The Canal & River Trust (CRT) is a registered charity caring for 3,219km of working canals and river navigations, docks and reservoirs across England and Wales. The Trust works in partnership with others to support the health and wellbeing of millions of people.
To demonstrate its impact, the Trust has designed an Outcomes Measurement Framework (OMF) launched in September 2017.
This presentation will explain the OMF with focus on:
- CRT’s approach to evaluation and measurement at national, local and project levels;
- The selection of sixteen longitudinal study areas which focus on in-depth measurement and evaluation;
- Principal quantitative and qualitative measurement and evaluation methodologies including:
- A bespoke National Waterway Engagement Monitor
- Economic valuation methodologies for monetisation
- The evaluation of projects and day-to-day activities
- Towpath use research, utilising intercept surveys and innovative application of monitoring techniques using machine learning technology
Findings and Originality:
The OMF methodology is an original approach to policy outcomes measurement utilising an innovative mix of tools, techniques and data sources to build an evidence base.
Conclusion and Policy Implications:
We hope that our approach and activities in the fields of research, measurement and evaluation will contribute to the growing evidence base and that future studies can be used to help distil and share the evidence on waterways and wellbeing supporting national and devolved policy.