South-Holland (province in the Netherlands)
Client
Provincie Zuid-Holland
Task
Carry out the policy evaluation for Recreation & Sport over the period 2019-2023
Result
Final evaluation report with approval from external expert
The question
Periodic (usually every four years) evaluation studies are carried out within the province for all assignments. The goal is always the same: to gain insight into the effectiveness and efficiency of the policy and business operations. This is not only about whether policy has the intended effect or is properly implemented, it is also important to investigate how the policy or implementation can be improved. The rules for evaluations are laid down in the Policy Evaluation Regulation and included in a Long-Term Agenda for Provincial Councils. One of the conditions is that an external expert is involved who assesses the validity and reliability of the research. The Province of South Holland has asked DestinatieX to support the policy evaluation for Recreation & Sports in the period 2019-2023.
Our approach
The research was carried out in collaboration with a senior policy officer from the team. Numerous available documents were analyzed through desk research, such as annual accounts, policy documents, progress reports, research reports, interim evaluations, research by the Randstad Audit Chamber, etc. In-depth interviews were held with almost all policy staff with whom discussions were held about, among other things, the (causal) effects of policy, side effects, alternatives that could have been chosen, for whom and in what circumstances the policy works, insight into the appreciation of the policy by stakeholders, etc. With a number of stakeholders additional interviews were conducted to discuss outstanding questions from the research, to further substantiate the assessment of the policy and to validate the results of internal conversations. All information has been processed in a final report. During the process, coordination took place several times with the external expert.
The result
The result is an evaluation report in which the effectiveness of Recreation and Sports in the period 2019-2023 is assessed. We also looked at integrality and the connection of the policy cycle. The report includes an approving opinion from CELTH’s external expert on the validity and reliability of the research. The report was presented to the Provincial Council.