Exemplar Evaluation Report

EVOLVE Equal Evolve Project Draft Final Report

Evaluation of the Equal Evolve Project Total Improvement Process Limited used a formative evaluation method to work with the Equal Evolve Project over a two year period, between 2005 and 2007. The evaluation approach enabled the Evolve project to identify solutions to problems and make changes to the project when applicable, as they progressed through their delivery. The final evaluation report therefore focuses on the legacy and learning of the Evolve project, using information gathered and analysed through the two Interim Evaluation Reports and statistical information collated by the central team.

Contents Equal and Evolve Impact and Outcomes Innovation in Evolve Empowerment in Evolve Equal Opportunities Partnership Working Pages 1-3 Pages 4-28 Pages 29-34 Pages 35-41 Pages 42-46 Pages 47-55 The Equal Programme The Equal Evolve Project The Equal Evolve Project Partners Measuring Innovation Identifying Innovation in Evolve Innovation Indicator Results Conclusions & Learning Measuring Empowerment The Empowerment Indicator Conclusions & Learning Equalising Opportunities Conclusions & Learning Partnership Working The Development Partnership Stakeholder Partnership Transnational Partnership Conclusions & Learning Achievement of Strategic Objectives Kent Adult Education Service Kent Adult Social Services Prince’s Trust Kent & Medway NHS SCPT MCCH Conclusions

Evolve: Summary of Conclusions Significant Improvements in Employability Adoption of EVOLVE methodologies Project Management that Enabled Practitioner Progress Emphasis on Practitioner Innovation New Empowerment Measures Produced Successful Targeting to Reach Disadvantaged Groups Our conclusion is that partnership working was not only a key ingredient across the whole project, but was in most cases highly sustainable because it was particularly characterised by what we would term strategic alliances, I.e partnerships between organisations through which each partner invested in partnership because collaboration on the ground helped them achieve goals at the heart of their own core purpose. Sustainable Partnership Working Early Learning Benefits Transnationality Early Learning Benefits Transnationality Main page

Equal and Evolve section one “ The Equal Community Initiative is a development programme aimed at challenging discrimination and tackling labour market inequality.” Main page

The Equal Programme EQUAL is funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and aims to develop and test innovative approaches to challenge discrimination and address inequalities in the labour market. It is based around the following principles: Partnership – based on a model of Development Partnerships (DPs) comprising organisations with shared interests working on a collaborative basis. Innovation – new ideas being developed, piloted and mainstreamed. Empowerment – disadvantaged and excluded groups play a role in the development and delivery of EQUAL activities. Transnational co-operation – activities with partners in other Member States aiming to add value through the exchange and transference of ideas and experience. Mainstreaming – lessons from EQUAL influence policy and practice at the local, national and European levels. Equal opportunities – the programme supporting equality and diversity as a cross-cutting principle. The programme has 3 Actions: Action 1 Development 9 months Action 2 Implementation 2 years Action 3 Mainstreaming running concurrently with Action 2 and for up to 6 months after completion 1 Main page Next

The Equal Evolve Project Kent County Council Secured Equal ESF Round 2 Funding Under: ‘Theme A – Employability’, this theme seeks to: Combat discrimination faced by individuals and promote equality in the workplace. Test support mechanisms to help target groups integrate/ reintegrate into the labour market. Promote the employability of disadvantaged groups through vocational training, mentoring, advice and guidance. ESF Equal Programme Evolve Strategic Objectives Combat discrimination in the workplace and develop innovative mechanisms for integration/re-integration: Provide innovative vocational training opportunities for target groups, test new ways to bridge the gap between education and work by supporting the successful transition into employment; Pioneer a novel approach to beneficiary support based around assessment, mentoring and engagement; Develop models and guidelines of best practice for programme developers, training deliverers and policy makers that can be used to design and implement interventions for disadvantaged groups in the labour market not just locally but across Europe; Establish new forms of collaboration between public, private and voluntary sectors in the fields of employment and training. 2 Main page Next

The Equal Evolve Project Partners KCC Adult Education Service KCC Adult Social Services The Prince’s Trust Kent & Medway NHS & Social Care Trust MCCH The ‘Evolve’ project was managed and implemented by a Development Partnership comprising: KCC Adult Education Service Delivering a structured learner-led programme to Lone Parents by providing employability skills linked to employer needs KCC Adult Social Services The Equal Care Project – integration of an under-represented section of BME workers into the social economy workforce in a meaningful & sustained way The Prince’s Trust Widen the methods by which we focus on and engage with young people to see if they can be incorporated into Trust programmes Kent & Medway NHS Social Care PT Enabling adults with mental health problems become more employable and successful within employment MCCH Project Extension of training opportunities and support structures for individuals with learning and physical disabilities to improve employability 3 Main page Next

The Evolve Project Impact & Outcomes section two “ The project focuses on the most deprived districts in Kent, and promotes the employability of disadvantaged groups through three types of services: vocational training; mentoring; advice and guidance.” Main page

Summary of Evolve Strategic Objectives 4 Next Evolve Strategic Objectives Outcome Combat discrimination in the workplace and develop innovative mechanisms for integration/re-integration Achieved particularly through: getting people from BME communities into care jobs getting employers to provide work opportunities to people with mental illness Provide innovative vocational training opportunities for target groups, test new ways to bridge the gap between education and work by supporting the successful transition into employment Achieved particularly through: getting lone parents into work through the initial ‘hook’ of childcare and then expanding possibilities getting people with learning disabilities using mainstream eg catering facilities while pupils learnt about learning disability Pioneer a novel approach to beneficiary support based around assessment, mentoring and engagement Achieved particularly through: funding and supporting young people to overcome specific barriers to work and training workshop-based recruitment of beneficiaries from BME communities c) intense mentoring and coaching of beneficiaries with mental illness and beneficiaries trying care work d) testing and producing new methods of measuring empowerment and innovation

