Understanding what changes – and why
Every ambitious programme begins with an idea about what might change. Good evaluation helps us understand what actually changed, for whom, why it mattered and what should happen next.
NOP provides independent evaluation, learning and strategic support for cultural, educational, youth, health and social-purpose organisations.
Led by Dr Nick Owen MBE, our approach combines robust evidence with careful listening, creative enquiry and clear storytelling. Evaluation should do more than satisfy a funder or produce a report that sits unread on a shelf. It should help people learn, make better decisions and strengthen what they do next.
What we offer
Support can include:
- evaluation strategies and frameworks;
- theories of change and outcomes models;
- qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method research;
- interviews, focus groups, observation and surveys;
- participatory and creative approaches;
- children and young people’s involvement;
- analysis of existing evidence and programme data;
- interim learning reports and final evaluations;
- case studies and accounts of change;
- facilitated reflection and learning sessions;
- strategic advice and critical-friend support;
- accessible reports for funders, practitioners, participants and communities.
Each commission is designed around the programme, the people involved and the decisions the evaluation needs to inform.
Our approach
Curious
We begin by asking what people genuinely need to understand—not simply what can most easily be counted.
Collaborative
Evaluation works best when it is developed with the people delivering and experiencing the work. We seek to build trust, encourage honest reflection and avoid imposing an unnecessary burden on participants or staff.
Proportionate
Not every programme needs an elaborate research framework. We match the methods, scale and cost of the evaluation to the size, stage and complexity of the work.
Independent
We recognise achievement, but we are also prepared to identify uncertainty, contradiction and areas requiring further attention. An evaluation is most valuable when people can trust its judgement.
Useful
Evidence should lead somewhere. We translate findings into clear conclusions, practical recommendations and questions that help organisations decide what to do next.
Working with children, young people and communities
Nick has extensive experience of programmes involving children and young people, including those facing disadvantage, exclusion or disrupted educational experiences.
Our work places particular emphasis on:
- participation that is meaningful rather than tokenistic;
- methods appropriate to people’s ages, circumstances and confidence;
- safeguarding, consent and emotional care;
- recognising lived experience as a form of knowledge;
- creating different ways for people to contribute;
- avoiding unnecessary demands for personal disclosure;
- ensuring that participants can see how their contribution has been used.
We are especially interested in evaluation that gives children, young people and communities a genuine role in interpreting the work—not merely supplying information to somebody else’s report.
Areas of experience
Creativity and culture
Arts programmes, cultural participation, artists, schools, communities, creative partnerships and place-based work.
Education and learning
Schools, progression, mentoring, professional learning, educational innovation and alternative approaches to participation and attainment.
Youth voice and social justice
Youth agency, inclusion, lived experience, care experience, leadership and work with young people whose voices are too often overlooked.
Health and wellbeing
Participatory research, children and young people’s health, wellbeing, prevention and partnerships between charities, researchers and public services.
Partnerships and systems
Cross-sector collaborations, international programmes, networks, organisational development and learning across complex partnerships.
Experience
Dr Nick Owen brings more than thirty years of senior leadership across creativity, education, youth services, social enterprise and cultural development.
His doctoral research, A Search for Creative Partnerships, explored how people and organisations work together across professional and institutional boundaries. As Chief Executive of The Mighty Creatives, he has led major programmes involving schools, young people, artists, government departments, cultural organisations, universities and funders.
His evaluation and learning experience includes cross-border cultural programmes in Ireland and Northern Ireland, youth progression initiatives, creative mentoring, education and participation, and research partnerships concerned with children and young people’s health.
Selected NOP commissions and case studies will be added with the agreement of the organisations concerned.
How a commission works
We normally begin with a conversation about:
- the programme and its stage of development;
- the questions you need the evaluation to answer;
- the people who should be involved;
- the evidence that already exists;
- the intended audiences for the findings;
- the available budget and timescale.
We will then propose a proportionate approach, timetable, set of outputs and fee. Larger commissions may be divided into phases, allowing learning to influence delivery while the programme is still developing.
Start a conversation
If you are planning a new programme, reviewing established work or trying to make sense of a complicated body of evidence, we would be pleased to hear from you.
Tell us briefly about the work, what you hope to understand and when you need the evaluation to begin.