Today about 24 people gathered in Edinburgh to explore what they value about evaluation, as part of the 2018 Fire Starter Festival.
Working with our own stories of experience of evaluation at it’s best, we identified what values and qualities we’d want to keep and what that would look like, going into the future. We talked about what we’d need to let go of and what would help us to discard those things we no longer want.
This collection of Unfolding Stories of the Future is the start of a series of conversations we are keen to continue. Here’s a sample:
- My word of the moment is engagement
- It’s a bit radical but could we do away with the word ‘evaluation’?
- I would like to think more about why we are evaluating – or prove or improve?
- Let’s stop fruitless, box-ticking outcome evaluations
- I’d be upset if this was just an interesting conversation and nothing changes when we leave the room
- Let’s start valuing and understanding what we do well
- Imagine if everyone valued and enjoyed evaluation
With a nod to the Year of Young People in Scotland, we felt that we wanted children and young people to understand the value and importance of reflection and learning, with others. A few people signed up to be part of a small group keen to take this thinking forward – watch this space for further dialogue. Please get in touch if you want to take part yourself.
Imagine if we made a difference – let’s try!