Contract No: IWM/Nor/899
Evaluation tender

Evaluation Tender

IWM North (part of Imperial War Museums) and Manchester Museum(part of The University of Manchester)require an Evaluation Consultant to design, develop and implement an appropriate evaluation methodology to measure the impact of Improving Futures: Volunteering for Wellbeing (2013-2016).

Summary

Improving Futures: Volunteering for Wellbeing will be the first major project to measure the impact of responsible volunteering in the heritage sector, exploring how it can combat social and economic isolation and improve wellbeing, benefiting individuals, organisations and society.

IWM North on behalf of the Improving Futures partnership, which includes Manchester Museum and heritage venues across Manchester, require an evaluation expert to design, develop and implement an appropriate evaluation methodology to measure the impact of Improving Futures.This methodology should go beyond what is typical for our (the museum) sector, in terms of measuring our wider impact, focusing on health and wellbeing outcomes for individuals and assessing how we do what we do (not just the outcomes we deliver). We believe this could be delivered using an adaptation of the Social Return on Investment framework, but we are open to ideas and want to benefit from the most up to date thinking in the field.

Both Museums hope evaluation of the project will demonstrate the wide-ranging benefits of the Improving Futures project to volunteers, museums and wider society. Above all we want an approach to evaluation that is holistic, respectful to all stakeholders and delivers robust evidence for a wide audience.

An introduction to Improving Futures: Volunteering for Wellbeing

In March 2013, it was announced that IWM North and Manchester Museum were successful in their application to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to develop and deliver Improving Futures: Volunteering for Wellbeing. This ground-breaking volunteer and learning programme will build on the success of the In Touch project,which, as part of its evaluation highlighted the potential heritage volunteering has to change people’s lives.

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Improving Futures is a life changing social learning programme, which uses the heritage assets of IWM North, Manchester Museum, Museum of Science and Industry and other partner venues to help volunteers move away from social and economic isolation. It will provide life-enhancing personal development opportunities to those who need help reintegrating into society.

Over the next three years, 225 people from a diverse range of backgrounds - including people between the ages of 16-25 and over 50 years old, as well as ex-service personnel - will undertake a bespoke training programme at one of the three training venues (IWM North, Manchester Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry). This training will be accredited by The Manchester College. Following their training participants will be offered a volunteering placement at one of the training venues and/or at a range of heritage venues in the North West, including the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester City Galleries, People’s History Museum, Manchester Jewish Museum, Dunham Massey and Ordsall Hall.These venues in turn will benefit from a valuable volunteer base that will enhance the visitor experience and provide access and interpretation to the collections.See chart below:

Learning opportunities forming the core of this project will include a varied range of heritage training courses, work placements at the selected venues, volunteer-to-volunteer mentoring, and the chance to visit and learn from a range of national and local heritage venues. (The HLF activity plan is available on request.)

Improving futures: Volunteering for Wellbeing recruitment and progression routes

The Brief:

Through the evaluation of Improving Futureswe seek to evidence the effectiveness of responsible volunteering practices in the heritage sector for improving wellbeing and combating social and economic isolation. We want to understand the wellbeing benefits to the volunteers who take part and how the programme shapes their journey and vice versa (pre, during and post participation in the programme). We hope to find out exactly how our programme contributes to individual wellbeing outcomes for participants. And, we seek to quantify perceived savings to the wider economy.We plan to use this information to draw in further funding and influence future policy and practice.

The evaluation approach should be holistic and truly embedded in how the programme is delivered, including all of the project’s stakeholders. For this reason, we envision the successful applicant will work closely with the Improving Futures project delivery team for the duration of the three-year project. It is anticipated this strand of work will commence in September 2013 and continue until August 2016.

During the planning phase for this project we explored the Social Return On Investment (SROI) framework and a range of tools for measuring and quantifying personal wellbeing outcomes for participants, such as the Rickter scale, Outcomes Star and WEMWBS. However, this was 12 months ago and we have learnt during the development phase that this is a fast moving area of development and we are open to other methods to ensure we are delivering the best possible practice that is widely recognised with the most up-to-date thinking.

