What is the South West Project?

Building on its successful track record in development work and evaluation, the Evaluation Trust was funded in 1999 for three years by the Community Fund to expand its work in the south west region. For some examples of the work undertaken, click here...

Through the project, the Trust offered small poorly resourced voluntary and community organisations in the region and adjoining areas:

• Free advice, information, awareness raising, training and direct help to set up monitoring and self evaluation systems.
• Free or subsidised consultancy help to undertake a piece of evaluation work, involving all parts of the organisation, including users, volunteers and managing bodies that will directly improve its effectiveness.

With Lloyds TSB foundation funding there are still limited resources to offer free advice, telephone help and materials to small organisations.

As a community development organisation, the Trust is committed to working closely with local development agencies, national networks & local statutory & other funders so as to gain their support in:

• signposting the Trust's resources
• gaining access to local groups
• identifying opportunities for joint working & skill sharing in evaluation with development workers.

Why do organisations ask us to work with them?

• Groups who use the project will be able to listen better to the needs and experiences of their users and potential users and through developing simple self evaluation systems within their own organisations
• Develop greater organisational effectiveness, stronger and better informed managing bodies, better communication and working relationships inside the organisation
• Allow groups to undertake more evaluation work for themselves through building up the skills and confidence of trustees, workers, users and volunteers and through helping to develop pairings between similar organisations.

Take a look at some examples of our recent work in the South West region, or alternatively read some detailed case studies.

A recent external evaluation drew conclusions about the effectiveness of the South West Project. A summary of the findings is available...