Research and Evaluation Services

Research and Evaluation Services

Social Research

Blue Turtle Consultants conduct social research based on a full range of qualitative, quantitative and ‘mixed methods’ research designs. We are able to present evidence in creative ways and we use a Plain English reporting style.

We have social researchers that are members of the Social Research Association (SRA), The Market Research Society (MRS) and The UK Evaluation Society (UKES) – all researchers follow the codes of conduct set out by the MRS.

Evaluation Services

Policy evaluation is a family of research methods that are used to systematically investigate the effectiveness of policies, programmes, projects and other types of social intervention, with the aim of achieving improvement in the social, economic and everyday conditions of people’s lives. Different methods of policy evaluation are used to answer different questions.

At Blue Turtle We have a combined experience of over 60 project evaluations ranging from ESF and Big Lottery to NHS. Evaluation is an important part of any project and we have the expertise to support your organisation at any point of the evaluation process.

We have a vast experience of working with a diverse range of client groups including people who are socially and economically disadvantaged such as;

Lone parents; older people; ex-offenders / ex-prisoners; survivors of domestic abuse; younger people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET’s); pupils who have been excluded; individuals with poor educational or skills attainment; people who are discriminated against on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, religion or marital status; homelessness; alcohol and/or substance misuse problems; mental ill health; physical and/or sensory disabilities and learning disabilities.

Needs Analysis

If you are considering applying for funding for a specific project or program we can support you from the beginning of the planning cycle, by conducting a needs analysis. This can help you with identifying the links between what the programs goals are and the identified needs of the client groups you work, or want to work with. We can support you to identify and articulate your organisational capacity to carry out the proposed activities to meet the requirements of the delivery of the program.

 

Programme Planning

We can support you to develop, adapt or select and evaluation and/or monitoring design to suit your project and organisational need. By embedding evaluation into the process at this stage it ensures that all stakeholders are engaged in the evaluation process from the beginning. 

 

Programme Implementation and “Formative Evaluation

Formative evaluation is an important part of the evaluation cycle in that it will enable you to assess your progress towards achieving the projects goals. You will get valuable feedback on the project and the performance of its participants and staff.

It is an important opportunity for you to be able to critically analyse whether the project is on track. The information from the formative evaluation will also enable you to make any changes to the project delivery, and we can support this by making recommendations for improvements or changes to the delivery in order for the project to remain focused on achieving its goals.

 

“Summative Evaluation” or Final Evaluation

Whilst it is always better to consider the full support of an evaluation team throughout the project life, it is sometimes only possible due to time or budgetary constraints to perform a summative or final evaluation of the project.

The summative evaluation is an assessment of the overall project effectiveness and the impact the project has made on the participants and stakeholders. This can inform funders of the overall efficiency, effectiveness and impact of the project and can be a requirement of the overall funding of the program.

The final report will also be useful in comparing similar projects, it can also form the basis of the evidence needed for the continuation of funding for services or changing the ways in which programs are delivered in the future.

 

    So whatever stage you decide that you need support in evaluation we can provide a bespoke service to meet your needs, we have evaluators that are members of the UK Evaluation Society.

     

      Get in Touch

      For more information please contact us to discuss your organisations individual needs.