Evaluation & Monitoring
Curiosity, reflection and shared learning. At Chol, reflection and learning aren’t add-ons, they’re at the centre of everything we do. We see ourselves as an action research organisation: curious, questioning and always open to discovering how creativity and care can make the biggest difference for children, young people and communities.
Every project we deliver is part of an ongoing process of action, reflection and growth. We design, test and adapt creative approaches in real time, learning alongside the people we work with. Whenever possible, we collaborate with external evaluators or dedicate team members to focus on creative evaluation, making sure our learning is rigorous, honest and grounded in lived experience.
Our evaluation work has shaped some of our most successful programmes, including our Caring and Creative Schools project funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Read more reflections, research and evaluation for our caring and creative schools.
Creative Evaluation in Practice
We believe evaluation should feel as creative as the work itself. From storytelling and illustration to playful reflection tools, we look for imaginative ways to capture learning and impact.
As part of this, we’ve developed a growing suite of resources to help others reflect, record and learn creatively, including our Evaluation Playbook and Acts of Care Cards.
Imaginary Communities® Evaluation Playbook
The Imaginary Communities® Evaluation Playbook was created from years of research and classroom practice with teachers, artists and children. It explores how our Equal Playmaker approach can enable children to be and become caring and engaged learners. The Playbook supports teachers and practitioners to observe and record learning in meaningful, human ways, noticing shifts in confidence, curiosity and connection, as well as academic progress.
Acts of Care Cards
Our Acts of Care Cards, inspired by Imaginary Communities® and Equal Playmakers, help participants and facilitators reflect on the small but powerful moments of care, empathy and collaboration that happen within creative practice. Both tools are designed to make reflection accessible, enjoyable and insightful. turning evaluation into an act of creativity in itself.
Evaluation Geek Club
To bring people together who also share our passion for reflective practice, we created the Evaluation Geek Club, a warm, down-to-earth community for artists, educators, evaluators and cultural practitioners who want to explore evaluation through creativity and care.
Launched in August 2024, the Geek Club brings together people from across the UK and beyond for quarterly online sessions – open spaces to share tools, troubleshoot challenges and learn from each other. Members connect through a shared Padlet hub full of resources and examples, and an optional WhatsApp group for quick sharing and support between sessions.
Each session explores different aspects of creative evaluation, from our Evaluation Playbook and Acts of Care cards, to discussions on agency, autonomy, and how we move from “proving to improving.” It’s a space for generosity, radical care and collective curiosity, for anyone who wants to make evaluation more meaningful, human and joyful. You can find out more, join the community, or sign up for future sessions here.
We believe evaluation isn’t about ticking boxes or proving outcomes. It’s about paying attention and noticing what changes, who grows, and how creativity and care can build stronger, more connected communities.
“This is a shared learning space, not a panel of experts. Everyone understands and approaches evaluation differently, and that diversity is what makes the Geek Club powerful. We invite you to show up imperfectly, question, challenge and share.”
Vicky, Chol Associate