ActionAid Impact Assessment Workshop, Isle of Thorns, November 30 - December 4, 1998

Action Aid's Impact Assessment Unit (IAU) convened an international five-day workshop in Nov/Dec 1998, where 28 staff from 18 countries met to discuss ways to assess change. Whilst seeking principles that would guide their work in an inclusive and participatory way, the team were mindful of both the "time" such approaches demand of people, and the degree to which participation can be used as a tool for consultation rather than empowerment. The overall objectives of the workshop were to provide a forum to discuss different methodologies for assessing change, and to decide how - as an organisation - to develop their future work on impact assessment. This report attempts to summarise some of the key outcomes of the workshop, providing an overview of: the main methods used for understanding impact within Action Aid; an overview of external contributions to the workshop; key issues emerging from the workshop discussions; challenges for the future - areas of IA work that need strengthening; the way forward - ways to develop and strengthen Action Aid's impact assessment work; and future areas of work for the Impact Assessment Unit.