An Introduction to Change Projects

1. An Introduction to Change Projects Helen Phillips Research and Development Officer helen@ripfa.org.uk.

2. What is a Change Project? • One of six strands of work for research in practice for adults • They identify an area of practice, take account of the available evidence, pilot new ways of working and evaluate the impact • They are designed to enable participants to contribute to the improvement of evidence based approaches, both in their own agency and in the broader professional community • They provide an opportunity for us to work closely and collaboratively with Partner agencies in our network

3. research in practice Change Projects • Completed Change Projects include • Teamwise: Using Research Evidence • Firm Foundations for Organisational Support • Current Change Projects include • Using evidence in court • Leadership for Evidence Informed Practice • Partnership working at the frontline • NIFTY Evaluation • Alcohol and offending • For further details of the above see www.rip.org.uk

4. Change Projects are based on the following principles • hold improved outcomes for service users central to their aims • adopt an evidence-informed approach to all aspects of development • seek to include service users and/or service user views in the Change Project • are practical and hands-on • result in a product or event that can be shared widely to help improve practice

5. Change Projects comprise 9 stages over 18 months - two years • Idea generation • Scoping study/literature search • Experts knowledge exchange/firm proposal • Recruit and run Change Project Group • Produce an Action Pack • Recruit/run Action Pack Pilot Group • Produce a final handbook • Launch and publicise the handbook • Promote and support use of handbook

6. Stage 1: Idea generation (1) • Letter to Partner Agencies-Directors of Adult Social Care • Email to Link Officers • Analysis of key government documents • Analysis of ADSS current issues • Analysis of work programmes of key research organisations including SCIE, SPRU, PSRU, JRF, MASCRI • Liaison with our sister organisation research in practice

7. Stage 1: Idea generation (2) • Brilliant response with over 40 topics identified! • Collated themes and cross checked these against activity already underway or about to commence • Identified top 5 ‘hot’ topics and explored these in greater detail • Identified themes for future Learning Events, Information and Evidence Clusters

8. Stage 1: Idea generation (3)Top Topics! • Adult Protection/Vulnerable Adults • Information for Self Directed Care • E Learning/IT and training/development • Prevention • Quality Assurance

9. Stage 1: Idea generation (4) • Consult with Partner Organisations and Link Officers over preferred topics • Finalise topic for first Change Project by end of February • Communicate chosen topic across the network • Seek expressions of interest to become part of the Change Project Group via Link Officers

10. Next Steps…. • Stage 2 (March - April 2007) undertake/publish Literature Review • Stage 3 (May 2007) hold ‘Experts Knowledge Exchange’ and agree firm proposal • Stage 4 (June – October 2007) run Change Project Group • Stage 5 (October 2007 – January 2008) produce ‘Action Plan’

11. Next Steps.... • Stage 6 (January – March 2008) pilot Action Plan • Stage 7 (April – May 2008) produce a final Handbook • Stage 8 (June 2008) launch and publicise the Handbook • Stage 9 (July 2008) promote and support the use of the Handbook