Summary of Evolve Strategic Objectives 5 Main page Evolve Strategic Objectives Outcomes Develop models and guidelines of best practice for programme developers, training deliverers and policy makers that can be used to design and implement interventions for disadvantaged groups in the labour market not just locally but across Europe Achieved particularly through: high quality summaries of methodologies and learning for other agencies, a video summary of Evolve transnational exchange through specific partners on specific themes leading case study and methodology exchange Establish new forms of collaboration between public, private and voluntary sectors in the fields of employment and training Achieved particularly through: Partnership between secondary school pupils and people with learning disabilities Partnership between vocational rehabilitation advisors, voluntary organisations and Community Mental Health teams to help those with mental illness into mainstream work activity Partnership between Adult Education, Job Centre Plus and Sure Start to support lone parents

“ Everyone who gets the opportunity to go on this course should do so – whether they feel they might get something from it or not – because it really opens your eyes to the possibilities”

Impact & Outcomes: KCC Adult Education Service summary The KAES ‘Getting On’ programme supports the ‘employability’ process for those who are choosing to enter the professional field of Caring for Children and includes careers advice, helping to raise self esteem and improve foundational skills in Literacy. Lone Stars was added to the programme in September 2006. Lone Stars supports the individuals on their journey to lifelong learning and provides champions within the community to promote opportunities available for learning. target group The Getting On project was targeted at single parents, who were interested initially in childcare employment options. The course had a flexible framework, which enabled beneficiaries to have input into aspects of the programme content, and gain pre and post course support, to develop their confidence and explore employment options. process 6 Next

Impact & Outcomes: KCC Adult Education Service Mainstreaming this Project? Investment Per Beneficiary £778.16 7 The implication of these figures is that for every 10 lone parents completing this Evolve process at least 6 out of 10 are likely to go into some kind of work or into further learning. For every 10 lone parents who start this process 5 will go into some kind of work or further learning at a total cost of just under £8000. Next Breakdown of Evolve Investment Total Number of KAES Beneficiaries 170 Actual KAES Project Costs £107,546.00 Total Match Funding Investment £24,743.00 Evolve Central Costs: Actual & Match P/Bene £602.00 Total Investment Per Beneficiary £1380.16 KAES Beneficiary Outcomes % of Completers (22 early leav+; 15 yet to complete) % of Starters Full time employment 3% 2% Part time employment 15% 12% Self employment 0.75% 0.5% Voluntary work 23% 18% Further education & training 27% 21%

Impact & Outcomes: KCC Adult Education Service learning harvested context There is estimated to be about 1.75 million lone-parent families in the UK. Approximately 54% of these are employed, and the Government has set a target of 70% by 2010. Lessof et al (2001) found that lone parents on income support had the following characteristics: They are mostly women (94%); 47% have children under school age; 51% have neither academic nor technical qualifications; 56% said they were interested in training or studying. 8 “ B efore starting this course I was looking to return to work but didn’t feel that I had the confidence to return. By doing this course it has given me the confidence to sit in an interview and know what to say. I am no longer nervous about finding a job.” Next

Mainstreaming: Kent Adult Education Service Kent Adult Education Services focused efforts on the following aims in order to get what it has developed taken up: To develop information and marketing materials to raise awareness and promote interest in mainstreaming activities To mainstream KAES ‘access course’ principle and package Mainstreaming Outcome The data available at the time of writing suggests that KAES will continue their programme as a mainstream activity, having already expanded the programme to include the retail sector, and negotiating with partners to expand to the construction sector. Also, as part of their main core delivery with their parenting programme, they will be delivering a Parents into Employment course, will be using the course framework from Evolve. “ I’ ve gained through learning and I have also got experience in working with children out of it, and I have also got a job out of doing this course which I am really pleased about.” 9 Main page

“ The support provided by the project workers throughout the training and voluntary work has been very helpful. The support and help provided by the project has enabled me to achieve my goals…”

Impact & Outcomes: KCC Adult Social Services summary Adult Services delivered The Equal Care Project - a structured training programme to local black and minority ethnic communities who wished to enter the field of ‘Adult Care’. The project comprised of a 6 week course, followed by a 6 week voluntary placement and mentoring. The course content included certified one day qualifications in First Aid, Manual Handling, Food & Hygiene and Health and Safety. These are entry requirements for employment within the field of Care Services and can lead towards accreditation for NVQ Level 2. target group The Equal Care Project was aimed at BME community members who had an interest in gaining skills in preparation for employment in the care sector, in order to address identified skills and recruitment gaps. process 10 Next

Impact & Outcomes: KCC Adult Social Services Mainstreaming this Project? Investment Per Beneficiary £1009.63 11 The implication of these figures is that for every 10 participants who go through this process, about half can be expected to end up in employment or training; mostly in employment. For every 10 who start this process about three will get work or pursue learning at a cost of about £10,000 for every 10 people Next Breakdown of Evolve Investment Total Number of Equal Care Beneficiaries 211 Actual Equal Care Project Costs £170,298.00 Total Match Funding Investment £42,737.00 Evolve Central Costs: Actual & Match P/Bene £602.00 Total Investment Per Beneficiary £1611.63 EQUAL CARE Beneficiary Outcomes % of Completers (64 early leavers) % of Starters Full time employment 33% 18% Part time employment 21% 12% Self employment 5% 3% Voluntary work 4% 2% Further education & training 3% 2%

Impact & Outcomes: KCC Adult Social Services learning harvested context The number of older people from BME groups is set to rise dramatically over the next few decades, yet there are knowledge gaps in relation to the needs of older people from BME communities, and how to reach them. Coupled with this, there is a 15% gap in the employment rate of ethnic minorities and that of the overall population. Bangladeshi (72%) and Pakistani (68%) women have the highest female economic inactivity rates; the majority of these women are looking after their family or home. Increasingly, each of these factors will have implications for the provision of care for older people from BME communities. 12 “ T he support provided by the project workers throughout the training and voluntary work has been very helpful. The support and help provided by the project has enabled me to achieve my goals, I.e. a job as a care worker.” Next

