Learning
Learning
VAF has always placed an emphasis on learning and sharing of learning/good practice through the funded projects and in our own working practices. VAF are funding a wide range of project based work which have incredible and far reaching outcomes. In their role as an Investment Funder, VAF are stimulating learning across the areas we are funding and this section showcases some of our current work and approaches.
Learning Sets – capturing shared learning
Running complementary to the investment support packages which capture individual learning, VAF bring groups of staff (or ‘experts’) together for from funded projects to take part in dedicated Learning Sets. The topics being explored are identified through our training events where common issues arising can be flagged up. Recent Learning Sets have looked at topics such as Working with Mainstream Agencies, Taking forward Integration & Cohesion, Building Sustainability and Planning for Change.
The reports from the Mainstream Agencies day can be accessed here Mainstream Agency Working and from Taking forward Integration & Cohesion Learning Set Cohesion
A further learning set on Youth Homelessness is planned to take place in December 2007 and the learning from this will be available on the website if possible.
Development of Peer Led Evaluation
The Volunteering Scotland Grant Scheme has a tranche of projects approaching their third and final year of funding. To support them in capturing and sharing their outcomes, VAF have supported the training of peer evaluators – recruited from across the funded projects. The role of Peer Evaluators is to support self evaluation (using an outcomes approach) within their peer projects, encouraging reflection and analysis. Crucially the Peer Evaluators are also ‘critical friends’ – highlighting areas where funded organsiations may wish to build practice.
This work is currently underway – watch this space to find out what we learnt in supporting this work.
Programme Level Evaluation
VAF have always instigated project level evaluation and have from this extrapolated the programme impact. This approach is being developed further through the design and instigation of systematic programme level evaluations across funded programmes. This is one of our key priorities for 2007/08 so watch this space for further information.
Supporting the Development of an Outcome Monitoring Approach
The Funders Forum Scotland in collaboration with Scottish Government commissioned VAF to undertake a programme of action research with the Race Equality Integration and Community Support Fund projects. VAF drove this forward in collaboration with Evaluation Support Scotland. The action research looked specifically at:
The skills and capacity of project staff in recording and reporting outcomes
- Barriers to recording and reporting on outcomes
- How funders need to support the development of an outcome focused approach in funded projects
The research report can be accessed from here Investing in Outcomes
VAF as an agent of change – taking forward the delivery of Government Policy
VAF receive funding from the Scottish Government in order to take forward various policy areas through the provision of grant funding and investment support. To assess how well VAF deliver outcomes for the Government, VAF commissioned Reid Howie Associates to research into how well the EMGS, UVAF and Valuing Volunteers (small one off grants) had delivered Scottish Executive policy.
The main strategies which VAF are delivering against are The Volunteering Strategy, Vision for the Volunteering Sector, and Equality Strategies. But the results also showed that VAF was not just delivering these policies, but also the ‘Vision for the Voluntary Sector’, ‘Closing the Opportunity Gap’ and ‘Closing the Gap’.
The research also demonstrated that it is clear that VAF and VAF-funded projects made a significant impact on a number of key Scottish Executive policies over the life of the funds. While the Scottish Executive set the context for the funds, the detail of delivery was by led by VAF who developed the funding approach and networks of support and learning.
The Research quite clearly demonstrated that VAF had been ‘agents for change’ on behalf of the Scottish Government.
Download a summary of the Reid Howie report (PDF 212KB)
VAF as an agent of change – building sustainable organisations
At VAF we also wanted to know about the long term impact of our funding support on developing sustainable projects and organisations. Across 2006, VAF conducted specific research on how VAF funding and the investment support had developed the ability to deliver long term community benefits within organisations funded. The study showed that there was an increase in capacity within organisations as a result of the different VAF funding and support during the funding period, and that this capacity continued post funding. The research also produced some insights into the external pressures which impact on sustainability and which need to be realistically assessed by funders who are about to make an investment in an organisation.
"VAF is a trail blazer and should be commended for trusting new and exciting work in the voluntary sector".
A full copy of the report can be accessed here: Funding the Future