AWRC voices: Sharing evaluation findings from the Sport England learning exchange

In March, the National Evaluation and Learning Partnership (NELP) sent team members across the country to the Sports England Learning Exchanges in Leeds, London, and Birmingham. The purpose of the events is to bring Place Partners and Sport England together to share experiences of learning and evaluation as part of the Place Partnership programme. In this AWRC voices, NELP colleagues reflect on the Hot Topics Tables that they facilitated around the findings of the evaluation and learning submissions places submitted before Christmas.

Reflections from Leeds by James

The opening session of the peer learning events organised by Sport England based in Leeds at the Met saw a room full of people ready to share and learn more about place-based working. We opened with a keynote from Kenny Chu who shared their experience of working through evaluation and learning in place, as well as a presentation by Sport England on their key foci moving forwards.

During our Hot Topic Table, we aimed to present back some of the findings from NELP of the different pathways to impact for cultures and practice, challenging attendees to explore their own explanations. The conversations that were had were thought provoking and individuals both working in place-based approaches and people new to this way of working engaged together to curate and explore how the conditions for change interact and interlink to elicit change. It was particularly interesting to see how people who had not experienced the cross-cutting conditions for change interacted with and brought their own insights into the discussion.

The afternoon session on “Introduction to place-based working and systems change” was fruitful, Hackney showcasing their experience of place-based working and discussing how systems look in different contexts. Similarly, the afternoon session on children and young people in systems contexts highlighted the importance of community voice and brought thoughtful and open conversation to the fore.

Reflections from London by Shelley Kotze

Our time in London was genuinely energising. From the moment the day began, there was a clear sense of enthusiasm in the room, with people keen to engage, share, and challenge thinking around place-based working. The Hot Topic Table created a lively space for discussion, and it was encouraging to see the level of openness and curiosity from Place Partners and others that joined us.

What stood out most was the depth of knowledge and confidence in relation to evaluation and the conditions. Conversations moved quickly beyond surface-level understanding, with participants drawing directly on their own experiences to reflect on how learning is being applied in practice. There was a real sense that place-based approaches are not only understood but actively owned, with a strong commitment to making them meaningful within local contexts.

The energy throughout the day was consistent, with a shared passion for improving how we learn from and evidence change. It felt like a space where people were not only willing to engage but genuinely invested in doing this work well. And, of course, it is always a pleasure to spend a sunny day in London, which only added to the positive atmosphere of the event.

Reflections from Birmingham by Thomas Harper

Our time at The Studio in Birmingham was great. I always relish the opportunity to network and meet new people, especially for me as a new face at NELP getting a room with people who are passionate about this work really fires up the energy levels. Our Hot Topic Table created a great space to engage with Place Partners, and we were blessed with some super people with valuable contributions.

Those who attended really connected with the task and the data and analysis coming out of the NELP work. I was pleased to see our Place Partners identifying with the conditions and allowing space for reflection and learning as part of their work. The discussions we had with both groups around the relationship between the conditions were invaluable too! It feels like the work has really champions on the ground who believe in evaluation and learning.

The afternoon sessions on Capturing and Demonstrating Progress and Re-Imagining the Game were another super opportunity to engage our work and listen to the experience of those in Place, navigating the challenges of our work with wider stakeholders and community.

A Summary from Katie Shearn

I attended last year and it is great to back (lots of hugging)! Making genuine connections around evaluation and learning gives these in-person events an authenticity that I relish. The thoughtfulness with which attendees reflect and learn together is brilliant. Our Hot Topic Table in Birmingham was flush with reflections and openness which energised the space. Change isn’t always in a straight line, and progress in this space seems to embrace the innovation of Place Partners but is underpinned by their persistence and resilience.

The call to go bigger and better with these events is a welcome rallying cry and I would love to see more representation of community voice and focus on how to make this truly community-led, building on the growing network of collaborators that are engaging with and utilising this approach and learning.

Thank you to the Sport England team for organising and facilitating the exchange and for including our team in this space, we look forward to participating in the next iteration.

The National Evaluation and Learning Partnership Team

Leeds – James Woodward and Harriet Wingfield

London – Shelley Kotze and Simon Armour

Birmingham – Thomas Harper and Katie Shearn