Mainstreaming: KCC Adult Social Services Kent Adult Social Services focused efforts on the following aims in order to get what it has developed taken up: To develop information and marketing materials to raise awareness and promote interest in mainstreaming activities To secure Equal Care as a mainstream service within KCC “ K ent Adult Social Services is here to provide support to anybody with social care needs in Kent, therefore it is very important in areas where there are significant numbers of people from BME communities that we are meeting their needs, and so again it is important that the quality of the services is provided by people who understand that community so that is why we are interested in this project.” Oliver Mills, Managing Director, Adult Services Mainstreaming Outcome The data available at the time of writing suggests that Kent County Council will not adopt the Evolve Equal Care programme as a mainstream activity. However, the knowledge gained on engagement, recruitment and pre-training for BME’s into Social Health vacancies is being documented and passed onto corporate personnel and training and development teams 13 Main page

“… I found your service to be prompt and relevant to the needs of my client. It was useful that you liaised directly with both client and the college, which led to an efficient, speedy service.”

Impact & Outcomes: The Prince’s Trust summary The Prince’s Trust Evolve Programme has experimented with a number of different ways to strengthen the engagement of young people already on Prince’s Trust programmes, by focusing on removing barriers to employment and education. This has included working with a small number of groups to develop an OCN unit descriptor aimed at increasing employability and personal development. Individuals have also formed an Advisory Group that worked with the Prince’s Trust to help gather information from young people in relation to the needs of the client group. Additionally, mentors have provided 1:1 and group support to help young people with completing the programmes. target group The Prince’s Trust Evolve Project was targeted at young people. process 14 Next

Impact & Outcomes: The Prince’s Trust Mainstreaming this Project? Investment Per Beneficiary £919.02 15 The implication of these figures is that for every 10 young people on a Prince’s Trust programme who also participate in the Evolve process, the outcome is likely to be 4 entering work and 4 entering further education and training at an additional cost of a little over £9000 Next Breakdown of Evolve Investment Total Number of Prince’s Trust Beneficiaries 137 Actual Prince’s Trust Project Costs £113,281.00 Total Match Funding Investment £12,627.00 Evolve Central Costs: Actual & Match P/Bene £602.00 Total Investment Per Beneficiary £1521.02 PRINCE’S TRUST Beneficiary Outcomes % of Completers (3 early leavers) % of Starters Full time employment 28% 28% Part time employment 12% 12% Self employment 3% 3% Voluntary work 7% 7% Further education & training 42% 42% Unemployment 5% 5%

Impact & Outcomes: The Prince’s Trust learning harvested context The 14-19 Education and Skills White Paper was published in 2005, and set out a number of key principles, including: We want every young person to be secure in the basics that they will need for life and work; All learning programmes should have clear progression routes to further learning. We want young people to leave learning with the skills that employers need. What did we learn from the project? 1 Employers were looking for ‘employability’ Consultation with employers highlighted that they were looking for qualities that would increase young people’s employability, and felt that increased personal development, motivation and responsibility were important – qualities required to learn the skills of the job. We used interviews and an empowerment indicator to assess the ‘employability’ of an individual to ascertain their needs, self-esteem and motivation, which would facilitate their entry into, and sustainability within, the economic market. 2 Small financial grants can make a difference Young people experience various barriers to accessing training, education or work, many of which are financial. The attachment of a small, non ring-fenced budget to each young person an organisation works with, enables projects to react quickly to barriers experienced, positively impacting retention and motivation. 3 Young people are keen to express their views Young people involved in fora or opinion groups need to know that the opinions and concerns they are expressing are being acted upon, in order for the group to retain motivation and gain momentum. We found that metaplanning was an effective tool to focus participants on the action they wished to take on matters which concerned them, and supported them to take an active role in making things happen, We offered participants a choice of venues to conduct their meetings, and we were surprised that they wanted to use the formal meeting room in the council building. They reported that the venue made them feel important and valued. Work with young people to place clear limits on the number of adults attending meetings, lessening the potential of an adult led agenda 16 “ I f I’d not got support from The Prince’s Trust I’d probably be in jail, really bad on drugs and that. But now I’ve got a chance to live a normal life.” Next

Mainstreaming: The Prince’s Trust The Prince’s Trust focused efforts on the following aims in order to get what it has developed taken up: To develop information and marketing materials to raise awareness and promote interest in mainstreaming activities To mainstream Prince’s Trust OCN package To mainstream Prince’s Trust Youth Advisory Group To mainstream Prince’s Trust Evolve Awards methodology and principles To mainstream Prince’s Trust group mentoring methodology and principles Mainstreaming Outcome The data available at the time of writing suggests some confidence about Mainstreaming, and Prince’s Trust Senior Managers are considering further development of the ‘Get Into’ programme, the use of mentors and the Advisory Group. “ The next step for the project is to pick out the successes we have had so far, and then look to see how we can introduced these alongside and into the Prince’s Trust programmes.” 17 Main page

“ I found the whole experience useful. Being in volunteer work has increased my self-esteem. I am now looking for opportunities in paid employment…building on what she has done for me. I liked the way I was in control all the time and she gave space for me to explore what I wanted out of the whole experience.”

