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Impact
The Empowering Design Practices project aims to help advance our knowledge and understanding of community-led design and its value for individuals, communities and society. While there is a specific focus and contribution in the context of historic places of worship, we intend to use our learning to inform and help build capacity in community-led design research and practice in general, both within and beyond academia.
Activities and outputs of the project are expected to benefit individuals and organisations representing multiple sectors and interests nationally: individuals and communities involved in community-led design (CLD) and particularly groups looking after historic places of worship; professionals working in regeneration and CLD, in particular those working in the conservation of historic places of worship; third sector organisations mediating, supporting and advocating CLD; organisations providing support and funding to sustain historic places of worship; independent organisations dedicated to promoting design; and local authority representatives and policymakers.
Mid-term impact review
In May 2017, the Open University contracted an independent consultant, Ashley Jay Brockley (previously Gemma Burford) of Green Spiral Consulting, to conduct a mid-term impact review for the Empowering Design Practices research project. The objective of the work was to review the impact of the project on local groups, organisations and institutions that have engaged in project activities, and to inform the development of a framework for capturing and evaluating impact in the long term. The review covered project activities delivered up to the end of August 2018.
The study used the following data:
The above data, provided evidence for the following:
Direct impact on people, communities and their projects:
The study identified a number of direct impacts on people and practices, such as for example that people were able to work together more collaboratively, change their perceptions about their buildings or projects and what is possible to be achieved, and acquire new skills allowing them to engage in design more effectively.
Direct impacts leading to socio-economic benefits:
The study also identified a number of cases where approaches, outputs and ideas from the EDP project led to wider socio-economic benefits, such as creating better connections with other organisations, and securing funding from external sources to carry out adaptation or refurbishment projects.
For more details see the full report
The mid-term review focussed on people who look after places of worship. Future impact evaluation will include other beneficiaries such as students participating in live projects, professionals attending EDP activities or using EDP methods or resources, learners taking the EDP online course and researchers themselves.
Activities and outputs of the project are expected to benefit individuals and organisations representing multiple sectors and interests nationally: individuals and communities involved in community-led design (CLD) and particularly groups looking after historic places of worship; professionals working in regeneration and CLD, in particular those working in the conservation of historic places of worship; third sector organisations mediating, supporting and advocating CLD; organisations providing support and funding to sustain historic places of worship; independent organisations dedicated to promoting design; and local authority representatives and policymakers.
Mid-term impact review
In May 2017, the Open University contracted an independent consultant, Ashley Jay Brockley (previously Gemma Burford) of Green Spiral Consulting, to conduct a mid-term impact review for the Empowering Design Practices research project. The objective of the work was to review the impact of the project on local groups, organisations and institutions that have engaged in project activities, and to inform the development of a framework for capturing and evaluating impact in the long term. The review covered project activities delivered up to the end of August 2018.
The study used the following data:
- Feedback forms, debrief sessions and e-mail communications, recording the views of 153 people from 45 community groups who benefitted from 6 different types of EDP activities
- Phone interviews and site visits at 8 places of worship recording the views of 18 participants and community leaders who benefitted from 4 different types of EDP activities
The above data, provided evidence for the following:
Direct impact on people, communities and their projects:
The study identified a number of direct impacts on people and practices, such as for example that people were able to work together more collaboratively, change their perceptions about their buildings or projects and what is possible to be achieved, and acquire new skills allowing them to engage in design more effectively.
Direct impacts leading to socio-economic benefits:
The study also identified a number of cases where approaches, outputs and ideas from the EDP project led to wider socio-economic benefits, such as creating better connections with other organisations, and securing funding from external sources to carry out adaptation or refurbishment projects.
For more details see the full report
The mid-term review focussed on people who look after places of worship. Future impact evaluation will include other beneficiaries such as students participating in live projects, professionals attending EDP activities or using EDP methods or resources, learners taking the EDP online course and researchers themselves.