, we specialise in process evaluations that provide organisations with a clear understanding of how their work is being delivered and where it can be optimised. Our approach focuses on uncovering what’s working well, identifying challenges, and refining processes to maximise effectiveness. By examining implementation, decision-making, and operational dynamics, we help organisations strengthen their approach in real-time rather than waiting until a project’s end. Our evaluations are designed to be practical and insightful, offering clear recommendations that enhance efficiency, improve delivery, and ensure resources are being used to their full potential.

What makes our process evaluations stand out is our commitment to making them both reflective and action-driven. We don’t just map out workflows—we identify opportunities for streamlining, innovation, and growth. We work closely with organisations to ensure that their processes are not only effective but also sustainable and scalable. By embedding evaluation within delivery, we enable teams to adapt quickly, build resilience, and drive continuous improvement. Our evaluations turn operational insights into strategic advantages, helping organisations refine their work, strengthen their impact, and deliver with even greater confidence.

The Returns Recipe – NPO Data Return Service

 

The Evaluator’s NPO Return Process is a game-changing solution for National Portfolio Organisations navigating the complexity of Arts Council reporting. Designed specifically to reduce stress, save time, and boost confidence, this tailored service transforms data return from a chore into a powerful planning tool. By blending clarity, consistency, and deep understanding of the sector, The Evaluator ensures that your data returns and submissions not only meet compliance but also tell a compelling story about your impact, reach, and growth. From audience figures to workforce data, every part of the process is handled with care, strategic insight, and a sharp eye for detail.

What sets this service apart is our personal touch and sector-savvy approach. The Evaluator doesn’t just process your data—we help you make sense of it. This hands-on support includes clear templates, one-to-one advice, and optional additional analysis that turns raw numbers into meaningful insights for funders, boards, and teams alike. Whether you’re a seasoned NPO or new to the process, this service empowers you to submit with confidence, learn from your data, and use it to shape your future. It’s not just about returns—it’s about unlocking your organisation’s potential.

72 Seasons

72 Seasons is a beautifully creative project designed to deepen our connection with nature while enhancing wellbeing. Originally conceived as a research initiative by Kirsty Rose, founder of The Evaluator, it began as an exploration of how noticing small, seasonal changes can positively impact how we feel. Inspired by the ancient Japanese natural calendar of 72 micro-seasons, the project now presents a uniquely British take on these ever-shifting cycles of nature. Every four to five days, a new “season” emerges, inviting people to slow down, observe, and appreciate the subtle transformations happening all around them. Through social media, storytelling, and creative prompts, 72 Seasons encourages participants to engage with the world in a mindful, immersive way—whether that’s through photography, drawing, journaling, or simply taking a moment to notice.

At its heart, 72 Seasons is a co-created experience, shaped by the insights and observations of a dedicated community of seasonal seekers. This collaborative spirit has been integral from the start, with volunteers helping to define and refine the seasons through shared experiences and reflections. The project has evolved to be both a personal and collective journey, sparking curiosity and creativity in those who take part. People engage with it in different ways—some following along online, others using it as a guide for personal exploration or research into climate patterns. It’s a celebration of creativity, connection, and nature’s rhythms, offering a fresh perspective on the changing world around us. More than just a calendar, 72 Seasons is a movement—one that invites people to pause, notice, and find joy in the beauty of everyday nature.

Volunteer App

In 2024 we have been working on a co-created volunteer app, developed in collaboration with a volunteer in a professional capacity. Inspired by the Wilder Walkmill project and the historical Miners’ Tally Check System, this app modernises an age-old safety and tracking method. Just as colliers once checked in and out with pit checks, volunteers now create a virtual ‘tag’, recording their time and experiences on-site. This ensures project staff can keep track of volunteers for safety, support, and engagement, while also capturing rich qualitative data about their experiences. More than just a digital tool, this app is a testament to co-creation, heritage, and innovation, demonstrating how past practices can inspire future solutions. By integrating real-time feedback, this app enhances volunteer experience, strengthens project evaluation, and provides funders with invaluable insights, making it a game-changer for future community-led projects.

Miners’ tally checks were an essential safety system used in coal mines to track which workers were underground at any given time. Each miner had two identical checks—often made of brass, zinc, or aluminium—one handed in at the start of a shift in exchange for a lamp, and the other kept with them. This system ensured that in the event of an accident, supervisors could quickly identify who was still inside the mine. The checks came in various shapes and designs, sometimes featuring the miner’s number or the colliery’s name, making them a practical yet deeply personal part of mining history.

