Applied Coaching Research Journal Research Journal 4 | Page 44

APPLIED COACHING RESEARCH JOURNAL 2019, Vol. 4
APPLIED COACHING RESEARCH JOURNAL 2019, Vol. 4
WHICH
EXTERNAL
PARTNERS HAVE
YOU ENGAGED
ON THE GROUP?
We have had a varied number of
presenters come and share their work
including:
• Professor Joan Duda from the
University of Birmingham shared
her research on theory-grounded
and evidence-based assessments of
coaching behaviours and coaching
related outcomes.
• Clare Cooper from England Rugby
talked through how Rugby are
growing the game for disabled people
and what kind of measures, systems
and tools they are looking to use in
relation to this key area.
NOW THE
GROUP HAS
BEEN UP AND
RUNNING FOR
OVER A YEAR,
WHAT ARE ITS
NEXT STEPS?
• Matt Stevenson-Dodd from Trust
Impact (former CEO of Street League)
talked through his three golden
rules for showing impact. Matt
also demonstrated a live ‘impact
dashboard’, which the group would
like to investigate further in the
future.
• Michelle Gent from the Royal Yachting
Association presented how they
have used new qualitative research
software to present statistical data
backed up by explanatory narrative,
combining numbers and anecdotes
to provide a powerful means of
persuasion.
Sharing details of our projects and experiences with each other has been invaluable
and something everyone appreciates so this will certainly continue. There’s often talk
of a gap between sports development and academia, and in the next 12 months, I’m
sure the group would like to continue looking at this as well. We have opportunity to
learn both from the current body of evidence, and the experiences of organisations
in applied settings, to help us become better informed about how to design effective
programmes and report on the outcomes with clarity and credibility.
WE ASKED FOUR OF OUR MEMBERS WHY THEY DECIDED TO JOIN THE PEER
NETWORKING GROUP AND WHAT THEY GET OUT OF BEING PART OF THE GROUP.
Sophie Burton
Strategic Lead for Insight and Workforce for Energise Me, Active Partnership
The diversity of the group holds appeal and presents a great opportunity to talk to
a breadth of partner organisations who are passionate and understand the value
of insight, and its application to the workforce arena. There is an openness and
willingness to share thought, practice and challenges, which ultimately means we
are exposed to new ways of thinking. It enables us to look at this area of work
through different lenses.
The group presents an opportunity to test ideas and seek feedback, as well as
challenge our own opinions. An appropriately skilled, developed and supported
workforce is key to engaging and retaining inactive participants. What that
workforce looks like, and how it is developed, is pivotal to supporting the inactivity
agenda. As part of this, we are all seeking to change approaches and behaviour
in new and innovative ways and at the same time, reassure ourselves and others
that impact is evident and measurable. Exposure to this type of forum shapes
and cultivates ideas, allows you to question and explore academic research and
provides a safe space to be honest and reflective.
Lucy Horne
Impact and Evaluation Officer for the Saints Foundation
The peer network group was recommended to me by UK Coaching, and even
though I’m a very new member, I’ve already gained a lot from being involved.
Honest and reflective evaluations of projects are increasingly being recognised
as a fundamental part of our landscape, but for many insight leads we’re the only
specialist within our organisation. For me, the chance to talk through ideas (the
good, the bad and the weird) was really appealing - not only to hear great ideas
from other organisations but also to have my own work informally peer reviewed.
I think it’s important to be able to discuss ideas and challenges, particularly where
best practice in research moves at an exciting, if fast, pace. It’s great that members
are from such a variety of sports (all with their own different contexts) as this
means that we tackle issues from different perspectives. Internal evaluation in its
current form still feels quite new, and this group provides a forum for us to really
help shape how we can use it in the most effective way to demonstrate our impact.
Beyond that, the group also reinforces the culture within sport for social change of
evidence-based learning.
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