Big Lotteries Evaluation : Darnall Family Development Project, Yorkshire and the Humber Region

A realistic evaluation (Pawson and Tilley, 1997) was undertaken of a Big Lotteries funded (£492,000 for 2006-11) Family Development Centre in Darnall, Sheffield, UK. The project serves a diverse multi-cultural community with high social deprivation in the east of the city. In all but one of the Big Lottery targets the project has more than doubled what it set out to achieve with children and families in the Big Lotteries funded period 2006-10: one to one family support was given to 246 families (an increase on the target of 310%); Parenting courses for 134 parents (an increase on the target of 48%);A fathers group with 64 members who met 100% more times than planned; Accredited parenting courses for 322 parents which was 257% up on the target); Volunteers recruited which is 37% up on the target and community open days reached 2,688 local community members. The target of paid employment helped 84 people access external training and or paid employment which was 6.7% under target. This report explored some of the complexuities of family life in the Darnall area to understand the reasons for successes of the project and areas of challenge and limitation.