Evaluation Training for Community Consultancy, with IEDE

Summary

The UCL pilot program 'Evaluation Training for Community Consultancy' is a six-week course aimed at students across all levels, teaching them to become evaluation consultants. It partners with Kentown Community Center to assess social value, providing practical opportunities for students to apply their skills and make an impact. The center serves 25,000 people, emphasizing the importance of measuring social value beyond financial metrics. The program encourages networking and learning from both academia and community practice, offering students interdisciplinary insights and hands-on experience.

Takeaways

• 🎓 The pilot program is a six-week learning initiative for UCL students at all levels to become evaluation consultants.
• 📚 It includes lectures and activities focused on consulting skills, particularly for the voluntary sector.
• 🏢 Kentown Community Center has partnered with UCL to challenge students to assess social value.
• 🤔 The center serves a diverse population of about 25,000 people and seeks to understand its impact beyond financial measures.
• 🔍 The social value of the community center is crucial for demonstrating its importance and securing support.
• 👥 Guest speakers have been invited to share ideas and resources, fostering a two-way learning experience.
• 💼 The program offers networking opportunities for students with potential employers in the voluntary sector.
• 📈 It also allows organizations to learn from academia on how to assess and improve their community work.
• 🌟 Students gain hands-on experience, applying theoretical knowledge to real-world community challenges.
• 🧐 Interdisciplinary collaboration is highlighted as beneficial, with students from various backgrounds working together.
• 🎉 The presentations by students have been highly valued for their insight into community impact and potential for improvement.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the 'Evaluation Training for Community Consultancy' pilot program?

The pilot program is a six-week learning initiative aimed at teaching students across UCL, from undergraduate to PhD level, how to become evaluation consultants, particularly focusing on working with voluntary sector organizations.

Which community center is the program collaborating with?

The program is working in collaboration with Kentown Community Center.

What challenge has Kentown Community Center set for the students?

The challenge set by Kentown Community Center is to assess the social value of the community center.

Why is it important for Kentown Community Center to measure its social value?

Measuring social value is important to demonstrate the center's impact, justify its existence, and encourage support from the community and potential benefactors.

How does the program benefit students looking to apply their skills in real-world scenarios?

The program offers students opportunities to put their skills into practice, make a difference, and gain hands-on experience by working on real challenges set by community organizations.

What is the population size that Kentown Community Center aims to serve?

Kentown Community Center aims to serve a population of approximately 25,000 people.

How does the fast-paced environment at Kentown Community Center impact its operations?

The fast-paced environment makes it difficult for the center to reflect on its operations and understand where it is going wrong or right, emphasizing the importance of social value assessment.

What kind of support are students looking for in terms of networking and career opportunities?

Students are looking to network with professionals and organizations where they might potentially have placements or work in the future, gaining insights into the practical application of their academic learning.

What is the significance of the guest speakers and resource providers invited to share with the students?

The guest speakers and resource providers are important for sharing ideas, signposting resources, and showing interest in the students' work, fostering a two-way learning experience between academia and community organizations.

How does the program address the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application?

The program provides a platform for students to apply their theoretical knowledge in a practical setting, offering insights into how academic concepts can be utilized to benefit real community groups and organizations.

What was one of the key takeaways from the student presentations according to the speaker?

The speaker was delighted by the value of the presentations, noting how well the students understood the population size, context, and capacity of the community center they were assessing.