Impact & Outcomes: Kent & Medway NHS MPT summary The KMPT Evolve Project focused on the introduction of Vocational Advisors to Community Mental Health Teams. The VA’s supported individuals with mental health problems back into the work place, provided advice and support to both the client and the employer. They also offered a vocational service to those who were not quite ready to enter paid employment by establishing a vocational pathway. This included training, education and/or voluntary work which was regularly reviewed and enabled the client to progress towards employment at a time that was right for them. target group Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust offered 1:1 support, advice and guidance to mental health recoverers via Vocational Advisors (VA’s). The VA’s work with clients to develop an individualised vocational pathway, and address the vocational gaps in the client’s care plan. process 18 Next

Impact & Outcomes: Kent & Medway NHS MPT Mainstreaming this Project? Investment Per Beneficiary £1027.34 19 The implication of these figures is that for every 10 people who fully use this Evolve advisory process about half will progress into work or pursue learning. For every 10 people who start this process more than 3 will progress into work or learning (another 3 will not complete) at a cost of about £10,000 for each group of 10. Next Breakdown of Evolve Investment Total Number of KMPT Beneficiaries 289 Actual KMPT Project Costs £122,504.00 Total Match Funding Investment £174,402.00 Evolve Central Team Costs: Actual & Match £602.00 Total Investment Per Beneficiary £1629.34 KMPT Beneficiary Outcomes % of Completers (125 early leavers) % of Starters Full time employment 12% 7% Part time employment 10% 6% Self employment 2% 1% Voluntary work 22% 12% Further education & training 13% 7% Unemployment ??% ??%

Impact & Outcomes: Kent & Medway NHS MPT learning harvested context Adults with severe mental health problems are one of the most socially excluded groups in society. Although many want to work, less than a quarter actually do. People with severe mental health problems have the lowest employment rate for any of the main groups of disabled people. 20 “ T he individual focus was great, I felt that I was not being fitted around a care structure already in place, but rather that the VA was genuinely listening and responding to what I was saying and fitting the care structure around me.” Next

Mainstreaming: Kent & Medway H&SCPT Kent & Medway Health and Social Care Partnership Trust focused efforts on the following aims in order to get what it has developed taken up: To develop information and marketing materials to raise awareness and promote interest in mainstreaming activities To secure the Vocational Advisor Role within KMNHS Mainstreaming Outcome Senior Managers have approved funding for 4 Vocational Advisor posts within the Trust, as of January 2008. The role of the VA is also being extended to the Voluntary Agencies, and there is a pilot being conducted at the moment for the VA within the voluntary groups to be housed within the Community Health Teams. It is the intention to roll this out across Kent, and will be the main focus of the Conference in March. “ T he future strategy of the Trust is to mainstream the Evolve project, given the success of the project, we have been engaged with our commissioners to carry out a consultation with our service users. I can confirm that by 2008 we would expect to have 3 vocational advisors permanently employed in three localities, providing services to 9 community mental health teams.” Meena McGill, Strategy Lead for Rehabilitation Services 21 Main page

“ Our philosophy is that everyone is employable”

Impact & Outcomes: MCCH summary MCCH worked with Maplesden Noakes School to support inclusion for adults with physical and learning disabilities. People on the programme assisted school pupils studying for their GCSE’s in health and social care. The pupils also became support volunteers on courses that adults attended at the school. These included art, cookery and ICT courses. MCCH also added a ‘self employment’ aspect to this programme as the school specialises in business enterprise. target group The project was aimed at people with learning, mental and physical disabilities, who are already in contact with MCCH’s services. process 22 Next

Impact & Outcomes: MCCH Mainstreaming this Project? Investment Per Beneficiary £670.56 23 The implication of these figures is that if 10 people with learning difficulties to participate in this Evolve process then 2 people are likely to be able to undertake work of a voluntary or part time nature. For every 10 who start this process slightly fewer than 2 will go on to work and the total cost will be just under £7000 Next Breakdown of Evolve Investment Total Number of MCCH Beneficiaries 43 Actual MCCH Project Costs £13,270.00 Total Match Funding Investment £10,200.00 Evolve Central Team Costs: Actual & Match £602.00 Total Investment Per Beneficiary £1272.56 MCCH Beneficiary Outcomes % of Completers (8 early leavers) % of Starters Full time employment 0% 0% Part time employment 6% 5% Self employment 0% 0% Voluntary work 14% 12% Further education & training 0% 0% Unemployment 71% 58%

Impact & Outcomes: MCCH learning harvested context It is estimated that there are approximately 210,000 people with severe learning disabilities in England, and about 1.2 million with a mild or moderate disability. Valuing People (2001) outlined a number of problems facing people with learning disabilities, including: People with learning disabilities often have little choice or control over many aspects of their lives; Day services are often not tailored to the needs and abilities of the individual; Limited opportunities for employment. 24 “ O ne of the biggest successes for me was the integration between the students [Maplesden Oakes]…the children did learn a lot by having people with disabilities in the school” Next

Mainstreaming: MCCH Kent & Medway NHS Partnership Trust focused efforts on the following aims in order to get what it has developed taken up: To develop information and marketing materials to raise awareness and promote interest in mainstreaming activities To extend the pilot programme with schools “ W e have been able to build links with a school in the Rye area – next stage for MCCH is to secure more funding to enable us to continue our partnership with Maplesden Noakes and also feed through to commissioners within our locality, some of the advantages that this project has allowed us to achieve” Derek Thomas, MCCH Mainstreaming Outcome The data available at the time of writing suggests that the partnership model tested between the MCCH Evolve Project and schools will be replicated with a Secondary School in Rye. It is also likely that MCCH will link directly with the mainstreaming of KMPT’s services. 25 Main page

