A timely effort will prevent more work later.
old proverb
About A Stitch In Time?
A Stitch in Time? supports the third sector to collect and present evidence about its contribution to Reshaping Care for Older People (RCOP).
This three year programme ran to March 2015 and focused on third sector organisations working with older people and carers in Lothian. We used practical action learning to:
- Explain what third sector does, the difference they make and their contribution to RCOP
- Develop appropriate evaluation methods
- Collect and present relevant evidence
The programme has produced many resources listed here on publications list
The work of A Stitch in Time? has been completed through:
- Working groups with third sector practitioners, creating a logic model and indicator bank.
- Focussed work with specific issues such as community transport
- Third sector interfaces mapping exercises. Click to access the mapping exercises for Midlothian, East Lothian and Edinburgh.
- Developing evaluation methods such as story telling. Find out more!
- Work with funders specifically Change Funds to improve reporting formats and enhancing evidence for collation.
- We have produced evidence reviews and commissioned research about the third sector contribution in specific areas such as eating well, community transport, mental health and well-being, volunteering and social connectedness.
- Publication of several publications and resources A Stitch in Time? publications are also hosted on the Joint Improvement Team website.
The difference we made
– click here
What’s involved in being part of a learning set? In Theodora Hidalgo’s case study, a practitioner who was involved in A Stitch in Time? tells her story and talks about the difference it has made to her personally and for her organisation.
Using the evidence from the programme
1. Following a call for evidence on ‘age and social isolation’ from the Scottish Government we submitted written evidence to the Equal Opportunities Committee based on our learning from A Stitch in Time? highlighting information in the publications. On Wednesday 28 October the Committee published its report and final recommendations –Equal Opportunities Committee’s 5th Report, 2015 (Session 4): Age and Social Isolation
2. Capacity building – what do we need to think about?
The presentation (click link below) reports on the major lessons learned from A Stitch in Time? and three other projects from The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland, Scottish Co-production Network and Building Healthier & Happier Communities about planning, delivering and evaluating capacity building initiatives in the third sector. The aim of sharing these lessons is to improve knowledge and understanding of what works and to inform future commissioning, delivery and policy-making on capacity building.
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Our evaluation report
The Final A Stitch in Time? evaluation report written for our funders shows the what and how of the programme aong with the achievements.
The story goes on…
We secured funding to continue to use the learning in Threading the Needle.
A Stitch in Time? is a partnership project facilitated by Evaluation Support Scotland (ESS) and supported by the Scottish Government Third Sector Unit and the Joint Improvement Team (JIT).
