Research and Evaluation reports undertaken by VAL

Neighbourhood Matching: Year 1 Headline Evaluation

This report details the key successes and challenges from year 1 of the neighbourhood matching project in Leeds. Neighbourhood matching is a programme of volunteer led Social Action projects, co-designed and delivered by communities, where the commitment of volunteers is matched by funding that enables projects to grow.

Consortium Working Research: Third Sector Leeds

Third Sector Leeds Consortium Working Research’ aims to provide key recommendations for organisations when setting up a third sector consortium. Using structured conversations undertaken with senior leaders in multiple different third sector consortiums also outlines the common key risks involved with setting up a third sector consortium, along with key shared approaches taken by consortiums before bidding, during bidding and whilst running the service.

Evaluation of the Building Blocks Service

Building Blocks is a project of New Wortley Community Centre that aims to listen to local people in LS12 and surrounding areas, building on strengths and interests to help people achieve what they want to in a way that benefits the whole community. The aim of this evaluation is to assess the impact of Building Blocks, with consultations carried out with staff, volunteers and service users at New Wortley Community Centre to help review progress against the intended outcomes, and identify any unintended outcomes or wider effects it has had outside of its original scope.

Leeds ACTS!/Leeds Social Sciences Institute Research ‘The Community Care Hub Network through Covid-19'

This research looks at the impact being a Community Care Hub had on organisational culture and relationships with partners and communities. This research was commissioned by Leeds ACTS! and delivered by Hope Bachmann, a Post Graduate Researcher funded by Leeds Social Sciences Institute at University of Leeds. The research was undertaken through semi-structured interviews with a sample of Community Care Hubs, and with a Senior Officer from VAL and from Leeds City Council.

Shaping the Community Anchor Model for Leeds

This report primarily focuses on the Community Anchor Model; a network of third sector organisations currently being set up in each ward across the city. Each ward will have a third sector organisation acting as the ‘Anchor’ who will establish close relationships with organisations in their local area, while also having valuable links with organisations and networks from multiple sectors across Leeds.

Veg in the Community: measuring impact

This Vignette describes the delivery and outcomes of the Veg in the Community: Measuring Impact Seedcorn project. This project was a collaboration between Incredible Edible Garforth and a Leeds University Masters’ student to produce an impact report on the impact of community food growing projects. The project was delivered between April and June 2021 and funded by the LeedsACTS! partnership.

Promoting Unorthobox in Leeds: evidencing impact through research

This vignette describes the delivery and outcomes of the ‘Exploring the Impacts of Mixed Ability Boxing’ Seedcorn project. The project was delivered between Unorthobox, Jen Dyer (Uuniversity of Leeds) and Nifty Sustainability and was funded by the LeedsACTS!  partnership as part of the 2021 Seedcorn Funding round to promote third sector and academic collaboration.

Co-produced Culturally Appropriate Healthy Eating Recipe Resources for People of Black Ethnicity Living in Leeds

This vignette describes the delivery and outcomes/outputs of a 2021 LeedsACTS! Seedcorn funded project. The project was proposed by Dr Tanefa Apekey and Dr Sally Moore (Leeds and Leeds Beckett Universities) and delivered together with partners the Feel Good Factor, Leeds. The outcomes of this project helped form the successful MRC PHIND bid Co-production of ‘Health Connections’ – a community-based diet, physical activity, and healthy weight intervention for UK Black and Asian adults.

Third Sector Resilience West Yorkshire & Leeds - Survey Three September 2021

This third round of this resilience research was completed by third sector organisations between May and June 2021. The survey sought to capture the impact of COVID-19 on the third sector looking at sector viability in the light of changing income and expenditure, pressures on communities and changes in volunteering and the third sector’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances and positive experiences.

Third Sector Resilience Follow up Survey (Leeds)

Drawing on the same October 2020 survey data set as the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Sector Resilience Survey, Third Sector Leeds undertook an analysis of the impact of covid on the strengths of and challenges to the third sector specifically in Leeds.

Third Sector Resilience Follow-up Survey (West Yorkshire and Harrogate)

Following the initial survey carried out in 2020, this follow-up survey and resultant report seeks to understand the continued impact of COVID-19 on the sector and the communities it supports. The findings pull together feedback from 215 voluntary and community organisations across Bradford district and Craven; Calderdale, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.

Third Sector Resilience Survey (West Yorkshire and Harrogate)

This far reaching survey and resultant report sets out the impact of COVID-19 on the sector and the communities it supports. VAL worked closely with over 300 voluntary and community organisations across Bradford district and Craven; Calderdale, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.

Third Sector Resilience Survey (Leeds)

Drawing on the same June 2020 survey data set as the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Sector Resilience Survey, Third Sector Leeds undertook an analysis of the impact of covid on the strengths of and challenges to the third sector in Leeds.

This impactful report formed the backbone of a local campaign  around the covid impact of the third sector and  kickstarted a debate about how to protect the third sector for the future.

From Crisis Point to Turning Point

In 2019, Young Lives Leeds partnered with the University of Leeds’ Social Science Institute to undertake research with young people about the way services commissioned in the third sector that engage with the ‘whole person’ impact upon their readiness to seek employment or training.

Challenging Conversations

In 2018, this innovative Home Office funded research, resourced small third sector organisations to tested the impact of their work on the drivers of hate crime in young people. It contributed to debate in Leeds about ways to bring commmunities together and the development of a programme of training in shaping work with young people

Young Lives Leeds NEET Report

In 2015, Voluntary Action Leeds (VAL), Young Lives Bradford and Wakefield Young Lives completed a research project that engaged with 315 young people to share their experiences of Not being in Employment, Education or Training (NEET).