Testimonials

The following testimonial has been received from Lars Haukvik, Executive Secretary of the North Sea Commission.  It indicates the value of the semi-structured interview techniques and use of narrative which is one of IDEAction's specialist techniques:

The North Sea Commission (NSC) is an association of regional authorities from around the North Sea.  We wanted to find a way of identifying the benefits which our members gain from their involvement with the organisation.  We could then use this information to promote membership and encourage existing members (especially local politicians) to become more involved.
 
Andrew Llanwarne (IDEAction) and Vivien Collie (Vivid Ideas and Solutions) proposed a way of doing this by interviewing members and officers and capturing their experiences of the Commission.  It was a form of storytelling to reveal the benefits for them and for their organisations.
 
It was a very successful initiative which resulted in two reports for our Annual Business Meeting in June 2008.  One report set out these benefits, which were mostly to do with policy development and lobbying, gaining support for practical projects, and shared learning.  The interviews also showed how the NSC promotes peaceful collaboration and helps officers and councillors to progress their careers.  The second report set out some ideas for further improvement in the way the Commission operates, to increase its effectiveness and the benefits for members.
 
We are now taking forward the recommendations presented in the two reports, which we believe will enable the Commission to move to the next stage of its development.

Lars Haukvik, December 2008