In order to ensure all partners had ‘a voice’ during virtual workshops and meetings, a series of survey were conducted & published. They also provided a means of gathering information on project progress.
Preparing for finalisation of project activities and outputs
At the August workshop meetings the partnership considered the results of the August Review & a document to be used for gathering partner information.
The August Review
A ‘Feedback-Report’ on the web site
In July, ASIE, the Romanian partner, produced a feedback-survey of the web site & posted to the partnership Google Group.
The report, an interestingly revealing commentary, provided insight to issues encountered in project progress & development.
It was presented as a group work ‘from members whose comments were translated into English’ but written in the first person singular. Unfortunately the first line of the report contains a significant spelling error – indicative of the somewhat (rapidly produced?)random criticisms that followed.
The following text is a summary of the 1st Survey produced at the end of May 2021, collecting information to assist partnership discussions and decision-making about the structure of the final months of the project
Delivery Plans: June Presentations
1. Purpose
Survey purpose:
on June 14th partners have been asked to:
Present plans group activities for adult groups on their local route
This survey highlights issues to be covered by the partner presentations at the June 17th meeting.
The information being presented will provide background to the partnership discussions regarding the structure of the final months of the Green Bridges project.
Please complete and return by Wednesday June 9th
The process, of this and other surveys would not have been necessary had the project developed during the anticipated ‘normal’ process.
They are an extra, but necessary, burden, in order to ensure & be able to report that the project has functioned, as desired & contractually required, as a working partnership.
1. Name(s) & organisation *
2. Explorations & group activities for adult groups on the local ‘Green Way’
The questions cover the types of information required for the presentation on June 14th.
Partners may add other information to their presentations without presenting it in this survey.
2. Where (name of trail or origin & destination) & what is the length of the route? *
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3. When will the exploratory & creative activities occur?Will it be a single activity or multiple? *
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4. For whom (what group of adults) will the exploratory walk occur:
A public event?
Or a privately organised group? (by invitation or specific interest such as ecology or heritage)
Or both?
Will there be members of other interested agencies, associations & local authorities being invited to experience and support/share the work?
We should not underestimate the value of a quality Green Way Trail & associated events.
The impact may be long term: One of Pathways’ members has recently used an activity experienced on a partnership visit… 3 years after the event
At least 2 members of the present partnership have had their ideas and activities (created in previous projects), used by other associations.
The Lithuanian Apple Cheese recipe continues to be the most popular hit on the Arboreal Futures web site with recent hits from Sweden, Germany, USA, Australia, UK, New Zealand (all in May 2021) *
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5. What will be the group size?
The larger the group, the less the individual impact.
A very small group, if composed of specialists in a subject (specific flora or fauna, or heritage) may have more effective interpersonal dynamic. *
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6. What marketing/publicity will be used?How will participants for the exploration be recruited? *
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7. What preparatory actions will there be? (eg health and safety/insurance for staff/participants etc) *
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8. What assessment processes will there be?
These are important as they should assist organisers in developing their work in a positive manner. *
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9. What follow-up actions are being planned?
Will the explorations and creative activities be used as a way of increasing involvement in the agency or institution? *
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3. Partner plans & schedules for “Completion of work & presentation of tangible outputs (including single summary document)”
The partnership will need time to review & assess all the individual partner work on the 7 Tangible Result/Outputs.
The review will include assessment using a form of ‘peer review’ (this is being provided through TEFG in Oxford).
The UK NA has informed us that many projects have been granted extensions in order to ensure they have completed all their planned work.
Coordination requires that we assess the situation and then discuss within the partnership the implications.
Answers to this section will assist that process.
There are 7 Tangible results/Outputs
https://greenbridgesproject.org/the-tangible-results/
These are the specific core ‘products’ of the partnership that all partners are required to complete/achieve.
The project was (fortunately) designed in the style of a project containing ‘intellectual outputs’.
Completing/achieving/developing these ‘products’ or ‘outputs’ are now, in Pandemical Times, providing a simple way of demonstrating & publicising that we have achieved a shared collective aim.
Despite the impact of the pandemic the partnership has maintained a regular series of meetings.
Individual partners now need to demonstrate that they have been active in their localities & have plans both for action on the local Green Way/Trail & have completed all the elements involved in developing the trail & the associated actions.
10. There are 7 Tangible results/Outputs.
https://greenbridgesproject.org/the-tangible-results/
Partners are at different stages in the development of their results
Please provide your local schedule for completion of each of the 7 Tangible Outputs.
Please express the schedule in broad monthly terms with a month divided into 3 parts
Early: 1st – 10th Mid:11th – 20th Late: 20th – end *
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4. Collated list of existing external links and contacts (‘dissemination’)
We are contractually required to engage in dissemination of our work.
11. Please provide a list and description of all external agencies /individual/representatives contacted during the project.
