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Supporting local government on logic models: moving beyond training

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While many on social media may dismiss government policy as defying any logic, we know that’s an unfair characterisation of many different policies and programmes. But we also know that more could be done to make sure that available evidence helps support the development of local growth interventions. Logic models provide one way of making sure that this happens – and more prosaically, they’re commonly asked for as part of funding bids – which is why we’ve developed training to help support local areas use this tool.

To help build on our existing offer, we’re launching follow-up support for attendees of our course on Making use of logic models. That introductory course focuses on the questions teams can use to check the logic between steps. Even just asking ‘How?’ can prompt reflection on whether there is sufficient budget or if there is evidence that a set of deliverables will lead to the desired outcome. Similarly, asking ‘Why?’ can help refine your project—‘why do we need these activities?’ or ‘why do we want to achieve these outcomes?’

We also discuss common issues that emerge in logic models: a project trying to achieve too many outcomes, overly optimistic maths used to set output targets, or agreeing a set of activities without understanding the need. Attendees leave with a set of questions and a structured approach they can use to check the logic and explore the evidence. For example, does past experience suggest those outputs are realistic once we account for drop-outs? Does the evidence on what works suggest those activities will lead to an increase in wages?

However, I’ve certainly attended my fair share of training where I left with lots of ideas on how to implement what I’d learned, only to have a full in-tray and ongoing projects stop my good intentions. Conversations with attendees suggest they suffer similarly, which is why we’re offering this follow-up support.

Open to people in local government who have previously attended Making use of logic models, we’ll work through a ‘live’ example where one brave LA officer will get one-to-one support to improve their logic model while other local government officers can listen in.

We hope that working through a real example will benefit the team receiving critical friend advice to refine their logic model and will also provide a refresher for all attendees.

If you work in local government and haven’t yet attended our logic model training, check out our training page to book. This new follow-up training is only open to previous attendees.

If you have attended, let us know if there is other follow-up support that would help embed logic models in how you design and deliver projects.