Monitoring and Evaluation
Support on monitoring and evaluation is one of the key research needs raised by Transition groups, and consequently one of the key priorities of the Transition Research Network. Methods for characterising and evaluating resilience were the topic of one work package in the AHRC-funded 'Connection, Participation and Empowerment' project.
In May 2012, as part of this project, we hosted a workshop on evaluation for Transition with invited participants from a number of organisations with interests and expertise in evaluating community action and/or resilience. A report from the workshop is available here. A short series of follow-up workshops in summer 2013 examined how Theory of Change approaches can inform approaches to Monitoring and Evaluation for Transition.
A group of participants in the Bristol workshop has since taken evaluation work forward in several ways:
1. Researchers on the EVALOC project, in collaboration with Transition Network and the Low Carbon Communities Network, conducted a survey on the evaluation needs of Transition and other community groups. A report on the findings is now available here.
2. Following on from the survey, a group of researchers at the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University has secured funding from the Higher Education Innovation Fund for further research on evaluation needs This took place from January to July 2013 and involved interviews with community activists interested in evaluation followed by workshops to explore ways to address evaluation needs. Reports and findings are available on the project page.
Building on this work, the same team also secured ESRC Knowledge Exchange Funding for the collaborative design of monitoring and evaluation tools and training programmes on evaluation for community groups, with Transition Network and the Low Carbon Communities Network as non-academic partners. The project is due to commence in December 2013.
3. In Autumn 2012, Amy Merritt started her PhD on evaluation at Reading University’s Real Estate and Planning Department. Find out more about her project here.
4. In April 2013 the national Transition hub for Spain, in collaboration with researchers at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and Urban Resilience Young Researcher's Network. initiated a new project assessing the progress of Transition Initiatives in Spain.
5.Trial of monitoring and evaluation resources as part of the ‘Monitoring and Evaluation for Sustainable Communities’ (MESC) project, a 12-month Knowledge Exchange project running from 1st December 2013 until 30th November 2014. It is funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council. MESC brings together researchers from the University of Oxford, members of UK low carbon community groups, Transition Network, and Low Carbon Communities Network, to co-produce and trial monitoring and evaluation (M&E) tools.
We are working with UK-based Transition Initiatives, local energy groups, and low carbon community groups to trial selected monitoring and evaluation resources and tools over a six month period in 2014, with support from the project team.
Further information from: http://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/research/technologies/projects/mesc/ or email [email protected] .
In May 2012, as part of this project, we hosted a workshop on evaluation for Transition with invited participants from a number of organisations with interests and expertise in evaluating community action and/or resilience. A report from the workshop is available here. A short series of follow-up workshops in summer 2013 examined how Theory of Change approaches can inform approaches to Monitoring and Evaluation for Transition.
A group of participants in the Bristol workshop has since taken evaluation work forward in several ways:
1. Researchers on the EVALOC project, in collaboration with Transition Network and the Low Carbon Communities Network, conducted a survey on the evaluation needs of Transition and other community groups. A report on the findings is now available here.
2. Following on from the survey, a group of researchers at the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University has secured funding from the Higher Education Innovation Fund for further research on evaluation needs This took place from January to July 2013 and involved interviews with community activists interested in evaluation followed by workshops to explore ways to address evaluation needs. Reports and findings are available on the project page.
Building on this work, the same team also secured ESRC Knowledge Exchange Funding for the collaborative design of monitoring and evaluation tools and training programmes on evaluation for community groups, with Transition Network and the Low Carbon Communities Network as non-academic partners. The project is due to commence in December 2013.
3. In Autumn 2012, Amy Merritt started her PhD on evaluation at Reading University’s Real Estate and Planning Department. Find out more about her project here.
4. In April 2013 the national Transition hub for Spain, in collaboration with researchers at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and Urban Resilience Young Researcher's Network. initiated a new project assessing the progress of Transition Initiatives in Spain.
5.Trial of monitoring and evaluation resources as part of the ‘Monitoring and Evaluation for Sustainable Communities’ (MESC) project, a 12-month Knowledge Exchange project running from 1st December 2013 until 30th November 2014. It is funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council. MESC brings together researchers from the University of Oxford, members of UK low carbon community groups, Transition Network, and Low Carbon Communities Network, to co-produce and trial monitoring and evaluation (M&E) tools.
We are working with UK-based Transition Initiatives, local energy groups, and low carbon community groups to trial selected monitoring and evaluation resources and tools over a six month period in 2014, with support from the project team.
Further information from: http://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/research/technologies/projects/mesc/ or email [email protected] .