Summary of Evolve Impact & Outcomes “ O ne particular success story that springs to mind is a woman I was working with who had been out of work for a number of years, suffering with schizophrenia, and we worked together to approach an employer, and she managed to get work and she is now working full time, and as a result of this she has now noticed a reduction in some of the symptoms of her schizophrenia.” 26 Next EVOLVE Beneficiary Outcomes % of Completers (220 early leavers) % of Starters Full time employment 16% 12% Part time employment 12% 9% Self employment 2% 1% Voluntary work 14% 10% Further education & training 19% 14% Totals 63% 46% Breakdown of Evolve Investment Total Number of EVOLVE Beneficiaries 850 Actual Project Costs £526,899.00 Total Match Funding Investment £264,709.00 Evolve Central Team Costs: Actual & Match £506,884.00 Total Project Costs £1,298492.00

conclusions & learning harvested What did we learn? Dedicating time to pre-implementation research helps to build a strong case and robust foundations for a focused business plan. At the project planning stage, identify a realistic number of potential supporters of the project, who are positioned strategically to influence budgets and local and/or national policy, and plan in dedicated management time to keeping these key people informed. conclusions Significant Improvements in Employability Adoption of EVOLVE methodologies At the time of writing we can confidently conclude that three of the five sub projects have not only created innovative processes for increasing the employability of their disadvantaged groups but are having those processes specifically replicated or adopted at organisational level. Other projects are likely to influence their organisational practice – and Kent County Council are inviting Evolve to help incorporate lessons into the way Directorates recruit from the disadvantaged groups Evolve has worked with. 27 According to the project returns Evolve recruited 850 people of whom 630 completed new processes that helped 63% (395 people) into work or further education/training at an average cost per person recruited of £ 9 30. Main page Conclusions

conclusions & learning harvested What did we learn? conclusions Project Management that Enabled Practitioner Progress The central management of Evolve was faced with administering a notoriously bureaucratic EU programme. It aimed to minimise the administrative burden on the sub projects which, while that burden might have still have felt substantial for the sub-projects, was in our experience significantly less than most practitioners in other Equal Projects had to deal with. Evolve was effectively managed through major changes in funding that threatened its survival. The direction and management of Evolve enabled practitioner teams to deliver significant results in finding new ways to increase the employability of specifically disadvantaged groups in Kent. Identifying the monitoring data that needs to be collected at the beginning of the project, and establishing systems to collect and collate it, helps to minimise administration. Evolve took into account the need to show the distance travelled by beneficiaries, and developed tools which highlighted the impact of the project intervention. 28 Main page Conclusions

Measuring innovation in Evolve section three “ Developing new approaches to discrimination in the labour market which can then be mainstreamed”

measuring innovation in Evolve An Innovation Toolkit was developed by the Innovation Sub-group and Evolve evaluators. The Toolkit was not designed as a scientific assessment of innovation, however it was intended to provide a springboard for individual projects to reflect on their project concept and delivery, and: - Encourage further research; - Regularly consult with beneficiaries and analyse whether beneficiary feedback impacted project delivery and strategic direction; - Assess whether project innovation was cyclical; - Think about mainstreaming progress. Innovation Sub-Group worked with Evaluators to develop Innovation Toolkit Evolve Sub-project teams self-assess quarterly over 6 months, using Innovation Toolkit After 2 quarters completed, comparative report produced & action identified One further 3 month assessment completed, comparative report produced & action identified Innovation Report integrated into Final Report process Please refer to Appendix 1 for Innovation Toolkit 29 Next

The embedding of Vocational Advisors in Community Mental Health Teams Expanded curriculum opportunities for people with learning difficulties focused on using therapeutic art skill development for potential work/employment skills Targeting, support and mentoring of people from BME communities into Care work Using child-care work opportunities as a springboard for small groups of lone parents to explore other work opportunities Methods of tracking innovation in experimental projects identifying innovation in Evolve Innovation In Evolve New methods of recruiting and interviewing beneficiaries to accommodate support needs New OCN Accredited Personal Development course New voluntary sector partnerships with schools, with provision for Social Care students to achieve curriculum components through volunteer opportunities with MCCH 30 Next

innovation indicator results At the beginning of the Equal Evolve project, each of the sub-projects undertook further research into their project concept, and concluded that their innovation was focused at organisation level, as similar concepts had been introduced before, locally or nationally, but they were introducing minor changes or different methods of execution. The changes in the focus on ‘goal oriented innovation’ is clearly illustrated in the graph (right), with some sub-projects finding that beneficiaries needed more intensive support prior to accessing new qualifications or employment opportunities, and other sub-projects finding that opportunities to gain qualifications for beneficiaries emerged during the programme. concept goal 31 Next

innovation indicator results process context The shifts from ‘goal’ to ‘process oriented innovation’ are evident, with most of the sub-projects finding that they had to develop new recruitment methods for beneficiaries, new organisational administration systems and new ways of supporting beneficiaries, which emerged during the life of the programme. Many of the ‘context innovation’ scores remained relatively static throughout the self-assessments. This is mainly due to ambitious scoring at the outset, with most sub-projects indicating that they were influencing policy and organisational strategy from the beginning of the project, which was more a reflection of what they hoped to do as the project developed. 32 Next

innovation indicator results consultation/review mainstreaming The graph illustrates that, within most of the sub-projects, consultation activity with beneficiaries increased as the projects developed. However, the consultation remained relatively informal, and many of the projects used informal feedback to make minor adjustments to delivery, rather than structured consultation to inform project development and strategy, which is reflected in the self-assessment scores. The graph illustrates that most of the sub-projects focused on mainstreaming in the latter stages of project delivery, with only KMNHS taking a different approach by strategically aligning mainstreaming activity from the beginning of the project. The self-assessment scores relate closely to the mainstreaming outcomes of the sub-projects, with KMNHS strongly positioned to mainstream activities within the organisation. 33 Next

conclusions & learning harvested Allocate realistic scores It is important to be realistic when allocating scores to the different sections of the toolkit, and not to project action that is intended in the future. This enables clear progression to be seen, as the project develops. Dedicate time to analysing the results The process of using the indicator is not complete until the results have been properly analysed. Analysis of the results will provide projects with an action plan which will inform the future direction of the project, and ensure that the project remains responsive and innovative. What did we learn? “ I wish I had the chance to use the toolkit again from the beginning. I would have been more realistic with the scores, because in the long run we would have shown more progression and we could have reflected on the results and used the information to do things differently, like focus on mainstreaming earlier.” conclusion Successful innovation by the sub-projects has been largely focused on practitioner innovation; on opportunities to work in a different way rather than on goal and policy. Consequently the emphasis in Evolve is consistent with the findings of the DWP’s Equal Research report 113 i.e it has focused on valuable local innovations of process and practice new to their individual organisations (e.g group interviewing of potential beneficiaries) rather than innovation that challenges institutional practice (e.g the influence of beneficiaries on policy) Emphasis on Practitioner Innovation 34 Main page Conclusions