Data Dashboards and Organisational Evaluation – (coming soon)

Process evaluation

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Process Evaluation

At The Evaluator, we specialise in process evaluations that provide organisations with a clear understanding of how their work is being delivered and where it can be optimised. Our approach focuses on uncovering what’s working well, identifying challenges, and refining processes to maximise effectiveness. By examining implementation, decision-making, and operational dynamics, we help organisations strengthen their approach in real-time rather than waiting until a project’s end. Our evaluations are designed to be practical and insightful, offering clear recommendations that enhance efficiency, improve delivery, and ensure resources are being used to their full potential.

What makes our process evaluations stand out is our commitment to making them both reflective and action-driven. We don’t just map out workflows—we identify opportunities for streamlining, innovation, and growth. We work closely with organisations to ensure that their processes are not only effective but also sustainable and scalable. By embedding evaluation within delivery, we enable teams to adapt quickly, build resilience, and drive continuous improvement. Our evaluations turn operational insights into strategic advantages, helping organisations refine their work, strengthen their impact, and deliver with even greater confidence.

We know that setting up new teams can be tricky at first, and have developed tools which not only evaluate projects, but also help you during the project itself. We offer the following, in larger projects, to keep you on track:

Monitoring support and tools

Monitoring your activity is essential because it ensures that your efforts are making an impact and that you’re using your resources effectively. Without a clear way to track progress, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s working well and where adjustments are needed. That’s why we provide monitoring spreadsheets that offer a quick, at-a-glance overview of key metrics, making it simple to see trends, spot challenges, and identify opportunities for growth. These tools help you stay focused, prioritise your time and energy, and make informed decisions based on real data. Whether it’s tracking outputs, engagement, or project milestones, our monitoring systems empower you to stay on course, adapt when needed, and ultimately achieve greater success.

Innovative process measurement

The Reflex Survey system designed by The Evaluator is a brilliantly simple yet highly effective way to track team progress in real-time. By implementing regular self-assessment measures, the programme team can quickly reflect on their work, providing a gut-reaction assessment rather than an over-analysed response. This allows for a more accurate and honest snapshot of how the project is evolving. The inclusion of the Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing (FSNP) framework ensures that team dynamics and project challenges are recognised, allowing leadership to identify patterns, pinpoint challenges, and celebrate progress. By aligning these team insights with feedback from the board and steering group, the Reflex Survey ensures a balanced, multi-level perspective on the programme’s development.

One of the most powerful aspects of this system is its flexibility and responsiveness. Unlike traditional assessments that assume linear progress, the Reflex Survey acknowledges that teams may move back and forth between phases, adapting to new challenges as they arise. The data from the team’s assessments demonstrates this in action – here is an example “an initial dip in scores reflects the complexity of external challenges, while the sharp rise to ‘norming’ in January highlights the team’s resilience and adaptability.” This real-time insight allows for targeted support, proactive problem-solving, and a deeper understanding of team dynamics, making it an invaluable tool for monitoring project health and guiding strategic decisions.

 

 

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to strengthen an existing project, our process evaluation tools are designed to support you every step of the way. We bring clarity, insight, and momentum—helping your team stay aligned, adapt quickly, and deliver impact with confidence. If you’re ready to gain a deeper understanding of how your work is unfolding and how it can be even more effective, we’d love to talk. Get in touch with us today – info@theevaluator.co.uk or call 01756 532 538, to explore how we can tailor our approach to fit your needs and elevate your project from the inside out.

 

Simple evaluation you can do yourself – Three tips to do your own evaluation

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Sometimes we get asked to quote for projects and the project is quite small, or the project team is quite small. They don’t have a large budget and although we’re always great value for money, sometimes it’s better to spend the money on delivery.

Our Director, Kirsty, used to run small projects like this and always carried out her own evaluation. She used this knowledge to create ‘The Evaluator’ and wanted to put together a guide for someone who has got a bit of public funding and a small project (maybe £50,000 or less).

If your project is small we recommend you do your own evaluation. There are always exceptions to the rule however and sometimes the project has a strong learning objective, which makes an evaluation particularly appropriate, but as a guide – that’s what we’d recommend.

Say you are running a project and you’ve got, for example  £35,000 worth of funding -how would you attempt to evaluate that? There are some really very simple things that you could do, as follows:

Idea 1: Have an internal focus group.

For example, you might put a meeting together and the three or four people who have been running the project and working on most of the tasks, might sit down and answer these three questions:

What went really well?

What surprised you about the people taking part?

What would you do differently?

Just that alone – having a discussion and applying it, is a really good start.

Idea 2: Mini data analysis.

You keep a note of attendance at events and look to see which days are busiest and do more of them.

Idea 3: Mini research interviews.

Ask the people taking part what they have enjoyed the most – then plan to repeat that for new people.

The important thing is to not see ‘evaluation’ as a big scary thing, but to see it as ‘how can we use the knowledge or information we have to improve’.

Good luck!

Meet Our Intern – Nadia

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Nadia stands in front of the Sydney opera house at night with a dark blue sky My name is Nadia and I am excited to announce myself as the newest intern here at The Evaluator.

