Kath is a founder member of Substance. As Senior Researcher she leads on and supports a range of Substance’s major research and evaluation projects. Demonstrating the link between youth interventions and wider personal and societal outcomes, is her main research interest. Kath currently leads on the evaluation of MyBnk’s financial education training programme, measuring the development of key executive functions on primary school children. Kath is lead field researcher on the Sport England funded Greater Manchester Moving evaluation. Kath has over 15 years experience of working with the youth, sport participation and development sectors. Kath is practiced in action research, adopting methods involving ethnographic community field research, on-line consultation, training peer researchers and delivering participatory interactive focus groups.
Kath also provides consultancy and advisory support to organistions seeking to develop impact led strategies through the creation of Theory of Change models, Outcome Indicator Frameworks and bespoke measurement tools. Kath has developed oragisational change models for clients including Warrington Wolves Foundation, Cardiff FC Foundation, Sport England and Active Oxfordshire. Kath is currently working closely with Office of Police Crime Commissioner for Cheshire to help them align the Constabulary’s Police Crime Plan to wider strategies and local priorities.
Kath holds a PhD in criminology and sociology with a specific focus on the influence of collaborative strategic partnerships on crime prevention outcomes. Kath is an associate member of the Market Research Society and the CIPD. For ten years Kath was the North West Evaluation Network steering group convenor and representative on the UK Evaluation Society Council.
“I helped to found Substance because I wanted to step out of academia and work more closely with organisations to help them develop the skills, capacity and understanding to tell their own story. When I’m not working, I’m interested in astronomy, walking and am partial to a walled garden.”