Open workshops

The following workshops are run several times a year as open workshops either online or in-person and are suitable for third sector staff, volunteers and trustees.

Read more about our booking process, workshop costs, how our workshops will run, and our terms and conditions here.

Let’s Evaluate!

Let’s Evaluate! is a training programme designed to help third sector organisations demonstrate the difference they make.

The programme involves a combination of: trainer input to explain evaluation simply; exercises to help participants understand evaluation; and time for participants to apply the learning to their own work.

The programme is made up of 3 workshops that will take participants through each stage of the evaluation pathway (see right).

Participants will benefit most if they attend all 3 in their intended order.

Part 1: Getting Started: Setting outcomes and indicators

In this stimulating workshop you will learn what outcomes and indicators are and how they can help explain the difference your work makes. You will learn how to set project-level outcomes that are relevant to your service users, and how to identify indicators to help you measure those outcomes.

Outcomes and indicators are the crucial building blocks of evaluation and we strongly encourage all participants to attend Getting Started before attending the rest of the programme.

At this workshop you will learn how to: 

  • Understand the importance of outcomes and indicators 
  • Write clear outcomes for your project / organisation 
  • Set indicators to help measure whether you are achieving your outcomes

    Click here for the workshop dates:

    Upcoming Getting started: Outcomes and Indicators workshops & events

    View all available Getting started: Outcomes and Indicators workshops & events

    Part 2: Make to Measure: Evaluation Method and Plans

    In this creative workshop you will explore the questions and processes involved in choosing fit-for-purpose evaluation methods; those that will help you measure your outcome indicators in a way that suits your project and its service users. You will also consider how to keep evaluation proportionate to your work and resources.

    At this workshop you will learn how to: 

    • Understand the steps and principles to follow when choosing or developing evaluation methods
    • Use different methods and tools to collect information about your outcomes
    • Put in place a monitoring and evaluation plan for your project/organisation

      Click here for the workshop dates:

      Upcoming Make to measure: Evaluation Methods and Plans workshops & events

      View all available Make to measure: Evaluation Methods and Plans workshops & events

      Part 3: Telling my Story: Analysing and reporting on outcomes

      This informative workshop investigates how to pull evidence together and make sense of it, even though it might be coming from different places and consist of different types of data. Using evaluation for learning is just as important as using it to provide outcome evidence for your funders and this workshop examines how you can achieve both and more.

      At this workshop you will learn how to: 

      • Analyse information collected to evidence the achievement of your project outcomes  
      • Report on the achievement of project outcomes to funders and stakeholders 
      • Learn from the analysis to improve project delivery 

        Click here for the workshop dates:

        Upcoming Telling my story: Analysing and Reporting on Outcomes workshops & events

        View all available Telling my story: Analysing and Reporting on Outcomes workshops & events
        Click to enlarge our Let’s Evaluate! poster

        Click here to view all the upcoming Let’s Evaluate! workshops

        Topic specific workshops:

        Thrive Training

        Thrive Training is a certified course designed to help practitioners understand more about how to use physical activity or sport to achieve a range of outcomes. The course involves 3 days’ worth of training over 3 months, with some additional work-based learning, and is particularly suited to those working full time in this field. This training is currently FREE to those in Scotland.

        The Thrive Learning Programme was developed and delivered by Evaluation Support Scotland and Actify.

        This image contains a quote from one of our Thrive participants which reads: "All very thought-provoking, and though there were massive leaps of learning for me, it has helped to bring pieces together and allow for more forward thinking when undertaking a project."
        A quote from one of our Thrive participants

        Click here to visit the Thrive Learning Programme website to book

        Looking for support from us?

        We’re here to help! Contact us for help and advice.