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Building strong communities is now a major imperative of government policy. There is widespread agreement that economic policies alone cannot deliver a fair and efficient society, and that we also need policies that will strengthen social ties and improve community institutions. These policies include the provision of affordable housing, programmes to reduce crime and tackle anti-social behaviour, improving access to work for disadvantaged groups, better health provision and steps to encourage volunteering. Indeed almost all aspects of people’s lives, from parenting to maintaining independence in old age, have been identified by government as needing scrutiny and in many cases support.

But working with, and for, communities can be very demanding, and often requires skills that go far beyond simple data collection, analysis and advice. At Consulting Inplace we have the depth of understanding and commitment, and the experience, necessary to discover what works, and so help our clients identify and meet the needs of differing communities.

Part of the challenge is that communities themselves are often hard to define. Typically they are understood as people living together in a local area, or people with common characteristics such as ethnicity or age, who as a result face particular challenges. But these definitions are never straightforward. Sometimes people object to the labels that they think others are fixing on them, or to how they think outsiders regard their community. Community members are sometimes reluctant to engage with those whom they regard as outsiders.

In addition, community problems and solutions are seldom simple. Anti-social behaviour in a neighbourhood may be linked to worklessness, or to poor housing. Child poverty may be linked to parents’ poor literacy and basic skills. So solutions often need to be multi-dimensional, and require broad multi-disciplinary understanding and wide experience from those who devise or appraise programmes and initiatives.

At Consulting Inplace, our team works across the nation, for voluntary agencies, local partnerships, government departments and local authorities. We work with a wide range of disadvantaged groups, undertaking needs assessments, feasibility studies, strategy development, grant applications and project/programme evaluations. Click on the links for examples of some of our projects. And please contact us to discuss how we might help you.

Team Hackney - Impact Study of Gun, Gang and Knife Crime Pilot Interventions

We were commissioned by Team Hackney, the LSP for the London Borough of Hackney, to complete an evaluation of three pilot interventions, which aimed to address the problems associated with gun, gang and knife crime within the Borough.

Operation Stabiliser was a police-led intervention to improve intelligence and targeting of offenders, Youth Futures provided a series of diversionary activities to young people through community and voluntary sector providers, and Mobile Intervention Team (MIT) provided intensive intervention to young people involved in gang activity.

We assessed the impact of the three pilot interventions individually, through quantitative analysis and consultation with project delivery staff and young people engaged with the programme’s activities. In addition, a strategic level assessment of the wider impact of the programme was undertaken through further consultation with key local stakeholders. We also mapped indicators used in other areas and by other similar initiatives to measure the impact of projects designed to address these problems. Using this information, we were able to establish a new set of impact indicators for Team Hackney's future guns, gangs and knife crime initiatives.

We were subsequently commissioned to evaluate a further nine interventions commissioned by Team Hackney to address gun, gang and knife crime. This evaluation used a similar methodology to identify the impact of these interventions, which included preventative activity in schools and intensive support for at risk young people delivered through the YOT. The findings were incorporated within an overall programme-level assessment, which has provided Team Hackney with a renewed strategic and operational focus for future delivery in this area.

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v (The Russell Commission) – Summative Evaluation of v Investment Grants

We were appointed by v, the independent body supporting youth volunteering in England, to carry out a summative evaluation of the grant investments they had made between May 2006 and March 2008. v wanted us to provide clear, effective and engaging evidence to demonstrate the impact of v's investments on young people, volunteer-involving organisations and the communities in which v's project are operating.

The approach used incorporated a wide range of research stages and techniques based around the development of a detailed evaluation framework. Key techniques used included:

• 19 project case studies which incorporated visits to the projects, consultation with project managers, stakeholders, young volunteers and wider community beneficiaries
• A separate telephone survey was also undertaken for the vcashpoint projects
• Consultation with a range of strategic stakeholders
• Quantitative research relating to a review of outputs and outcomes at project, investment round and overall level
• Analysis of beneficiary data from the projects
• A review of programme finances at project, investment round and overall level
• A review of achievements against key Russell Commission recommendations, in particular those focused upon the quantity, quality, diversity and youth-led nature of youth volunteering

The evaluation included the creation of a specific Youth Evaluation Panel (YEP) which involved eight young people regularly contributing to the evaluation as a critical friend, providing advice and also learning research techniques themselves. We provided a number of day-long events for the YEP facilitated by our consultants within a number of innovative environments. A range of participative methods were used to engage the YEP including small group work, scoring charts, brainstorming, flipchart work, opinion lines and one-to-one meetings with mentors to develop and review mini personal development plans.

