The impact of evaluation: Jennifer Raven and Yasmine Dankwah

Jennifer Raven (former Deputy Director of Sound Connections and CEO of music charity Fairbeats) and Yasmine Dankwah (Wired4Music Associate) share their journeys into the world of evaluation, it’s importance for both participants and practitioners, and what you can expect from their upcoming CPD session How to Evaluate your Impact, taking place online on Wednesday 24 April 2024, 10:30am – 1:00pm.

Tell us about your personal journey into evaluation.

Jennifer Raven:

I got into evaluation in a very hands-on way when I set up music charity Fairbeats; we had to quickly figure out how to evaluate our impact whilst delivering programmes ‘on the ground’, and wanted to create an ethos of reflective practice from the start. I am now CEO of Fairbeats so lead our evaluation framework, and I am also a freelance evaluation consultant. I have the privilege of supporting many creative and cultural organisations to evaluate their impact; my clients include music organisations like Multi Story Orchestra, young people’s programmes like Urban Circle, heritage organisations like Norfolk and Norwich Festival, and funders like Arts Council England.

Yasmine Dankwah:

My journey into evaluation is a personal and ever-growing one that started when I participated in different creative programmes. I remember, especially when I was younger, being asked to give written reflections on my experience after participating in something. I was always a bit confused because I was so caught up in being a participant, so the act of giving feedback felt like a separate activity. However, having had the chance to oversee and co-facilitate feedback sessions as a Wired4Music Associate Trainee, I am always reminded that evaluation doesn’t have to be intimidating or “a separate thing”. It can be used as a tool for mutual growth for both the participant and the practitioner or organisation at large.

Why is evaluation important?

We believe evaluation is an important way of inviting everyone involved in a project or programme into shared learning and reflection. It’s about deepening your understanding of what you’re doing, the difference it’s making to people’s lives, and how to continually grow and develop. It’s also important for telling your story and making the case for your work.

We believe really strongly in taking an ethical approach to evaluation that centres young people’s needs and interests.

What can people can expect from the session and why would you encourage them to attend?

We will take you through a practical process for planning and delivering evaluation. We’ll consider things like who evaluation is for, what stories you want to tell, and principles for evaluating ethically. We’ll also equip you with tools like a simple Theory of Change framework and examples of data collection methods. The session will be a mix of information sharing, real life insights, discussions and paired tasks.

Is there anything you’d like people to be thinking about in advance of the session?

We invite you to think about a session/project/programme you’re planning to evaluate (we’ll use this as the basis for the activities). Please also be ready to share what you love about evaluation and what terrifies you!

How to Evaluate your Impact

Wednesday 24 April 2024, 10:30am – 1:00pm
Online via Zoom

If you are running music projects/programmes with children and young people and want to better understand the impact of your work, this workshop aims to demystify the basics of impact evaluation. Co-led by Jennifer Raven, a specialist in impact evaluation, and Yasmine Dankwah, Wired4Music Associate, who will bring a young person’s perspective to evaluation.