We design and deliver a full range of evaluation services, ranging from programme evaluations to evaluations of specific services and projects.  Our evaluation work often cuts across organisational or sector boundaries and emphasises the appropriate involvement of service users and carers, and staff.  In particular our evaluations: are robust and practical are cost-effective can be completed to tight timescales are timely and relevant will answer your specific ‘real world’ questions will support your future decision making. We use a wide range of methods, including: focus groups and ‘ideas and information’ workshops face-to-face and telephone interviews postal and web-based surveys participatory approaches such as training and working with community evaluators use of case studies and pen-pictures quantitative data collection, including defining datasets and setting up data collection analysis of local and national datasets analysis of costs and benefits mapping and benchmarking comparing the impact and performance of new services to that of existing services and national standards. For longer-term evaluations, we can produce interim findings to shape the programme or service as it progresses.  We can prepare feedback tailored to different audiences, including overview reports, lay summaries and briefing papers for decision makers.   Recent evaluation projects:   An evaluation of the Health Launchpad For NESTA and the Young Foundation we are evaluating the Health Launchpad as a model for promoting social innovation and the impact of the new social ventures on people with long-term health conditions.   Read more   Salford Health Matters Salford Health Matters started providing a social prescribing project in the late summer of 2008 and later that year commissioned Acton Shapiro to evaluate whether the project is meeting its objectives in addressing issues such as poor mental health, social isolation and work-limiting illnesses within its population.   Read more