Specific aims for this evaluation:

  • To deliver an innovative programme of evaluation that breaks new ground and delivers new insight into the role of heritage volunteering programmes in supporting wellbeing
  • To provide understanding as to how the project helps individuals gain improved health and wellbeing
  • To focus on the longitudinal impact (6–18months) of the project on individuals’ health and wellbeing
  • To demonstrate wider social return, financial value and economic impact
  • To embed evaluation at the core of the project
  • To be relevant, appropriate and accessible to all our stakeholders
  • To encompass the Improving Futures values as illustrated below

Improving Futures Values

The perceived audience and scope for the evaluation:

  • Our organisations, other heritage venues and practitioners - will learn from inclusive volunteering and the potential benefits for individuals and organisations
  • Policy makers and funders - will be provided with robust evidence which can influence practice and policy
  • HLF & wider sector - will gain a model for evaluation that can be rolled out and used by other heritage/volunteer organisations
  • All stakeholders to be fundamental to this process as outlined below:

Improving Futures Stakeholders

Deliverables

The successful applicant will be required to:

  • Lead on all aspects of the evaluation
  • Develop an appropriate methodology in consultation with staff and volunteers
  • Take ownership of reporting and compiling the evidence
  • Provide regular written and verbal updates on the progress of the evaluationthroughout the three year project
  • Deliver bi-annual presentations/ workshops to the whole project team
  • Provide annual reports on the impact of Improving Futures, including a detailed final report
  • Provide case studies
  • Become part of the Improving Futuresteam,
  • Engage all stakeholders
  • Develop a model for evaluation that other volunteer programmes could replicate in the future

Selection Criteria

The successful applicant will demonstrate:

  • Proven track record in evaluation, ideally with knowledge and experience of measuring social and economic impact and improved health and wellbeing outcomes for individuals
  • Creative ideas about how to deliver the evaluation within budget and timeframe
  • Good project management skills
  • Excellent understanding of the brief and the Improving Futures project
  • Fresh approach which encourages new thinking and new perspectives but is understood and recognised by many sectors
  • High return on investment.
  • Robust policies and procedures and supporting company infrastructure

Budget

The total budget for this work is £45,000, exclusive of VAT, but including all fees, travel expenses and materials.

Resources available

The In Touch programme was evaluated and the report is available on request. The HLF Activity plan is also available on request. The focus of this work should be forward thinking and concentrate on the new Improving Futures programme and the political, social and economic climate we are operating in.

Timescale

  • Proposals submitted by noon: 6 August 2013
  • Interviews on: 20 August 2013
  • Work to start: September 2013

Tender process

Interested consultants should provide a proposal by Noon 6August 2013 to

Your tender should include the following information and will be marked against these headings. Failure to submit any information may result in your tender being rejected.

Project approach

  • A clear explanation of how you would approach this project and how you would go about the management of this work. Please include proposed evaluation methodologies.
  • You should include an explanation of what phases of work you anticipate, and an indication of key delivery and sign-off points for work completed.

Project management

  • Information on how you propose to manage the workflow, including how absences will be managed and a breakdown of what staff will be working on the project and their expertise.
  • What other jobs you have in progress and how this may affect the amount of time that can be given to this project.
  • How you will collaborate with the Improving Futures team and how you will ensure effective and transparent communication between all parties where needed.
  • Provide a detailed schedule, confirming reporting procedure andlisting number of days allocated to the project.
  • Confirmation that you can deliver the project within the timescale and budget outlined in this brief.

Proven track record

  • Company background (This information is submitted as part of the questionnaire)
  • Current client list with case studies of work carried out

Budget

  • Your proposed fee detailing what is included and excluded in that sum
  • Budget breakdown for the project

You are required to complete the questionnaire enclosed upon submission of the brief.The aim of the questionnaire is to obtain information about each potential service provider.

