An evaluation was undertaken by the CCRI and Interventions4Health, which is a University of Gloucestershire (UoG) business enterprise project focused on innovative design, development and delivery of health interventions and performance improvement programmes on behalf of clients and commissioners.
The scheme is open to community groups including sports clubs, scout groups, parish councils and schools. There is £40,000 of funding available in each of the 53 county council electoral divisions in Gloucestershire. Local county councillors act as the sponsor for applications and decide whether to pass on to Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) Public Health.
Starting in October 2014, the project ran for two years and included a Social Return on Investment (SROI) assessment with a view to understanding and value the changes that occur as a consequence of projects implemented through Active Together and to develop a blueprint for a the delivery and evaluation of similar future programmes.
This research was important because it investigated how new modes of local commissioning work in practice. With the community now located firmly at the heart of the public health agenda there is a need to understand the processes, outcomes and experiences of people involved. This will help develop evidence to improve future programmes and generate recommendations for future research and practice.
The research team comprised:
- Professor Diane Crone, Dr. Colin Baker and Dr. Elizabeth Loughren (all Interventions4Health)
- Professor Paul Courtney Katarina Kubinakova and Dilshaad Bundhoo (all CCRI).