Measuring Empowerment in Evolve section four “ The idea of empowerment is that those who have little or no influence, such as excluded people, are able to acquire the capacity to have informed opinions, to take initiative, make independent choices and influence change”

measuring empowerment in Evolve The Evolve Evaluators worked with the Empowerment Thematic Group to develop an Empowerment Toolkit. The Toolkit was based on measuring three aspects of empowerment: - Organisational Empowerment Organisations need to ensure they have an empowering environment, e.g policies, procedures, staff with empowering and rights focused practice, staff who are supported to practice, resources to facilitate empowerment and change etc - Group Empowerment Individuals can feel more powerful and enabled within a collective, or it can have the opposite effect. People are often assessed in their groups, which does not give a holistic picture, and needs to be combined with: - Individual Empowerment Individuals are assessed at the beginning and end of the programme, and measures focus on recognised components of empowerment. Beneficiaries Evaluation Team Key Staff Organisational Empowerment Group Empowerment Individual Empowerment process The individual sub-projects changed the Empowerment methodology during the life of the Evolve project, and focused on using Individual Empowerment measures within a group setting. These results were unavailable at the time of the final evaluation report. One of the sub-projects, Equal Care, piloted the Individual Empowerment indicator with 17 beneficiaries at the beginning of the programme, and the results are illustrated in this section. 35 Next

piloting the empowerment indicator Improve language Communication with others Learning new skills Obtaining recognised awards Gaining recognition for existing qualifications Gaining recognition for existing experience Applying for jobs Developing new interests to combat apathy Career guidance Willingness to do voluntary work Desire to help the community Desire to help the project Revisiting previous career in India 17 beneficiaries applied to join the Evolve Equal Care Sub-Project in December 2005. Early in the programme, the beneficiaries were interviewed to find out, inter alia, what they hoped to gain from their participation: The evaluators then worked with the beneficiaries to distil these out to seven factors: Improving Language Trying New Things Confidence Learning Energy & Ambition Helping Others Recognition The group developed statements against each of the factors, which summarised increasing ‘levels’ of development. Individual beneficiaries went on to score themselves prior to starting the programme, and then met with Evaluators at the end of the programme to repeat the exercise. 36 Next

piloting the empowerment indicator 76% of beneficiaries indicated that their use of English Language had improved as a result of the programme. Some improvements are considerable, with beneficiaries indicating that they had moved from having low English levels to being confident in using their English language skills improving language 41% of beneficiaries indicated that they had gained confidence in their ability to try new things, and 47% of beneficiaries indicated no change. The remaining 13% required more intensive ongoing support, due to the fact that they had not been successful in gaining employment. trying new things 37 Next

piloting the empowerment indicator 47% of beneficiaries indicated an increase in confidence, and 35% indicated no change. For those who indicated a loss of confidence, the wording of the indicators was reviewed, and it was concluded that there was not enough differentiation between them, which may have affected the result. confidence 95% of beneficiaries indicated that they had self-belief in their ability to learn, and 35% indicated movement towards helping and facilitating others, which was achieved through participants supporting new people accessing the programme. 3 respondents reverted back to a self belief in learning when the course ended, which reflected their circumstances. learning 38 Next

piloting the empowerment indicator 65% of beneficiaries indicated increased energy and ambition, from a starting point of little ambition or wanting to do more with their lives, and moving to wanting to grab opportunities that came their way. The 29% indicated no change were motivated individuals, whose next step would be motivating others. energy & ambition 53% beneficiaries indicated greater motivation to help others, and 47% indicated no change. 18% of beneficiaries made leaps from not believing that they could help others to learn, to volunteering and feeling confident about it. helping others 39 Next

piloting the empowerment indicator This category was added entirely by beneficiaries, who developed their own set of indicators, as recognition was important to them. 88% of beneficiaries felt that they had gained recognition for their achievements, and the lack of gaining employment may have affected the remaining 12%. recognition “ Everything is new and exciting in my life in England now. I feel I can make decisions quicker and they are correct! I am also looking forward to working with success in the care profession so I can be financially independent.” case study 40 Next Rani grew up in the Punjab, India, and was educated until she was 18 years old. She moved to England in 1997 and is married with 2 children. She has never managed to get a job - employers stated she lacked experience, she had low self confidence and no clear career path. Rani also felt closed off from any professional help. Rani is now completing the Equal Care Training Course and volunteering as a Care Worker to gain work experience. Her English has improved through ESOL classes. Rani used the Empowerment Indicator to express the way she felt before and after the training, and significant improvements were noted.

conclusion & learning harvested Dedicate time to identify factors Beneficiaries attend programmes for many different reasons, and taking the time to identify factors which would enable them to take control over aspects of their lives, was valuable. Project staff were able to use the information gained to tailor packages of support and learning to individuals, ensuring innovation and responsiveness. Empowerment needs a strategy Empowerment is a step by step process, and an exit strategy is required for beneficiaries who are involved in short term projects, ensuring that they continue to be supported and encouraged beyond the project lifetime. What did we learn? “ I couldn’t believe it when the tutor turned round and asked us what we wanted to cover on the course. I have never been asked anything like that before, and it made me feel sort of special, what I had to say really mattered” Evolve has produced a set of new empowerment measures and made them available for further testing. It developed the process of measuring empowerment another step by producing and testing individual empowerment measures in a number of contexts. Evolve experience suggests that practitioners are more focused on individual progress in empowerment than in group empowerment or the capacity of organisations to support empowerment. conclusion New Empowerment Measures Produced 41 Main page Conclusions

