Learning Connections Adult Literacies Phase-Two Pathfinders: Evaluation Framework

A ppendix II

BASELINE DATA REPORT

……………….PATHFINDER

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Target area/community/group covered by Pathfinder:

Total population of target group within area Pathfinder will be operating in:

What factors have contributed to literacies being an issue with this target group?

What impacts (social, economic or cultural) do low levels of literacy have on this target group?

Current provision for this target group

Other baseline/background information relevant to the objectives and targets of the project:

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PROJECT ACTION PLAN

……………….PATHFINDER

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Pathfinder: ………………………………….

Pathfinder Objectives

Evaluation criteria	Anticipated Outcomes	Targets (including timescales)	Action	Comments
Impact on the Target Group
Demonstration of Innovation
Resources Development
Development of Inter-Agency Partnership Working
Raising Awareness of Literacies Issues
Recording and Dissemination
Project Management
Best Value

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QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT

……………….PATHFINDER

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Pathfinder………………………………………Quarter…………………………

Evaluation Criteria	Targets (take from Project Action Plan)	Progress during quarter		Comments
		Outputs	Outcomes
Impact on target group
Demonstration of Innovation
Resources Development
Development of Inter-Agency Partnership Working
Raising Awareness of Literacy Issues
Recording and Dissemination
Project Management
Best Value

Notes:

• It is not expected that you will be able to report on progress within each of the evaluation criteria in every report. For example, activity in terms of resources development may come towards the end of your project.
• Outcomes are the overall effect, change or difference that your activities have made. Examples could include, "increased rates of employment within the target group" or "increased awareness of literacy issues among partner agencies".
• Outputs are the activities you have carried out which have contributed to achieving these outcomes. For example, in achieving an outcome of "increased awareness of literacies issues among partner agencies" the output could be "two workshops with partner agencies on literacies" and/or "distribution of project information".

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ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT

……………….PATHFINDER

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Pathfinder………………………………………Reporting Period……………………

Evaluation Criteria	Targets (take from Project Action Plan)	Progress		Comments
		Outputs	Outcomes
Impact on target group
Demonstration of Innovation
Resources Development
Development of Inter-Agency Partnership Working
Raising Awareness of Literacy Issues
Recording and Dissemination
Project Management
Best Value

Notes:

• It is not expected that you will be able to report on progress within each of the evaluation criteria in every report. For example, activity in terms of resources development may come towards the end of your project.
• Outcomes are the overall effect, change or difference that your activities have made. Examples could include, "increased rates of employment within the target group" or "increased awareness of literacy issues among partner agencies".
• Outputs are the activities you have carried out which have contributed to achieving these outcomes. For example, in achieving an outcome of "increased awareness of literacies issues among partner agencies" the output could be "two workshops with partner agencies on literacies" and/or "distribution of project information".

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FINAL EVALUATION

……………….PATHFINDER

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March 2006

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION
Description of the Project
Target Groups Describe the profile of your target groups and why they want or need your service.
Growth Trends Is the need/demand for your service growing or shrinking?
Resourcing Explain the particular qualities or circumstances concerning your service that will enable you to maintain financial support.

SECTION 2: PATHFINDER AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
SECTION 3: ORGANISATION
Explain the form of project organisation you used and how this contributed to the project's work/success, e.g. board, staff team, office base, outreach work, etc.
Describe your (Board and staff team) work experience including a list of your skills and knowledge, which are required in your project

SECTION 4: ACTIVITIES
Describe the Project's activities

SECTION 5: PROJECT USERS ATTITUDES
Summarise any data you have on Project Users towards the Pathfinder.
Case Studies

SECTION 6: FINANCIAL RESOURCES
Income
Expenditure
Support from Partners Describe what support in kind you have from sponsoring/partner organisations.
Case Study
Professional Advisers/Consultants List any professional advisers who have provided support.

SECTION 7: PROMOTING THE PATHFINDER
Describe how you have promoted the Pathfinder (include copies of any promotional materials):
What changes/improvements would you make to your promotional strategy?