Further information and contact

For further information or clarification on any points, please contact Danielle Garcia, Volunteer Manager, or 0161 836 4080.

Supporting information

Background: IWM

IWM (Imperial War Museums) is the world’s leading authority on conflict and its impact. We tell the story of people who have lived, fought and died in conflicts involving Britain and the Commonwealth since the First World War.
Our unique collections, made up of the everyday and the exceptional, reveal stories of people, places, ideas and events. Using these, we tell vivid personal stories and create powerful physical experiences across our five museums that reflect the realities of war as both a destructive and creative force. We challenge people to look at conflict from different perspectives, enriching their understanding of the causes, course and consequences of war and its impact on people’s lives. The collection is an unparalleled resource for understanding contemporary warfare and its impact on individuals, communities and nations.

IWM North, part of Imperial War Museums, explores the impact of war on everyone involved, from the First World War to the present day. We bring the national collection to northern audiences and reveal the relevance of personal experiences of war and conflict to our lives today. The iconic building, innovative and dynamic exhibitions, use of digital media and public events explore how war shapes lives and inspire and encourage debate.

Background: The Manchester Museum

The Manchester Museum is dedicated to inspiring visitors of all ages to learn about the natural world and human cultures, past and present. Tracing its roots as far back as 1821, the Museum has grown to become one of the UK’s great regional Museums and its largest university Museum.

All of the collections in the Museum, which comprise approximately 4 million items, have been formally 'Designated' by Government for their importance nationally and internationally, and cover the disciplines of botany, entomology, geology, palaeontology, zoology, archaeology, Egyptology, ethnography and numismatics (coins and medals), as well as a live collection of amphibians and reptiles.

The In Touch Volunteering Programme

In 2006, The Manchester Museum in partnership with IWM North secured funding for three years from the Heritage Lottery Fund to develop and deliver the In Touch volunteer and training programme. In Touch provided an innovative model for museum volunteer training and community engagement, attracting interest at a local, national and European level. This award-winning programme helped over 180 individuals from a variety of backgrounds in Greater Manchester access heritage, re-engage with learning and develop key transferable skills leading towards increased employability.

‘I can honestly say that volunteering has changed my life! I love meeting and helping visitors in the museum, and expanding my own knowledge. I have also made many new friends and now have a social life. But the biggest change has to be my return to work.’

In Touch, Volunteer

The Manchester Museum and IWM North had existing, well-established volunteer programmes but developed In Touch as a way to diversify their volunteer workforce and engage more deeply with local communities. In Touch was extremely successful in engaging individuals who were socially, economically or culturally excluded. Participants were significantly more diverse than both the existing volunteer workforces at the museums and heritage volunteers generally.

The potential of In Touch as a pathway to employment and a route to recovery for people experiencing ill health or social isolation was highlighted through evaluation of the programme. Cultural consultants Morris Hargreaves McIntyre carried out a range of quantitative and qualitative research to evaluate the impact of the project. A total of 79% of participants who completed the programme took part in the research, the findings of which are summarised in the 2010 evaluation report InTouch – A Stepping Stone (available on request).

Evaluation revealed that there was a positive impact on all volunteers and multiple outcomes for most. The report outlined that In Touch contributed strongly to the personal development of volunteers, significantly increasing their self-confidence (+61%) and self-esteem (+49%), which provided participants with a firmer footing for the development of inter-personal and employment skills. By the end of the programme 62% of participants said that In Touch made them feel differently about themselves or their families and 81% felt positive about their lives.

‘In Touch has put the awareness of the social role of the museum closer to the heart of organisation.’

Head of Human Cultures, The Manchester Museum

In Touch had a far reaching impact on the participants and organisations involved, as well as the wider cultural sector. For the individuals, it provided the opportunity to move away from isolation, engage in social interaction, gain increased confidence and learn new transferable skills in a safe and supported environment. At both Museums, it enriched the visitor experience, changed staff attitudes and opened up connections with the local community. While for the cultural sector, it overturned the traditional approach to working with volunteers and modelled innovative ways for Museums to deliver adult learning programmes, which has since been replicated at a number of heritage venues around the country.

