Altogether Better Learning Network: Sharing learning and best practice at a regional level

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• Altogether Better Learning Network Sharing
  learning and best practice at a regional level
• Sarah Frost
• Learning Network Development Manager

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What is Altogether Better?
A five year 6.8million regional collaborative
programme funded as part of the Big Lottery
Fund's Well-being programme.

• Building a partnership of local communities,
  third sector, local government, PCTs,
  universities and regional agencies / networks.
• Delivering 16 projects targeting over 15,000
  beneficiaries across the region.
• Facilitating a Learning Network aimed at sharing
  intelligence, experience and learning.
• Making a contribution to regional national
  policy developments

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Whos involved?
Learning Network
X16
Target Communities
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About our Projects

• A diverse portfolio of 16 Projects across Yorks
  Humber which aim to help people

Focus on the development of.
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Learning Network - Our Aims

• Improve the sharing of learning about effective
  practice from our 16 projects
• Focus on learning that will have a direct and
  positive impact on programme outcomes
• Identify mechanisms to transfer evidence into
  practice
• Develop individuals and organisations to maximise
  the potential to bring about lasting change and
  improved outcomes

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Methods and Approach

• Learning Needs Survey of Projects

• Events and training
• Evaluation Support - guidance, tools, resources
• Network Learning Sets
• Newsletters, website, on-line team area

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Support projects to self evaluate through
provisions of training, tools and resources.
Provide Network Learning Sets for projects to
generate, capture share individual
organisational learning.
Altogether Better Learning Network
Sharing Learning
Generating Knowledge
Learning Network
Evidence Based approaches
Influencing
Network of academic specialist expertise to
support projects through increasing access to
evidence, e.g. REAG
Share learning through key partners,
stakeholders, related strategies, work
programmes, etc
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Network Wide Events
Engaging seldom heard groups
CHC Training Models
Social Marketing
Social enterprise
Exploring empowerment
Measuring well-being (NPC)
People in Public Health (Leeds Met)
Sustainability
Influencing Commissioners
Marketing
Social Return on Investment
Evaluation
Using Public Health Information

• Involving projects
• Sharing practice
• Networking
• Market Place

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What do projects say..?
The practical exercises used within events are
motivational and provide new ways of working with
Champions as well as staff within the programme
made the project realise that we need to make a
real start on sustainabilityThe exercise was a
real eye opener and got us thinking about what
the projects key selling points are.
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Evaluation Support 3 levels

• Programme Level
• Thematic evaluation

• National Level
• BIG Evaluation of whole Well-being programme by
  CLES and NEF

Project Level 17 individual projects Process and
Outcomes
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Evaluation Support for Projects

• 11 support in evaluation planning reporting
• Evaluation Health Checks / training / support
  sessions
• Identified common outcomes indicators
• Produced tools and resources
• Evaluation Planning Tools and Guidance
• Standard evaluation tools
• Evaluation Report template guidance
• Case Study Template guidance
• Health Champions Activity Sheet

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What do projects say..?
The health check provided us with the
opportunity to share and discuss the systems and
structures the project has put in place to
provide support for Health Champions and
collecting information for monitoring, recording
and evaluating. We received encouraging feedback
and suggestions of what else we could do and how
we could do things differently.
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Network Learning Sets

• Based on Action
• Learning principles

• Meet every
• 2 months

• 3 smaller sets
• for projects

• Provide a supportive network
• Provide a forum for problem solving
• Develop and enhance skills knowledge
• Capture and share learning between projects and
  across the programme

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What motivates NLS members?

• 95 (21) were motivated by the desire to meet
  with other projects.
• 95 (21) were motivated by the need to share good
• practice.
• All were motivated to attend by enjoyment of the
  sessions
• It has increased my knowledge in terms of
  finding out about other methods/ways of working
  in the community, of measuring impact

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• Key Benefits of NLS
• 1) Sharing good practice having access to
  people who truly understand the issues and
  challengesand who can support one another
  through this.
• 2) Networking opportunities with other Projects
  Reduce sense of isolation.
• 3) Problem Solving I feel the real valuehas
  been to share concerns and issues with peers and
  get practical workable ideas solutions from
  others
• 4) Time Out to reflect find it really useful
  to step back and have that time to reflect on how
  things are going.

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Projects Views on the LN

• All were motivated to take part by a desire to
  perform better on the job
• 72 felt the LN had a positive effect on their
  job performance
• 77 felt the LN helped them share best practice
  with other groups
• 84 felt the LN encourages them to speak up about
  issues and to make creative suggestions
• 65 stated the LN had helped them enhance
  collaboration outside their organisation

Findings from an independent survey of 13
Learning Network (LN) members by Warwick
University in 2008.
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Challenges?

• Creating sustaining buy in from projects
• Diverse portfolio - different models, different
  target groups
• Time resources available
• Getting communications right
• Level of experience skills (esp. in project
  evaluation)
• Focus on project delivery outputs v outcomes
• Devising standard measurement tools
• Capturing evidence and showing change over time

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And some benefits

• Projects
• value opportunities to network and share
  challenges and learning with other projects
• see that they are part of a much bigger picture
  

• ANDcontributes to the success of the Programme
  by
• Encouraging and supporting shared learning
• Building capacity in projects
• Quality assuring project level evaluation
• Feeding programme level evaluation
• Making links with the wider evidence base

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Some Lessons Learned

• Be responsive to need one size seldom fits all!
• Flexibility is key
• Respond to gaps in skills and knowledge
• Identify common themes and linked agendas
• Identify and involve key stakeholders and
  partners
• Make links with existing evidence base
• Link evaluation, evidence and learning to
  sustainability and tendering processes
• Encourage evaluation of outcomes (not just
  processes)

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Next Steps

• Progress programme level thematic evidence and
  evaluation work
• Re-commission Network Learning Sets for projects
  to focus on sustainability / business planning
• Support projects to produce evaluation reports
  for 2009
• Complete evaluation health checks with projects
• Promote and encourage use of Team Area
• Next Network wide event Spring 2010

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Want to know more??

• Sarah Frost
• Learning Network Development Manager
• Email sef503_at_york.ac.uk
• Tel [phone]
• www.altogetherbetter.org.uk