“Designing our own evaluations makes us feel good”
Putting the people you work with in the lead of some part of your evaluation can lead to richer and more authentic feedback and builds your service users’ skills and confidence. This page has resources and tips on how to do it well.
Why bother involving people in evaluation? – Beyond feedback
This workbook can help you plan why, when and how to involve the people you work with in evaluation
Young people in charge of evaluation!?
In 2023, young people from the Scottish Youth Parliament were commissioned by Scottish Government to carry out an evaluation of Scottish Government funded mental health and wellbeing community support and services for 5-24-year-olds, their parents and carers. ESS’s role involved helping the young people consider different approaches to evaluation. Read more in our blog:
Young people in the lead!
From 2018-20 ESS was funded by The National Lottery Community Fund to support youthwork organisations to put young people in the lead of evaluation.
While it wasn’t always smooth sailing, project leads told us involving young people they support has helped their organisation as well as benefiting young people. Young people are fantastic evaluation problem solvers!
For ideas and inspiration check out:
The videos below where young people talk about their experience of taking the lead on evaluation!
This short conference report:
Young people taking the lead on evaluation
This learning event in April 2019 was supported by The National Lottery Community Fund.
Some top tips:
Quotes from young people themselves:
“It was an honour to be asked and included in something that is ultimately going to help future service users”
“I felt like this was good and it’s changed my view of what you guys do for us”
“I had fun!”
Case studies from third sector organisations
User Involvement Case Study: Getting evaluation done without lots of moans and groans! – SWYDT
This case study from Springhall and Whitlawburn Youth Development Team is about the benefits of involving young people in evaluation and may be of interest to any third sector organisation
User Involvement Case Study: The power of the emoji – Gowrie
This case study from Gowrie Care’s Streets Ahead service shows how the organisation involved their service users in evaluation. Key message: It won’t always be smooth sailing… but that is ok!
User Involvement Case Study: Championing evaluation – YoMo
YoMo Health Champions show the benefits of involving young people in evaluation.
User Involvement Case Study: Music to my ears – Beatroute Arts
Where We Belong, run by Beatroute Arts in Balornock in North East Glasgow provides young people from the area with the opportunity to take part in musical drop-in sessions, performances
User Involvement Case Study: Youth Ambassadors leading on evaluation – RASAC
In June 2019 Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre Perth and Kinross (RASAC P&K) asked their Youth Ambassadors (their young people’s peer mentoring and campaigning group) to help evaluate the support
User Involvement Case Study: Getting the balance right – SWYDT
Springhall and Whitlawburn Youth Development Team have been supporting young people to take the lead on evaluation since 2018, with the ambition that they will be able to run the whole
Further resources on the NPC website
You may also be interested in reading this NPC blog and resource about user involvement:
Full list of related resources
Young people taking the lead on evaluation
This learning event in April 2019 was supported by The National Lottery Community Fund.
Why bother involving people in evaluation? – Beyond feedback
This workbook can help you plan why, when and how to involve the people you work with in evaluation
User Involvement Case Study: Music to my ears – Beatroute Arts
Where We Belong, run by Beatroute Arts in Balornock in North East Glasgow provides young people from the area with the opportunity to take part in musical drop-in sessions, performances
User Involvement Case Study: Youth Ambassadors leading on evaluation – RASAC
In June 2019 Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre Perth and Kinross (RASAC P&K) asked their Youth Ambassadors (their young people’s peer mentoring and campaigning group) to help evaluate the support
User Involvement Case Study: Championing evaluation – YoMo
YoMo Health Champions show the benefits of involving young people in evaluation.
User Involvement Case Study: The power of the emoji – Gowrie
This case study from Gowrie Care’s Streets Ahead service shows how the organisation involved their service users in evaluation. Key message: It won’t always be smooth sailing… but that is ok!
User Involvement Case Study: Getting evaluation done without lots of moans and groans! – SWYDT
This case study from Springhall and Whitlawburn Youth Development Team is about the benefits of involving young people in evaluation and may be of interest to any third sector organisation keen
User Involvement Case Study: Getting the balance right – SWYDT
Springhall and Whitlawburn Youth Development Team have been supporting young people to take the lead on evaluation since 2018, with the ambition that they will be able to run the whole
Make it count: Why impact matters in user involvement
This paper argues for a greater focus in the charity sector on what user involvement aims to achieve, and better efforts to evidence the difference it can make.
Case Study: ARC Scotland
This case study shows how ARC Scotland involved service users in setting outcomes for service.
Involving users in shaping services
There is a growing interest amongst third sector organisations and funders to better understand what the people they work with want and to shape their services accordingly. This guide will help