Please include their response.
Please add other agencies that will be contacted during the final months of the project. *
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SURVEY TWO: Assessing the options for a project extension
A project extension is an option.
The UK NA has stated that other projects have arranged short extensions in order to complete work disrupted by the pandemic.
Green Bridges is maintaining a progress that is reasonably close to (but behind) original plans & intentions.
Answers to the following questions will assist the partnership assess the need (or not) for an extension
1. Name & organisation *
2. Preparation of the 7 tangible outputs
Please comment on the progress with each of the following outputs.
O1. A publicly accessible ‘Green Way’
O2. A publicly usable map of the route
O3. Images & information
O4. Best Practice Guide This is still in preparation & partner’s will cooperate to create an agreed ‘whole partnership’ version
O5. Creative environmentally related educational activities on/associated with the Green Way: This is the focus of the 1st survey
O6. Demonstrable practical skills (thus tangible) This will be a partnership focus towards the end of the project
O7. Stories related to the Green Bridges theme. Stories of Environmentalists: This was the focus of the May meeting *
3. Extension or No Extension
Some issues:
The UK NA have advised that an application for an extension should be made soon
This requirement has disrupted the existing work schedule (the June Workshop has been deferred & the impact may affect the July meeting)
During the summer period there is a period of variable vacation periods (between June & mid September).
A whole partner focus on creating explorations & activities on their local Green Way trails.
The above issues could (but not necessarily) negatively impact on work to complete the project details
An extension would ensure sufficient time for all aspects of the project work to be completed, recorded and disseminated
May allow time for a full physical meeting of the partnership in the autumn.The issue of physical meetings is covered in a separate survey.
An extension is not automatic – it requires detailed justification: the implications are covered in the next question
Please choose from the list below & add comments, views & opinions in the next question *
- Yes
- Maybe
- No
4. This survey and other surveys provide coordinators and the UK NA with information and evidence on which to make a decision re: an extension
Whatever answer has been chosen from the list in question 3 please explain in the box below.
If ‘yes’ was the answer provided then please also add information relating the following: The “Beneficiary Contract Amendment Request Form ” required for an extension process have been forwarded to all partners.
The forms are general covering various issues
Please read; especially section A
“The request for extension must be well considered and sufficiently justified.” (UK NA)
Applying for an extension is a major administrative task for coordination.
It cannot be made without support of the partners.
The composition of the extension application will require contributions from all partners.
If you or your organisation considers an extension to be of value:provide below reasons relevant to the questions in section A of the Contract Amendment Request formthe beneficial impacts that can be included in answering questions 1, 3 & 4*
SURVEY THREE: Physical Meetings: What may be possible?
1. Background to the questionnaire
Situation:
Explanations & information would normally have been covered quickly during a ‘normal’ physical meeting.
Zoom meetings have not been sufficient for effective absorption of information & reflection required for effective responses
- This survey provides
- information &
- opportunity for considered response from any member of the partnership
Partner comments made in answer to the question below will assist discussions to be held on 14th June
The purpose of this survey is to
- provide partners with information that may stimulate consideration of the ‘possibility’ of physical meetings
- allow response to coordination about the
- ‘mood’ of the partnership regarding the possibility of meetings
- issues that individual partners may face
- assist all partners assess the possibility of of a project extension
This survey is NOT concerned with the detailed requirements & processes of any physical meeting (when, where, how).
It is too soon to be able to decide if a physical meeting is possible.
- Restrictions on international travel are slowly being lifted.
- It is possible to consider organising a partnership meeting before the end of the project.
- International meetings usually require planning (with travel & hotel reservations) at least 3 (or 4) months in advance of the meeting.
- There is uncertainty about the
- continuing impact of the pandemic
- mitigation impact of inoculation processes.
- no decision re: a physical meeting can be made before late July for a meeting to be held in the early autumn or (if there is a project extension) later autumn.
- There are many risks involved in arranging a physical meeting
- cancellation for one or more partners could occur with very short notice (as experienced (March 2020)
- detailed risk assessment will be required immediately before a decision
- there may be extra costs due to
- limited travel options
- insurance
- unexpected quarantine impositions
- UK NA have suggested a ‘blended’ meeting is possible
- partners who meet physically may include other partners through ‘virtual’ processes.
1. Name & Organisation *
2. UK NA have indicated that, if the partnership is capable of completing all the contractual requirements using the processes we have evolved, there is no pressure from them to arrange a physical meeting before the end of the project.
Our work schedule has been covering the issues that would have featured in the LTTA meetings.
The partnership is therefore free to arrange a physical TPM with its own specific purposes.
If a meeting is possible do you & your organisation believe the the partnership should arrange one? *
- Yes
- Maybe
- No
3. Please explain your reasons for making that choice *
The Green Bridges Project. 