The Evaluation Exchange: connecting the ‘know how’ to the ‘how-to’

The Evaluation Exchange is a venture between UCL Public Engagement Unit and east London charity Aston-Mansfield

The project paired the skills of 22 researchers from UCL (ranging from PhD candidates to Research Associates) with six Voluntary Community Sector (VCS) groups from Newham for six months to collaboratively tackle an evaluation challenge: whether it be writing reports, analysing existing data or designing an evaluation strategy.

The project, aimed to “connect the know-how to the how-to” and gave researchers valuable opportunity to apply and develop their research skills and gain ‘hands-on’ experience of the voluntary sector. VCS organisation were supported to build capacity around effective evaluation: essential for proving the impact of the work they do.

The ethos of the Evaluation Exchange was connection, collaboration and experimentation, trying new things and seeing what grows from them. It has been invaluable to those who have participated.  

• Find out more on the UCL Culture website