The UKES Midlands Regional Network is pleased to invite you to their second evaluation exchange of 2018. This time it’s over to you!
Responses to the UKES joining survey suggest that there are several topical evaluation challenges that people would like to discuss with other members of the Network. These were many and wide-ranging, but included:
- Stakeholder engagement, and managing stakeholder expectations
- Responding to changes in services mid-evaluation
- Procuring robust, rigorous evaluation in the context of limited timescales/budgets
- Recruiting evaluation professionals
- Building evaluation capacity
Ahead of the next meeting, UKES would like those intending to attend to propose specific items/themes they would like to discuss. These can include themes listed above, or any other topical evaluation related challenges you are grappling with at the moment where you’d appreciate the opportunity to discuss with other members of the Network. Please send your suggestions for topics/themes for discussion to Karl King (karlk@winningmoves.com) no later than Friday 6th July 2018 to allow an opportunity for the agenda to be constructed and finalised ahead of the exchange.
The event is FREE, though booking and confirmation of booking are essential for all as places are limited and reception will need to be notified. This will be an interactive session to discuss and debate issues and challenges YOU want to discuss.
Evaluation exchanges
The evaluation exchange will give network members and other interested parties opportunity to:
- Discuss current evaluation concerns;
- Have free-wheeling debates with other evaluators;
- Share evaluation knowledge;
- Access professional experience and expert advice; and
- Network with evaluators engaged in a wide variety of sectors with responsibility for evaluation.
The purpose of evaluation exchanges is to:
- Help you rethink evaluation issues, problems and solutions;
- Relieve “evaluation anxiety” through a better understanding of the constraints faced by evaluators, commissioners, programme managers and beneficiaries; and
- Reduce isolation for freelance evaluators and practitioners who work alone.
If you have ideas or suggestions for themes for future evaluation exchanges, or if there are particular challenges you would like to discuss with others in the network, please share these with our Network Convener, Karl King (karlk@winningmoves.com), or another member of the steering group.
This event is being held at Baskerville House, 2 Centenary Square, Birmingham B1 2ND (right next to the library)
You can find out more and sign up for the event here.
Disclaimer:
The views expressed in this analysis post are those of the authors and not necessarily those of City-REDI or the University of Birmingham
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