SECTION 8: OUTCOMES
In this section summarise the main outcomes of the project, e.g. engagement with target group, resources development, new linkages made. This can be adapted from the original application and subsequent annual and quarterly progress reports to Communities Scotland.
Evaluation Criteria	Targets (take from Project Action Plan)	Progress Against Targets		Comments
		Outcomes	Outputs
Impact on target group
Demonstration of Innovation
Resources Development
Development of Inter-Agency Partnership Working
Raising Awareness of Literacy Issues
Recording and Dissemination
Project Management
Best Value

SECTION 9: PARTNER INVOLVEMENT
What partners/stakeholders have been involved in the Pathfinder and in what way?
What feedback/comment have you had from partners. What commitment (if any) are they able to make to the future of the project?

SECTION 10: INNOVATION
How has the project been able to demonstrate innovation?

SECTION 11: LESSONS LEARNED
Describe any problems faced and how these have been overcome/minimised:
Describe any other lessons learnt from the experience of your project:

SECTION 12: PATHFINDER REPLICATION
Is there scope for this project to be replicated elsewhere? (Please state reasons why you agree or disagree with this)
What are the prerequisites to success if the Pathfinder were to be replicated in another area?
Are there any issues/barriers you have faced which would need to be addressed before this project is replicated in other areas?

SECTION 13: FUTURE OPTION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
What future options are there for the development of the project? What would the resource requirements be?

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ADULT LITERACIES PATHFINDERS

CASE STUDY GUIDANCE

September 2004

Pathfinders Case Study Guidance

The aim of the case study is to provide a "snapshot" of the work of the project to complement the more quantitative data you may be collecting.

A case study may focus on:

• an individual learner
• a client organisation and the work you are undertaking with it
• a particular partnership relationship
• a particular example of practice, e.g. a promotional activity or the development of a teaching resource
• how you addressed a particular organisational issue or problem.

Format

In general, case studies should be relatively short - no more than 500 words of text and on average 250-400 words. They should also contain where possible, examples and samples of work, publicity material, press cuttings.

When would you use a case study

The case study can be used to give either a general sense of the work of the project or to illustrate a particular point. For example, a case study might be used to illustrate how the project helped a learner assess their future options and the basis on how they reached a decision. Alternatively, it may describe how the project developed and sustained a particular relationship with another education provider and the benefits to both agencies that has brought.

Confidentiality

Unless the information about an individual student is in the public domain, the case study should be anonymous. Similarly, especially where partnership relations may be particularly sensitive, you may wish to "disguise" the organisation. You would normally ask the person or organisation on whom the case study is based if they are happy for it to be used, even anonymously.

Writing up a case study - three parts

1. One or two sentences setting out what the case study is about and what it hopes to demonstrate.
2. The body of the case study in narrative form describing what happened.
3. Last section - three or four bullet points highlighting the main lessons learned.

Incorporating case studies in a report

It is generally better to "pepper pot" case studies through a report to highlight or reinforce the relevant sections of the report, rather than have them all together. It is usually a good idea to highlight case studies by placing in a text box, using a different font/style and sometimes shading the box slightly. This enables the reader to easily distinguish between the case study and the main body of the report.

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ADULT LITERACIES PATHFINDERS

PROJECT USER SATISFACTION INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

Pathfinders Satisfaction Interview Schedule

Remind interviewee that information would only be used anonymously. The purpose of the interview is to help us improve the project.

Name: ......................................................................................................................................................................

Date of Interview: ..................................................................................................................................................

1. How did you hear about the project?

2. What made you interested in getting involved?

3. What did you hope to get out of being involved?

4. Has the project helped you with this and in what way?

5. Is there anything else that you would like the project to help you with?

6, Are there any ways we could improve the project? (e.g. more frequent contact, better location, more activities)

7. Is there anything about the project you don't like?

8. Have you any other general/other comments?

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ADULT LITERACIES PATHFINDERS

PARTNERS INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

Pathfinders Partners Interview Schedule

Partner organisation: ..................................................................................................................................................

Representative: ..........................................................................................................................................................

Position: .....................................................................................................................................................................

Date of Interview: .......................................................................................................................................................

1. Relationship with Pathfinder: (e.g. funding, sponsoring, advisory, joint provider, referral)

2. Understanding/perceptions of the Pathfinder:

3. How does Partner perceive working relationship with Pathfinder?

4. How does Pathfinder assist the Partner with its objectives/ what benefits does the Partner see the Pathfinder having brought?

5. Is there anything the Partner would like to see the Pathfinder:

• Doing more of
• Doing differently

6. What support could/would the Partner be able to give Pathfinder:

• Over the next year
• Over the longer term

7. How does the Partner see the working relationship with the Pathfinder developing in the future?

8. Any other views/comments: