ceni
training and support services - standard training courses
CENI offers the following open training courses:
Introducing Self-Evaluation
Methods/Tools for Self-Evaluation
Analysing and Reporting *New*
Getting the Most From External Evaluation
Introducing Outcomes
Evaluating Social Capital Outcomes
Approaches to Quality Within the Voluntary & Community Sector
Implementing PQASSO (2 day)
*Current training dates - click here to book a place
on-line
*CENI a registered ILM Provider of Endorsed
and Development Awards
Introducing Self-Evaluation
This course seeks to raise awareness of self-evaluation and promotes
its use as a management tool which can facilitate organisational
planning, review and learning.
The course is designed to help volunteers, staff, managers and
funders of community and voluntary organisations become more aware
of the issues involved in self-evaluation and to provide practical
tools to assist participants implement effective self-evaluation
systems into their everyday work.
The course includes:
- An introduction to the concept of self-evaluation
- An overview of the issues involved in self-evaluation
- An overview of the self-evaluation process
- Support to develop a self-evaluation framework involving: clarification
of outcomes; establishing indicators of success; collecting quantitative
and qualitative information
- Guidance on analysis and interpretation of evaluation data
- Tips on reporting and using your self-evaluation
The course draws on discussions, case studies and worked examples
to guide participants through the process of self-evaluation. Participants
have opportunity to develop a plan for evaluating a small section
of their own project, which can then be adapted and applied to other
areas of work.
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Methods/Tools for Self-Evaluation *NEW*
This new one-day course is for managers and staff within voluntary/community organisations who wish to introduce or improve the quality and use of monitoring and self-evaluation tools and methods within their organisation. In the current funding environment it is increasingly important for organisations to be able to demonstrate the value of their work and to support their reporting of project activities with good evidence that is both quantitative and qualitative.
This course is designed to help participants understand the different approaches to gathering evidence and the range of evaluation methods and tools available. It will look at the pros and cons of using different methods and their appropriateness for different contexts and client groups. Some time will be spent focusing on the use of questionnaires and observation methods for evaluation and the training will highlight good practice issues in the use of these approaches. Participants will also consider some creative methods which might be appropriate as well as recognising the value of on-going recording of activities. The session will also incorporate discussion on capturing project outcomes including examples of baseline tools for evaluation.
Course objectives:
- To raise awareness of the purpose and benefits of evidence gathering to capture different aspects of participants' work eg outputs, outcomes, the quality of the service etc.
- To enable participants to distinguish between qualitative and quantitative approaches to evaluation.
- To increase awareness of the range of methods available for self-evaluation (including current examples from a variety of contexts) and the pros and cons of particular methods.
- To enable participants to consider which methods are most appropriate for evaluating their work as well as identify appropriate tools for specific client groups eg children, people with learning or language difficulties.
- To consider good practice issues in integrating evaluation methods into daily work.
The course will use examples and tools and provide structured input, discussion and case studies to support participants with the development of evaluation tools.
This new one day course is the final in the self-evaluation series and explores the importance of analysing and using your evaluation findings. Building on the inputs from previous courses including self-evaluation and the use of evaluation methods and tools, this course explains the process of analysis in more detail and is designed to help participants consider approaches for examining both quantitative and qualitative evidence. The session will include ways to collate, organise and further analyse the information to enable participants to interpret and make judgements on their evaluation findings.
Analysing and Reporting *NEW*
This new one day course is the final in the self-evaluation series and explores the importance of analysing and using your evaluation findings. Building on the inputs from previous courses including self-evaluation and the use of evaluation methods and tools, this course explains the process of analysis in more detail and is designed to help participants consider approaches for examining both quantitative and qualitative evidence. The session will include ways to collate, organise and further analyse the information to enable participants to interpret and make judgements on their evaluation findings.
Participants will also consider ways of presenting and reporting their evaluation findings to meet the needs of stakeholders.
Course objectives:
- To enhance understanding of the process of analysis; reflection, collation, description and interpretation
- To develop knowledge and skills in the analysis of quantitative and qualitative information for the purpose of self-evaluation (Including the use of descriptive analysis, comparative analysis and content analysis)
- To explore formats for presenting information, including the use of software packages which enhance visual impact
- To develop knowledge and skills in reporting findings, including consideration of stakeholders' needs, the format and structure for a report, guidelines on report writing, and creative approaches in disseminating results
- To increase understanding of quality issues in analysis and reporting for self-evaluation.
The course will include tutor inputs as well as case studies and practical exercises based on participants' own work. Copies of previous evaluation reports will be available for examination, including some creative methods for reporting.
This course complements the existing self-evaluation courses, but it is not essential for participants to have already attended these courses.
Getting the Most From External Evaluation
This training course focuses on the process of
commissioning an external evaluation. The course is designed to
assist managers and staff from community and voluntary organisations
to 'get the most' out of external evaluation by ensuring that the
process is well planned, appropriately managed and effectively used.
The course provides an overview of the concepts and issues involved
in external evaluation, including:
- What is external evaluation?
- Why should it be undertaken?
- Who should be involved in it?
Participants are taken through the process of external evaluation,
with emphasis on practical issues such as:
- How do we develop Terms of Reference?
- What does 'putting out to tender' mean?
- How do we recruit a suitable evaluator?
- How should we manage our external evaluation?
- How can we maintain ownership and control of the evaluation?
- How should we use our external evaluation and ensure that its
findings contribute to the future development of our project?
The course includes group discussions, individual and group exercises
and worked examples. Participants apply the theory directly to their
own work by developing draft terms of reference for their external
evaluation, choosing selection criteria for recruiting an evaluator
and considering the criteria for judging the usefulness of an evaluation
report.
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Introducing Outcomes
Recent reviews of funding within the voluntary/community sector
have highlighted the role of evaluation in demonstrating the “added
value” of the sector and its contribution to achieving social,
economic and environmental outcomes. Organisations within the voluntary
and community sector are increasingly required to build in outcome
monitoring and evaluation systems which place importance on identifying
and measuring the benefits gained from project activities. CENI
is now offering a new course aimed at increasing knowledge and understanding
of outcomes.
Course objectives:
- To clarify concepts – explaining what outcomes are and
why they are important
- To enable participants to locate outcomes within their own project
work
- To explore measurement issues – including setting indicators
of success
- To examine a range of data collection methods and strategies
- To discuss collating, interpreting and using the evaluation
findings
- To identify the benefits, as well as some of the difficulties,
with evaluating outcomes
- To highlight some good practice guidelines.
Who the course is suitable for:
Project managers and staff within the voluntary and community sector
who wish to monitor outcomes on an on-going basis as required by
their funders or to enhance self-evaluation within their organisation
contributing to internal project development.
More about the programme:
The course emphasises the link between project aims or goals and
anticipated outcomes. Participants will take time to clarify their
project outcomes before setting indicators of success and considering
data collection issues. The course will use structured input, discussions,
case studies and worked examples to guide participants through the
process of developing an outcomes framework for their project.
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Evaluating Social Capital Outcomes There has been much debate in recent years as to the best approaches to evaluating voluntary and community sector activity. The sector contributes to important outcomes relating to increasing participation, individual and community empowerment, volunteering, partnership working, networking, and ultimately sustaining vital community infrastructure. Traditional evaluation models can neglect these "added value" aspects of the sector's work which are often regarded as too difficult to quantify or measure. CENI (commissioned by DSD) has developed a model and toolkit (referenced in Positive Steps 2005) using the concept of social capital to encapsulate these elements.
This new one-day training course is targeted at staff and managers within the voluntary and community sector and aims to enhance understanding and skills in identifying and evaluating the "added value" aspects of their work, using CENI's Social Capital Outcomes and Indicators Framework. The course will demystify concepts and explain the different dimensions of social capital. Participants will be supported to identify social capital outcomes and indicators as well as explore tools for gathering evidence.
Course Objectives:
To increase knowledge and understanding of the Social Capital Model including an introduction to the concepts and issues as well as benefits of this approach.
- To increase knowledge and understanding of the Social Capital Model including an introduction to the concepts and issues as well as benefits of this approach.
- To enable participants to identify outcomes and indicators relevant to their work relating to bonding, bridging and linking social capital.
- To raise awareness of evidence gathering and methods including existing data sources, the use of surveys and other techniques to capture social capital within communities.
- To increase understanding of where social capital outcomes are located within a broader evaluation framework.
The course will include case study examples from CENI's research and on-going work with organisations as well as provide tutor input, discussion and individual and group exercises. By the end of the course participants will have reflected on their organisation's contribution to building social capital and considered how the CENI Model might be applied to enable them to better evidence social capital outcomes. This course complements the Introducing Outcomes course but it is not essential for participants to have already attended this course.
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Approaches to Quality Within the Voluntary & Community Sector
Providing evidence of quality standards in delivery of services has become increasingly important in the voluntary and community sector. This is driven both internally and externally as organisations aim to deliver the best service to their users and also to meet the expectations of funders, regulatory bodies, statutory authorities and others.
This new one-day course aims to give an overview of quality assurance and explore the range of quality models available which are appropriate to the sector. It is targeted at managers and staff who are considering implementing a system and have little or no experience of these approaches. The course seeks to explain what quality is, outlines the benefits, approaches and processes involved when an organisation makes the decision to implement a recognised model. The course will also highlight the links between quality and evaluation and illustrate how a good monitoring and evaluation framework will support the quality approach you choose.
Course Objectives:
- To increase knowledge and understanding of quality concepts, models and approaches
- To enable participants to make informed choices about which quality model is appropriate to their organisational needs
- To raise awareness of the processes involved in implementing quality systems
- To enable participants to plan for their own quality requirements including consideration of budget, training and other resource implications
- To increase knowledge of the key agencies with responsibility for quality assessment and recognition as well as additional sources of advice, training and support
This course will draw on case studies from other organisations which have implemented a quality system as well as structured discussion, tutor input and group exercises. By the end of the course participants will have considered the options available and explored some of the issues surrounding the goal of becoming a quality organisation . Participants will have the opportunity to look at resources available and start the process of deciding which model is appropriate for them.
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Implementing PQASSO *NEW*
Following on from CENI's development and delivery the 'Approaches to Quality' course there has been growing demand from organizations within the sector to provide support with implementing the PQASSO model in Northern Ireland . PQASSO is the Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations and is aimed primarily at small and medium organisations but has been used by some larger organisations. The PQASSO system has been designed by Charities Evaluation Services (CES) [for more information visit www.ces-vol.org.uk]. The system covers 12 key areas of organizational life including planning for quality, governance, management, user-centred services, training and development.
CENI's training team now includes a licensed PQASSO Mentor/Trainer and we are pleased to be able to offer this opportunity to V/C organisations in Northern Ireland . This two-day course covers all aspects of introducing and implementing the PQASSO system within an organisation. It outlines the necessary steps and explores the processes of establishing a sustainable quality assurance system. These include: self-assessment to identify strengths and areas for improvement against PQASSO quality indicators, exploring evidence required to demonstrate achievement, and support with development of an action plan for implementing quality within their organization. PQASSO also promotes the involvement of stakeholders at all levels as a key factor for success and the training explores ways in which this might be achieved. CES' current plans for the introduction of Peer Review as an approach to external validation of the PQASSO Quality System will also be discussed in the training.
The course is targeted at staff/managers who wish to implement PQASSO in their organisations and will be taking a lead in the implementation process.
Objectives
By the end of the two days participants will have:
- developed their understanding of PQASSO and the self assessment process
- considered the necessary steps for the successful implementation of PQASSO within their organisations
- discussed the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders and considered ways of getting them involved in the process
- identified the key elements to be included into the planning process for implementing PQASSO within their organisation.
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