A 3-year Evaluation of Community Chesterfield by Jessica Jackson

My name is Jessica Jackson and I am a Lecturer Nursing and Health with experience of conducting research evaluations for the NHS and Public Health Services.

In 2019 I was asked to support Professor Sue Dyson and Dr Amelia Woodward to conduct a mixed methods sequential evaluation of the collaborate partnership between COMMuniTY Chesterfield and the University of Derby. Sequential means that we collect different types of data over the duration of the three project so that we can compare how the partnership has evolved over time.

We know form the existing literature that working in University’s who work in partnership with the voluntary sector enhances theoretical and experiential learning in students, facilitates organisational development and social action and promotes sustainability through co-created experiences. Therefore, our research evaluation aimed to analyse how COMMuniTY Chesterfield activated this partnership between the University and Voluntary Sector groups.

In year one, two and three we interviewed staff from the University Derby involved in the partnership. We also interviewed all members of the COMMuniTY Chesterfield team. The data allowed us to explore the complexities of partnerships and how it evolved over the duration of the project.

In year one there was a collective recognition that the partnership was beneficial for all. Although, there were challenges in expectations of what could be achieved in the first year. In year two the partnership began to evolve. Creative ideas were put into action and connections were made despite the pandemic. The COMMuniTY Chesterfield team were able to adapt to the needs of the community and institution. This meant that by year three there was a deeper understanding and recognition for the value in people and the work that was being activated. There was respect and trust from the University for what the COMMuniTY Chesterfield Team do.

One University Staff Member stated “Their team was really the people that brought the community to us so that we could the encompass them into the university.”

We also conducted an online questionnaire for students at the St. Helena Campus. There was a total of 62 respondents and was a good representation of the student population in this setting. Over the duration of the project the students showed an increase in knowledge of voluntary health care provision and the enterprise and indicated a positive attitude towards the partnership and volunteering.

Finally we conducted an online questionnaire for the Voluntary Sector Groups. This indicated that there was a constant knowledge of COMMuniTY Chesterfield and the work they had been doing. Their engagement with the University, training they attended and students volunteering they were able to host.

There is no doubt at all that this partnership has been an overwhelming benefit for Chesterfield. Universities are in a unique position to be able to contribute to communities and COMMuniTY Chesterfield have shown that can activate this partnership and more. The evaluation has shown that the team plan to continue with their ambition to have greater impact for the members of their community.  

Click here to read Jess's report in full, or view our other evaluation work.