A bit about me: I’m currently studying Economics at the University of Liverpool, where I’ve developed an interest in Data analytics and statistics.

This internship presents an incredible opportunity for me to dive deeper into my interest of data analytics and apply the theoretical knowledge I’ve gained in a practical setting. What appeals to me about The Evaluator specifically is their core value of being creatively simple, I think the focus of anyone who handles data should be to ensure that any data can be easy enough for the average person to understand and useful enough that it can help them view their project or business in a way they may not have before.

Outside of studying my interests include music, film and travelling. In fact, I recently just spent 6 months living and travelling in Australia. I spent a semester studying in Melbourne and the rest of my time travelling across the east coast – I think my favourite memory from travelling abroad would be getting to go to the Melbourne Grand prix and meeting Daniel Riccardo as I’m a big fan of his. That or being chased by a possum was a fun memory also.

During my internship with The Evaluator my goal is to develop my data and report writing skills, both of which I feel I have already made a start on in the 2 months since I have been here. I’m excited to go forward and see what the new year has in store and I can’t wait to see what I can learn from Kirsty and the team.

 

Evaluation in Action: This is Nelson facilitation

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Reflection sessions can be a really important part of the package that we offer to clients, in terms of evaluation services.

Encouraging people to think back and spend a little time being in a more reflective state of mind can be a great way to improve your work over time. Having discussions about what has gone well, what could be done better and bouncing ideas off your peers and colleagues can reveal some great next steps.

One example is the facilitation we carried out recently for a town deal project. We went to a beautiful venue in the hills and had an ‘away day’ with the whole team. It was very helpful to bring together people who work at all different levels of their organisations. In fact, on this day, it wasn’t just people from all different levels but people from three different key organisations who came together.

At this session we asked ‘what do we know now that we didn’t know a year ago?’ This question can help people to understand their learning during the work they have been doing.

The day helped to:

  • Reflect
  • Reinforce what they knew
  • Build relationships
  • Plan new work together

Some of the most important decisions that came out of that day were really simple. In fact,  the partnership was taking over a new venue and hoped to all work from that venue one morning a week. Two of the organisations had chosen a morning and, on the day, it was realised that it was not a good fit for all three organisations and so a simple shift, right at the beginning, before it got bedded into diaries, would make a big difference to that project.

There were other really important improvements made, such as deciding together ‘how often shall we have a conversation?’ and ‘should it be on slack or more formal?’ ‘How do we keep in touch? Little and often?’(Rather than it being big, planned meetings) and ‘how can we coordinate programming more effectively?’

You don’t always know what’s going to come out of a reflection session but encouraging other people who are taking part in the program, to listen to other people’s thoughts and reflections, gives ideas some space to bounce around and improve.

When we facilitate something like this, we also spend a lot of time making sure that everyone gets a chance to use their voice. There is a concept of the HIPPO voice being the most often heard (Highest Paid Person in The Organisation) and the more senior people tend to be better at speaking up.

As passionate devotees to democracy we also want to hear from people who are more junior or merely just shy in general. Their knowledge and life experiences are really valuable.

The way we go about this is we plan a lot of activities and games which not only make the day fun and make time pass quickly, but they also give everyone a chance to speak.

Our facilitation days do get booked up quite quickly so if you are looking for an evaluation to include every voice – please get in touch.

New Client: Heritage Crafts

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The Evaluator is delighted to be working with a new client, Heritage Crafts.

Heritage Crafts is the national charity for traditional heritage crafts in the UK. Working in partnership with the government and key agencies, they provide a focus for craftspeople, groups, societies and guilds – as well as individuals who care about the loss of traditional crafts skills. They work towards a healthy and sustainable framework for the future.

Heritage Craft’s charitable purpose is to advance public knowledge and appreciation of traditional and heritage crafts in particular, but not exclusively, through education, advice and training.

They describe themselves as:

“Heritage Crafts is the national charity for traditional heritage crafts. Working in partnership with Government and key agencies, we provide a focus for craftspeople, groups, societies and guilds, as well as individuals who care about the loss of traditional crafts skills, and work towards a healthy and sustainable framework for the future.

We are a UNESCO accredited NGO for Intangible Cultural Heritage and advocated for UK ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention of the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which was announced by the UK Government in December 2023.”

Shaping a Resilient Future for Heritage Crafts is a project designed to build the resilience of the organisation. Heritage Crafts has grown rapidly over the last four years and is also at the end of a period of change – moving from trustee led to having paid staff.

This project will run for two years and is funded through the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It will focus on governance, fundraising and broadening the offer of support to a wider range of people, including under-represented communities.

The Evaluator is looking forward to working with and evaluating the Shaping a Resilient Future for Heritage Crafts project.

You can find out more about the organisation here https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/