Chickenshed: BSkyB sponsorship evaluation

The challenge

Chickenshed describes itself as a genuinely inclusive theatre company with all members involved as equal partners in the creative process. The company has 700 members. As well as putting on theatre productions, Chickenshed runs a training and development programme that provides people with the opportunity to become qualified in inclusive performance arts and set up their own theatre company.

BSkyB selected Chickenshed to be its charity partner in October 2004. It agreed to support Chickenshed over three years.

EdComs was commissioned to work with Chickenshed to evaluate the impact of the partnership. The main objectives of the evaluation were to:

  • measure the value of the sponsorship for Chickenshed and BSkyB over the last two years of the sponsorship
  • gauge the effect of Chickenshed's approach on the understanding of and attitudes towards inclusion for members, their family and peers
  • develop an evaluation model that can be used by Chickenshed at the end of the sponsorship to monitor the value of its ongoing activities.

Our approach

Research into the value of the sponsorship for Chickenshed, its members and the wider community took place over three stages:

  • baseline
  • ongoing tracking and consultancy
  • summative evaluation.

Methodology combined qualitative, quantitative and monitoring techniques concentrating on:

  • members
  • parents
  • teachers
  • Chickenshed volunteers and staff
  • opinion formers
  • audience members.

Outcomes

EdComs left Chickenshed with processes and tools to ensure that impact is measured over the long term, including:

  • staff training and support
  • audience survey questionnaires
  • a members' database
  • a youth forum (for 11–18s)
  • a toolkit for conducting focus groups within its creative team.