Equal Opportunities in Evolve section five “… Equal is a ‘flagship’ equalities programme. It is a testing ground for developing and disseminating new ways of delivering employment policies to combat all forms of discrimination and inequality experienced by those trying to get into the labour market, and those already in it”

equalising opportunities through Evolve Initial Research – what are the problems? Projects Established process An Equal Opportunities Leading Principal Group was established, with representatives from each of the partner projects. The group provided a forum for partners to exchange ideas, communicate successes and barriers and share best practice. The Equal Evolve Project adopted a horizontal approach to mainstreaming, with equality principals underpinning each of the sub-projects, recognition of diversity and raising awareness through practice, dissemination and influence. Each of the Evolve projects was specifically targeted on groups of people who experience barriers to employment & training and labour market disadvantage, namely: Lone Parents Young people BME adults Adults with mental health problems Adults with physical and learning disabilities Equal Opportunities Leading Principal Group Established to share practice 42 Next

The 14-19 Education and Skills White Paper was published in 2005, and set out a number of key principles, including: equal opportunities It is estimated that there are approximately 210,000 people with Severe learning disabilities in England, and about 1.2 million with a mild or moderate disability. Valuing People (2001) outlined a number of problems facing people with learning disabilities, including: People with learning disabilities often have little choice or control over many aspects of their lives; Day services are often not tailored to the needs and abilities of the individual; Limited opportunities for employment. We want every young person to be secure in the basics that they will need for life and work; All learning programmes should have clear progression routes to further learning. We want young people to leave learning with the skills that employers need. Adults with severe mental health problems are one of the most socially excluded groups in society. Although many want to work, less than a quarter actually do. People with severe mental health problems have the lowest employment rate for any of the main groups of disabled people. The number of older people from BME groups is set to rise dramatically over the next few decades, yet there are knowledge gaps in relation to the needs of older people from BME communities, and how to reach them. Coupled with this, there is a 15% gap in the employment rate of ethnic minorities and that of the overall population. Bangladeshi (72%) and Pakistani (68%) women have the highest female economic inactivity rates; the majority of these women are looking after their family or home. Increasingly, each of these factors will have implications for the provision of care for older people from BME communities. They are mostly women (94%); 47% have children under school age; 51% have neither academic nor technical qualifications; 56% said they were interested in training or studying. There is estimated to be about 1.75 million lone-parent families in the UK. Approximately 54% of these are employed. The Government has set a target of 70% by 2010. Lessof et al (2001) found that lone parents on income support had the following characteristics: Inequalities addressed by Evolve 43 Next

equal opportunities Evolve Beneficiaries: Ethnicity Breakdown Evolve Beneficiaries: Disability Breakdown 44 Next

equal opportunities Evolve Beneficiaries: Gender case study 45 Next Kevin is a divorced single father with one son. In his teenage years Kevin’s parents divorced and for a time he was heavily involved with drugs and alcohol. Kevin joined the army and eventually left to get married, but the relationship broke down. Kevin saw the single parent advisor who told him about the ‘Getting On’ course; he wasn’t shy about meeting new people he needed something that fitted in with his son, and wants a career for himself. “ Getting On is a really good course; it gives you something to think about and the CV workshop and the Morisby were very helpful. It has been good talking to new people and has given me the opportunity to try new things. I have been asked what I want, I have received some good advice and made some new friends.” Kevin was initially concerned about being the only man in a group of women, but found that there was no prejudice or discrimination. He felt very comfortable in the group and found the experience worthwhile.

Recruitment that included about a third from BME British communities and a third comprising people with disabilities (physical, mental or learning) implies that Evolve successfully recruited a significant proportion of people from disadvantaged groups it was designed to serve. conclusion & learning harvested Limited Availability of Baseline Data Due to the limited amount of baseline data available about the target group at community level, it would have been useful to dedicate time to gathering Equal Opportunities baseline information and establishing targets at the beginning of the project. What did we learn? conclusion Successful Targeting to Reach Disadvantaged Groups “ T he evolve approach gave us the opportunity to focus on a single client group…” 46 Main page Conclusions

Partnership Working section six “ Evolve has been a partnership in the true sense of the word. ”

Partnership Working Partnership was a core component of the Equal Evolve Project. Partnerships occurred in three distinct ways: The Evolve Development Partnership Transnational Partnership Stakeholder Partnership partnership model Evolve Central Team KAES KMPT EQUAL CARE PRINCE’S TRUST MCCH The Evolve Development Partnership Evolve DP UK The Link DP Finland Work:less care DP Holland Lebensarbeit DP Austria Transnational Partnership Each partner worked closely with a variety of organisations to achieve Evolve’s goals 47 Next

Some EQUAL projects we have evaluated have had Steering Groups of around 40. The compact size of EVOLVE’s steering group avoided some key difficulties which frequently characterise public sector steering groups of joint projects: The Development Partnership Evolve was effectively a partnership of teams from five organisations: Kent & Medway NHS Partnership Trust Kent Adult Education Service Kent Adult Social Services Prince’s Trust MCCH good size for effective working It was not too big to make meaningful decisions It did not have lay members (e.g employers) whose interest was likely to lie only in one part of the project Members neither meddled nor rubber-stamped project manager’s decisions; they decided on decisions that directly affected them Members did not get boring project manager reports inflicted on them “… another success of the project was the partnership working. The fact that we brought different agencies together, with a clear sense of what the desired outcome was, and the clients were very appreciative of that partnership approach.” 48 Next

The Development Partnership Work recently done at the World Bank about evaluating partnerships – to which we contributed – concluded that the motives for participating in partnerships appear to be threefold; namely the extent to which each partner: common issues Has clear incentives to take part (in this case funding of the work of their teams) Avoids clear penalties that might follow non-participation (in this case decisions that affected them over which they had no influence if they failed to participate) Meets clear obligations by participating (in this case commitments by their departments to experiment with new approaches to address important issues for disadvantaged users of Kent County Council/ NHS services judging partnerships In this case all three motives appear to have been present and strong in the work of the Steering Group in making administrative decisions and strategic decisions that enable the projects to do their own thing in ways that ensured they met the complex requirements of the funder However the partnership work in the joint groups was driven in our judgment initially by obligation (each partner having agreed to work on those themes) but then by shared interest as team members discovered common issues and shared expertise in addressing them 49 Next

