Resources for Change carries out research to compliment a range of contracts, this is generally quantitative and qualitative research and includes fieldwork – gathering ‘live’ data which may be used to inform plans and strategies, e.g. Audience Development Plans, and desk research – finding out what else is happening in a certain sector or industry, e.g. developing a knowledge base for WRAP. Numbers help us to understand trends, whilst the qualitative research puts flesh on the bones of those numbers.
In 2017, as part of our contract to produce a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for Transforming the Trent Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme (LPS), the client requested an evaluation of a wide sample of LPSs so that they may learn from earlier schemes. This review considered the findings and recommendations of over 20 Landscape Partnership Evaluation reports throughout the UK, including Interim and Final evaluations. It also included a review of the ‘Evaluation of the Heritage Lottery Fund Landscape Partnership Programme 2011’ which considered schemes from 2004-2011. At that stage only five schemes were completed and eight were considered ‘mature’; a further twenty-one were in mid or early delivery.
In undertaking this review, we focussed on what has or hasn’t appeared to have worked, as well as looking at outcomes and impacts. A brief report was provided, which looked at staffing, reporting and managing risk, partnerships, the Board, engagement, communication and celebration, as well as volunteers and volunteering and some general comments.
The report was well received and has been of considerable use in supporting the scheme in understanding the routes to success and the pitfalls along the way.