In Touch placed The Manchester Museum and IWM North at the forefront of volunteer developments within the heritage sector with both museums gaining a reputation for delivering innovative and inclusive volunteer programmes. In addition to this leadership role, a key legacy of In Touch is the creation of a skilled and diverse volunteer workforce, who continue to play an active role in the delivery of important museum services at IWM North and The Manchester Museum.

Improving Futures was born out of desire to build on the learning from In Touch, to continue to provide opportunities for life changing experiences through heritage volunteering, to robustly evidence the impact of the programme and to share it more widely with the sector as a whole.

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(Company Questionnaire on next page)

Company Questionnaire

Contract No: IWM/Nor/899

COMPANY QUESTIONNAIRE – Improving Futures: Volunteering for Wellbeing
All information supplied will be treated as strictly private and confidential and will not be divulged to any other parties other than those directly involved in the project.
Section 1 – General Company Information
1 Name of Company:
2 Registered Office Address:
3 Company Registration Number:
4 Year of Registration:
5 Telephone No:
6 E-mail Address:
7 Nature of Business and Range of Services:
8 Please indicate, if applicable, any subsidiary companies run by your company:
9 If part of a group, please indicate the details of the ultimate holding company:
10 VAT Registration No:
Section 2: Staffing/Management
11 Please identify the number of staff employed. Please indicate numbers of full-time and part-time staff:
  • Director(s):
  • Managers:
  • Technical:
  • Administration:
  • Operations:

Section 3: Financial/Banking
12 Status of Company:
13 Bank and Branch Address:
14 If part of a group of companies, please attach one copy of their last three years of audited accounts. Again, to include Profit & Loss accounts and Balance Sheets.
Section 4: Policy/Procedures
15 If you are registered under BS5750/ISO 9000 or any other scheme, please provide a copy of your registration certificate.
16 Please provide copies of the following policies:
  • your outline health & safety policy
  • your outlinedata protection policy
  • your outline environmental policy, inclusive of your sustainability policy
  • your equal opportunities policy

17 Please complete the following with regards to your company’s insurance policies:
Employer’s Liability (to £2m):
Policy No:
Expiry Date:
Limit of Indemnity:
Public Liability (to £5m):
Policy No:
Expiry Date:
Limit of Indemnity:
Professional Liability (to £5m):
Policy No:
Expiry Date:
Limit of Indemnity:
Please include a copy of the insurance certificate for each policy.
18 Do you have a recent enhanced CRB check?
19 Have you been prosecuted under any relevant employment legislation in the last five years? If the answer is Yes, please provide details of the incidence and the outcome.
20 Address of Office to support the Contract:
21 Please illustrate diagrammatically, the structure of your company, showing the inter-relationships with other members of the group, and how the management of this contract fits into the company’s management structure:
22 Annual Staff Turnover (in percentage format):
23 Name of Employee responsible for the management of the Contract:
24 Please submit your project team structure for the delivery & management of the Contract, inclusive of the full CV’s for each team member identified?
25 Please identify whether you plan to use any sub-contractors to deliver any services within the Contract. If so, please:
  • identify those services that would be undertaken by the sub-contractor(s)?;
  • the name of any nominated sub-contractor(s)?, and;
  • your methodology of appointment and management of the sub-contractor(s)?

26 Please attach one copy of your last three years of audited accounts. This must include both your Profit & Loss Accounts and your Balance Sheets.
27 Do you have a Business Continuity Plan (BCP), or equivalently titled document? If so;
  • what are the key risks and what are the control mechanisms in place?;
  • how often and to what extent is the BCP tested?;
  • how is the BCP managed and reviewed by your Board of Directors?

28 Please provide a statement of assurance that you are committed to counter bribery, and please advise of any cases or convictions for bribery made against the company?
29 Please provide summaries (no more than two sides per project) of three current/recent projects.

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