Monitoring and evaluation of Active Fans sessions
To provide evidence of the impact your Active Fans sessions are having on the health and social well-being of the participants engaged in the programme, you can implement various monitoring and evaluation tools. In general, we suggest that you create three questionnaires for participants of the Active Fans programme. One should be filled in before they start the programme (week 0), another during the programme (week 6) and a final one at the end of the 12-week period. It is best to be transparent with your participants as to the reasons why you are asking them to complete the forms and your intentions for the data collected.
How can I use the data?
It takes some time and effort to collect data from participants, but the process is rewarding. Data collection data allows you to provide participants with information on their progress, and can indicate whether they have been able to achieve their goals.
Additionally, data collection is essential to the sustainability of your Active Fans programme. When collaborating with potential partners such as health associations or sponsors to raise funds, you will demonstrate how your Active Fans sessions are having an impact on participants.
Tips for partners
Organise medical checks for weeks 0, 6 and 12 of your programme to analyse the progress and the measurable benefits of the sessions. It is also very important to gather a wide variety of physical data (e.g performance related), and not just the weight and waist measurements.
Pre, mid term and post questionnaire
Questionnaires and evaluation plans are the main tools needed to monitor the session deliveries from the start of the programme until the end. The completion of the questionnaire will highlight whether the programme had the desired impact on the participants. These surveys will be used to record trainees’ perceptions on how they have performed, changed their lifestyle and how their well-being has improved or otherwise.
Data collection timeline
Week 0 = At the beginning of the programme; how do they rate their lifestyle and their engagement in physical activity? Additionally, you should take health measurements such as ECG, waist, weight, BMI, etc.
Week 6 = During the programme; how do they rate their progress, see their chances of reaching their objectives? An additional health check should be done to add an extra layer to the collected data.
Week 12 = End of the programme; the participants should complete the same questionnaire that they completed at the start. Further health related data should be collected through the medical measurements and the lifestyle questionnaire.
Questionnaires
Project partners used three different types of questionnaires to collect data from participants. These were filled out by participants in week 0 & week 12 covering healthy, lifestyles and well-being topics.
The health questionnaire – collects data relating to the participants’ blood pressure, height, waist, weight and BMI measurements.
The lifestyle questionnaire – focuses on food behaviour and consumption, alcohol and fizzy drinks, and physical activities.
The Warwick-Edinburgh mental well-being scale questionnaire – is a survey that addresses subjective well-being and psychological functioning. All items are worded positively and address aspects of positive mental health.
