This implementation and process evaluation (IPE) of the Changemakers programme is being conducted by Cordis Bright. It will take place between March 2025 and August 2026.
Changemakers is a new programme in England which aims to increase the effective use of
evidence-based interventions (EBIs) in local areas through an enhanced package of technical
assistance in the form of a local evidence leader (LEL). It seeks to leverage implementation
science principles to test how to overcome barriers to implementing and embedding EBIs (e.g., variability in local contexts, stakeholder engagement barriers, and sustainability concerns) through structured roles and evidence mobilisation strategies.
The primary focus of Changemakers is to strengthen local systems to enhance the uptake and sustainability of EBIs more broadly by championing evidence use and promoting evidence-use behaviours across the local system.
This IPE of the Changemakers programme has the following aims:
1. **Assess how effectively the LEL role has been operationalised in practice into participating
local areas and whether the LEL role has enhanced the implementation of EBIs.** This
includes assessing implementation and impact against:
a) the dimensions of the
Implementation Outcomes Framework (IOF), and b) both the mechanisms by which LELs are
expected to bring about change and the outcomes set out in the Changemakers programme-level theory of change.
2. **Identify implementation barriers and facilitators.** By systematically examining the
processes and outcomes associated with the LEL role, the evaluation will generate insights
into what supports or hinders effective implementation.
3. **Understand the impact of the LEL within local areas.** This includes understanding how the
LEL role has contributed to championing evidence-based practice within local areas.
4. **Explore sustainability.** The evaluation will explore the likelihood of maintaining the LEL
role and the EBIs beyond the programme’s duration, contributing to wider learning on
sustaining evidence-based practices.
