Five years in to the CMS pioneer training we commissioned an evaluation. You can download and read the report here. It’s comprehensive in scope but if you want the short version the summary and recommendations are on pages 1-2. This has been a huge encouragement to our team as the report highlights the positive impact.
Evaluation and impact is an interesting area in itself and could be the subject of a whole blog series. Our approach to it initially was quite simple. When we were in the design phase we had a discussion around how we would know if the course was doing what we hoped and through using a tool called the transformation index came up with six areas to look at. We then thought about what we might do to collect information that would help us measure those areas. Of course this is not like selling a product that is countable (though you can count student numbers) – it is softer. But I am so glad when we set out we were steered early on to think about evaluation and measurement. So the writers of this report were looking at the course in the light of these six areas.
I particularly like the way that the report has recommendations not just for those of us leading the course but for pioneers, for CMS, for the wider church and for scaling. Do have a read and let us know what you think.