In 2016 we conducted a review of 26 evaluation reports, covering our work in specific countries and individual programmes.
Key findings about volunteering
- VSO interventions made people's lives better by improving the quality of and access to services in education and health.
- Volunteers are often crucial in encouraging collaboration and developing new networks.
- Our contribution to change is more complex than suggested by the existing Global Theory of Change.
Key finding about the evaluations
- The majority of the reports written and conducted by VSO staff scored 'minimum' standard, which performed better than externally authored ones.
- Evaluations rated fairly well at including the perspectives of primary actors in the evidence.
- Evaluations were still weak on involving the people we are trying to help from the beginning of the evaluation.
![Local nurse with a mother and a newborn baby](/sites/default/files/styles/350x175/public/2020-02/RS16757-Tanzania-Health-nurse-and-newborn-baby.jpg?h=5a9d5d36&itok=Lqci-umV)
©VSO/Tim Maynard
Our research
Research reports and more information about our approach to evidence-based programming
![Staff at a care facility in Sri Lanka supported by VSO Staff at a care facility in Sri Lanka supported by VSO](/sites/default/files/styles/350x175/public/rs11549_gxsrila807_rt8-scr.jpg?itok=NeZuE88U)
Our evaluations
Timely evaluation plays a critical role in understanding the contribution we make in delivering sustainable development.
Our evaluation strategy
How we work to embed an organisation-wide culture of learning and evaluation.