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Haringey Strategic Partnership – Mapping Haringey's Third Sector

Consulting Inplace, working with GFK NOP, was commissioned by the Haringey Strategic Partnership to map the size and nature of the borough's third sector. The research was timely given the selection of National Indicator 7 for the LAA in Haringey aimed at developing a an environment for a thriving third sector.

The research required a detailed survey of third sector organisations in order to understand the size of the sector, the services it provides, its contribution to the local economy and key challenges.  The survey was supplemented by a series of focus groups and interviews with third sector organisations.

Our report provided a number of recommendations to encourage a thriving third sector in Haringey and to measure progress going forward.  For example, we made recommendations as to how best measure progress against National Indicator 7 and support Haringey’s third sector to respond to commissioning opportunities. 

 An executive summary report was also produced for dissemination to key partners and TSOs in Haringey.

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British Heart Foundation – Hearty Lives Programme Evaluation

Adults in the richest areas of England and Wales live 23 years longer than adults in the poorest areas. Why? A major reason is variation in the incidence of Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in different communities and locations. CVD is both the largest contributor to health inequalities and also the country’s biggest killer. Yet many of the causes of heart disease are preventable and due to lifestyle factors.

To address this, the British Heart Foundation have developed their Hearty Lives programme. This aims to educate the public, enrich health services with specialist staff and improve community access to advice and information. Consulting Inplace, in partnership with Carnegie Research Institute and RBE Consultants, were commissioned to evaluate the programme’s performance over a two year period, by assessing changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviours as a result of Hearty Lives support. Our work includes an extensive programme of primary and secondary research, a number of in-depth longitudinal case studies of Hearty Lives projects, and both interim and final evaluations to assess overall programme impact.

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Advantage West Midlands – Single Equality Scheme

The Equalities Act 2010 sets out a new duty for public bodies to ensure that they are not discriminating against anyone based on their race, gender, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation or disability. It also includes new protections for people who are undergoing gender reassignment surgery and transgender people, and people who face economic disadvantage. This legal duty compels public bodies to create Single Equalities Schemes and Action Plans detailing their priorities, goals and actions relating to equality and diversity in their operations.
Consulting Inplace was asked by Advantage West Midlands (AWM) to help them to develop a Single Equalities Scheme – not just to comply with the Bill, but also to go beyond their legal duties, and ensure that equality and diversity issues are embedded into their whole organisation. AWM saw this scheme as an opportunity to widen their understanding of equalities to include other strands, and to tackle economic exclusion. As a result, AWM considered their responsibilities not only as an employer, but as an investor, a procurer, and a leader in the region.

We delivered a stream of engagement activities for both internal stakeholders such as staff and the Board, and external stakeholders, such as regional organisations relating to the equalities strands. These activities allowed AWM to define their own priorities for the scheme, and helped develop an action plan. Our recommendations included the formation of a panel of external experts that could help hold them to account and strengthen their understanding of the relevant issues. This is now being developed in partnership with organisations throughout the West Midlands. The work concluded with a draft Single Equalities Strategy, which is currently being reviewed internally before being disseminated more widely.

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Macmillan Cancer Support - Understanding the implementation of the Cancer Reform Strategy

Consulting Inplace was commissioned by Macmillan Cancer Support to examine the way in which the Cancer Reform Strategy is being interpreted and implemented across England. The strategy is intended to set the direction for cancer services across the country from 2007 to 2012, increase awareness of cancer symptoms, create equality of access to services, improve the quality of life for patients and ultimately reduce the number of lives lost to cancer. But there have been concerns about inconsistencies in approach between different locations which our study looked to examine.

Our research has been backward looking, seeking to establish what has happened to date, but also forward looking in terms of seeking to explore how central government, Macmillan and primary care trusts (PCTs) can improve the delivery of the strategy. To do this we analysed the findings of a survey of PCTs conducted by Macmillan and then conducted a series of in-depth consultations with PCT cancer service commissioners. Finally we delivered to Macmillan a set of tools that PCT commissioners can use to help them secure world class services.