Step 5 of 5: EVALUATE

Last updated: 30th June 2020, Checked: 4th Nov 2021
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Create evaluation questions

Evaluating services regularly will help to meet user needs and improve quality. It will also help you understand what to prioritise, and when to adapt.

Different types of ongoing evaluation might be: data analysis, feedback from clients and team meetings. You can evaluate both the process of delivering services and the outcomes. The level of evaluation will depend on your capacity, but it is essential that some is undertaken.

Ask yourself the following questions:

  1. What went well?
  2. What could be improved?
  3. Who is most in need and what do they want?
  4. How can we best meet this need with our resources?
  5. Which clients are we not reaching?
  6. What feedback have we had?
  7. What might we do differently?
  8. Who do we need to collaborate with?
  9. Are our services safe?
  10. Is our advice accurate and up-to-date?
  11. How are we safeguarding the wellbeing of our clients, volunteers and staff?

Factors to consider

NCVO recommends that we ask these questions when evaluating service success.

Gather feedback

Different ways to get feedback

  1. Pre-session
    Arrange a briefing at the beginning of a session for staff and volunteers. Use this to clarify whether the team are aware of the plan for the day and if they have any concerns, questions, or if there are any updates to share.
  2. During sessions
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    Ask clients for feedback at the end of a session.
  3. Debrief
    Arrange a debrief at the end of a session with the team.
  4. Team meeting
    Arrange a specific meeting to review and assess in greater detail.
  5. Client interviews
    Arrange a confidential time to ask for more detailed feedback.
  6. Surveys
    Suitable for getting a large amount of data and not time intensive.

Next steps

  1. Analyse
    Digest results, establish themes and any problems to solve.
  2. Consult
    Consult with your team about how best to solve the problems identified.
  3. Implement
    Implement the solutions into your delivery plan. Communicate what has been changed as a result of your evaluation with your team and clients
  4. Communicate
    Communicate what has been changed as a result of your evaluation with your team and clients.

Contribute

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