This is how our work makes a difference
Our report, '"Adapt and be Flexible - the Mission Doesn't Stop" The Scottish Church and the COVID-19 Pandemic' will be published very shortly. Over 350 clergy from 27 denominations took part in this research, revealing the scale of the service to communities and congregations in the months around lockdown.
This report, "Dignity, Choice, Hope", was launched in February 2021 in conjunction with Church Action on Poverty. Statistics and stories came together to demonstrate the impact of "Your Local Pantries" in people's lives - "not just a full tummy"!
Together with Dr Naomi Maynard of Rooted Research, Fiona assisted with survey design and led on quantitative analysis and reporting on the impact of food pantries across the UK. Using an online survey with both qualitative and quantitative questions, we heard and shared the voices of pantry members, learning what they value about the initiative, and influencing its future.
Constructing "dashboards" to present government and Church statistics about parish areas in an accessible manner. Congregations, priests and diocesan staff will have access to local information facilitating evidence-based decision making. Fiona's work includes digitising parish boundaries, modelling parish-level statistics, working with the Diocese to find the most suitable ways of presenting the data, and generating maps, charts, and tables for each parish.
As part of Church Army's Research Unit, Fiona led the statistical analysis of the impact and effect of Messy Churches within the Church of England. The report "Painting with Numbers" brings context (deprivation levels and rurality) into dialogue with details about Messy Church congregations, and identifies which aspects are statistically significant. Fiona found ways to communicate the findings graphically, and contributed to the general report, "Playfully Serious".
Fiona conducted a review of the partnership between the Church of Scotland and Fresh Expressions. This included interviews with institutional stakeholders and practitioners across Scotland, consideration of quantitative data, and a review of General Assembly reports. The report drew these mixed methods together and offered recommendations for the future.
Working with Rev Peter Neilson, Fiona facilitated Church of Scotland congregations in the Eden-Tay area as they sought new ways of together understanding, serving and reaching their dispersed communities. Fiona worked with small and large groups, guided community audits, conducted semi-structured interviews with local leaders, and identified resources and examples for congregations to learn from. A final report, "Chasing the river", included recommendations for future work and development among the congregations.
