Consultancy Services
Brian Stratford & Associates has provided a range of consultancy services to organisations in the public sector as well as the community and voluntary sectors for more than 15 years. Service delivery can be categorised into a number of key areas you can find below.
Project and Programme Evaluations
The business has delivered more than 60 independent external evaluation exercises. Whilst every project is different, each will typically involve a desk review of information generated, consultation with key stakeholders before drawing together the evaluation findings into a report making recommendations for future delivery. Examples of recent evaluation projects delivered would include:
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Erasmus+ EU-funded transnational projects working across more than 20 EU countries developing online resources and tools designed to support priority groups including migrant workers, young people, prospective entrepreneurs and individuals with a learning disability amongst others
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Strategic Programmes funded by the NI Executive and other Government Departments, including 3 revenue projects funded under the Social Investment Fund
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Lottery Community and Heritage funded projects across a range of funding programmes providing services to target groups including at risk young people, frail older people, the environmental and creative industries sectors
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Peace-funded projects that have sought to create shared public spaces, build positive relations at a local level and acknowledging and dealing with the Past.
Strategic Planning and Reviews
Carrying out strategic reviews resulting in the development of a planning document on behalf of a range of organisations. This has included:
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3-year Strategic Plans and 1-year Operating Plans developed for enterprise support, community development support and social enterprise organisations.
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Stakeholder Reviews and the development of Action Plans for community health and regeneration organisations; and
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Marketing and Outreach Plans developed to provide a focus for engagement activities.
Mentoring Support with Business Development and Organisational Review
The provision of tailored mentoring support to assist community development organisations, social enterprises and SME’s to review existing approaches and implement good practice. This has included:
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Provision of support to community organisations through the Communities in Transition Capacity Building Programme in north Belfast; and
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Provision of support to SME’s seeking to grow through a range of local Council funded programmes, including the Optimal Programme in Antrim & Newtownabbey Council area
Market Research and Mapping Provision
Provision of desk and field market research, including undertaking a number of mapping exercises on behalf of local authorities. This has included:
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Production of a Services Directory and Investments Portfolio for North Belfast.
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Production of an Anti-Social Behaviour Manual for Belfast.
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Conducting a Community Health Needs Assessment on behalf of a Health and Social Care Trust; and
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A Review and Mapping of community planning functions in a local authority area to inform the delivery of their Community Plan
Quality Management System Development and Certification Support
The provision of support to more than 30 organisations to develop documented processes and supporting systems and providing certification support towards achieving and maintaining the ISO9001 Standard.
