Evaluation

That’s why v has commissioned an independent evaluation, which is being carried out by a team of social research and communication experts from the National Centre for Social Research, The Institute for Volunteering Research, The Third Sector Research Centre and Public Zone.

This consortium was chosen through a competitive tendering process. Applicants had to prove that they had the independence, knowledge and skills necessary to carry out such an important evaluation. All the organisations involved in the evaluation are completely separate from v.

This evaluation takes a formative approach. This means that the evaluation takes place at the same time as the delivery, so that v can learn from the findings and evolve as an organisation as new information emerges. It also means that we can share emerging findings with other people in the voluntary sector, so that they can benefit from the knowledge.

The evaluation runs from January 2009 until March. The team will interview around 1000 grant recipients to ask them about their experience of working with v, and 600 young people each year to ask about their volunteering. They’ll also analyse statistics, assess the effectiveness of marketing and communications, and look for evidence of return on investment.

The evaluation team will regularly feedback insights through this website so that everyone can learn and benefit from the findings as they emerge. For more information, visit the evaluation blog.

Make a suggestion

If you think we should be asking a specific question as part of the overall v evaluation, or exploring a particular issue or area, please email the evaluation team . Alternatively, you can add your thoughts or comments to the evaluation blog by clicking on the comment link under each blog post.

Summative evaluation (2006-2008)

In April 2009, WM Enterprise published v’s first evaluation covering activities and impact made between May 2006 – December 2008. During this time, around £23 million was invested by v in the creation of volunteering opportunities for young people across England. These funds were invested through four ‘grant rounds’ which were the starting point for v’s work aimed at increasing the quality, quantity and diversity of youth volunteering.