Research

About Time Grant Evaluations

Resource title: About Time Grant Evaluations
Published: 2018    Author: Janice Needham and Ann Sanders, independent evaluators.

These independent evaluations review the successful delivery of the two About Time Grant programmes, Time for Change and Take Action and Support, which addressed the issues that can lead to young adult carers becoming disengaged from society.

Key points

The objectives of the evaluations were to:

  • Provide an overall evaluation of all data to assess the progress of funded projects against the aims and objectives of the About Time grant programmes and of the wider About Time programme.
  • Conduct a qualitative study with funded projects to identify effective strategies and approaches for supporting and enabling young adult carers.
  • Provide a focused evaluation of data derived from outcomes measurement tools designed to measure the extent of care undertaken, the positive and negative impacts of caring for young adult carers and changes in their lives because of taking part in the funded intervention.
  • Evaluate the impacts of programme delivery and Carers Trust grant making processes on funded organisations.

About the resources

The evaluations of the Time for Change and Take Action and Support grant programmes were structured in three phases and each had its own evaluation report with an overview of the whole programme also produced.

Overview Report

Download the evaluation:

  • About Time Grant Programme Evaluation Overview Report.

Phase one: February–October 2015

Download the evaluations:

  • About Time Grant Programmes Evaluation Report Phase 1 February October 2015 Key Messages.
  • About Time Grant Programmes Evaluation Report Phase 1 February to October 2015.

Phase two: November 2015–November 2016

Download the evaluations:

  • About Time Grant Programmes Evaluation Report Phase 2 November 2015 to November 2016 Executive Summary.
  • About Time Grant Programmes Evaluation Report Phase 2 November 2015  to November 2016.

Phase three: December 2016–October 2017

Download the evaluations:

  • About Time Grant Programme Evaluation Report Phase 3 December 2016 to October 2017 Executive Summary.
  • About Time Grant Programme Evaluation Report Phase 3 December 2016 to October 2017.

Key achievements and learning from the programmes include:

  • Around 7,200 young adult carers have benefited from 114 projects delivered by Carers Trust Network Partners, exceeding the original target of 6,200 young adult carers.
  • Programmes provided support to significant numbers of young adult carers for the first time, with over half of the young people participating being new to Carers Trust Network Partners.
  • Programmes developed a flexible response to the needs of young adult carers, including individual support, group activities and access to small grants for individuals, alongside the development of partnerships.
  • The programme design involved young adult carers and Network Partners, ensuring programmes reflected specific needs across UK.
  • Projects have been successful in reaching a representative group of young adult carers and there was a good geographic spread of projects across the UK.
  • Carers Trust has enabled Network Partners to deliver effective projects by being flexible about delivery approaches and providing good quality support, information and training.
  • The Carers Trust Network has a unique role in supporting the needs of young adult carers.