Stakeholder Partnership The Prince’s Trust experimented with partnership work with young people through an Advisory Group and collaborated strongly with Connexions The Care sub-project had its own steering group which included both employers and beneficiaries and worked in close partnership with care home employers to place beneficiaries The Kent & Medway NHS Trust sub-project worked in very close partnership with the Community Mental Health Teams – who had responsibility for their beneficiaries’ health – and individual employers The Kent Adult Education sub-project worked in close partnership with SureStart, Job Centre Plus, and with Nurseries which provided beneficiary work experience. MCCH worked in an innovative partnership with schools Beyond the small steering team, thematic groups and the transnational partnership on which we comment elsewhere, strong examples of broader partnership activity in Evolve was mostly found in the sub-projects: “ Job centre plus were really pleased to work in partnership with the Evolve Programme, we were able to introduce the Evolve project to Children’s Centre Managers, to secure training venues in the heart of the community for the people the course was designed for.” 50 Next

Transnational Partnership The transnational collaboration was between: Work:less care - a Dutch Development Partnership Lebensarbeit - an Austrian Development Partnership The Link - a Finnish Development Partnership Evolve - a UK Development Partnership The purposes of the transnational partnership were: Gaining information and understanding about each others’ projects New ideas Networking Collaboration 51 Next

Transnational Partnership Evolve took a key role in the transnational partnership which could best be seen through its involvement in the first and last meetings: 1. The first meeting in 2005 was externally evaluated for Evolve (there was no transnational evaluation budget as such). The benefits of this were: The transnational partners could create some success criteria There was some clear and shared reflection between and for partners, about what they wanted and what they got from the event They were clear about the successes and lessons from the first event – these would influence the organisation of all succeeding events 2. The organisation and planning of the last meeting was heavily influenced by Evolve and was judged by all participants as successful and a valuable investment of time. “ Transnational work is a key component of Equal as it provides access to European practice. DP’s benefit from joint working as well as the opportunity to exchange expertise and information. ” 52 Next

Transnational Partnership Example of the Equal collaboration schedule between transnational partners: 53 Next Knowledge transfer What is it? Aim Results How Vocational Training Working and learning at the same time To provide information on the content of the individual national programme Deeper understanding of transnational vocational practice Vocational training (best practice case studies) presented by lead, exchange of staff knowledge, presenting tools to develop further Mentoring Holistic personal To provide information on the content of the individual project programme and provide a qualification programme from the UK Deeper understanding of transnational mentoring practice Mentoring practice (best practice case studies) presented by lead, exchange of staff knowledge, competence scan (NL), questionnaire Empowerment The power from within to move forward. Provision of long-term tools to do so The aim is to provide developments of their peer group model of NL and compare it with the models of the transnational partners Deeper understanding of empowerment as demonstrated by the NL partners with co-operation from all partners Empowerment presented by lead, including case studies, exchange of knowledge for staff, workshops, questionnaire Local Co-operation Collective responsibility networking at different levels The aim is to disseminate models of local partnerships and share between all transnational partners Deeper understanding of local co-operation in a transnational context Sharing developments of Nas & Mazzel market and the network platform – GB to provide a regional and national structure and linked to local cooperation. FIN will share results from the research of local co-operation

Transnational Partnership Example of the Equal collaboration schedule between transnational partners: 54 Next Knowledge transfer What is it? Aim Results How Employer Engagement Research into the needs of the employer on a transnational level and share the outcome The aim is to provide a transnational context. Dissemination of research results between all partners Transnational audit of employers needs Employer questionnaire from FI partners. All partners use same questionnaire (translated) and agree on similar research methods. AT’s main responsibility. Collect reports. Evaluation Control/develop quality of outcomes & process of transnational co-operation Develop the processes to steer the transnational co-operation Formative reports on the results from the transnational meetings, midtime report and final evaluation TCA Project planner. Questionnaires after the transnational meetings. Transnational training Methodology for sharing information, results and working tools The aim is to share information, results and working tools Transnational audit on the employers needs Formative report, summative report Deeper understanding of: transnational vocational practice; mentoring; empowerment; local co-operation; Meeting, seminars, exchanges, market for projects, tools and services. Sharing best practice models. Questionnaire

Conclusions & Learning Harvested By commissioning an evaluation of its first transnational event, Evolve learnt early lessons which it then applied to succeeding events, thereby optimising the benefits of the time invested with partners, both transnational and local. Dedicate time to building enthusiasm and support Dedicate management time to networking with potential strategic supporters of your project, helping to slowly build enthusiasm for project outcomes, and ensuring that information is available for strategic planning. Our conclusion is that partnership working was not only a key ingredient across the whole project, but was in most cases highly sustainable because it was particularly characterised by what we would term strategic alliances, i.e partnerships between organisations through which each partner invested in partnership because collaboration on the ground helped them achieve goals at the heart of their own core purpose. conclusions Sustainable Partnership Working What did we learn? Early Learning Benefits Transnationality “… the partners come into play because we can use examples of best practice from different partners of Evolve for the help of the project” 55 Main page Conclusions

Acknowledgements Total Improvement Process Ltd would like to thank all those who have co-operated during the evaluation process, and contributed to this report. Disclaimer This evaluation was performed in cooperation with the Equal Evolve Project. The contents of this report reflect the views of the author, who is responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official view or policies of the Equal Evolve Project. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Trade names were used solely for information and not for service or product endorsement. The evaluation and evaluation report has been undertaken by Total Improvement Process Ltd www.totalimprove,com

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