Creative Curiosity in Practice

Creative Curiosity in Practice is a newly launched webinar series delivered by Alexia Tam, designed to help people feel more confident and curious about monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL). Drawing on Alexia’s experience of using creative, participatory methods to gather insight, the series explores how listening, reflection and lived experience can sit at the heart of good MEL. Through practical examples from real projects, Alexia shows how tools such as conversations, creative activities and community‑led approaches can generate meaningful learning, without relying on complex systems or technical expertise.

This series is ideal for anyone new to MEL, or for those who want to explore more human, accessible ways of understanding what’s working, why it matters and how learning can shape what happens next. A description of each session is provided. To register for one, or more of the free webinars, please follow the links below:

Spring – Summer Series

Follow this link to register for one or more of the following webinars

• SESSION 1, Wed 22 April 1-2pm – Introduction to MEL: Qualitative Research

Start the series with an introduction to MEL, understand what qualitative research is and how can we use it. This session looks at why these methods matter, the types of questions they help answer, and how they work alongside numbers to give a fuller picture of your project.

• SESSION 2, Wed 20 May 2026, 1-2pm – Foundations of MEL: Community-based Participatory Action Research (CBPR)

This session explores the theoretical foundations of MEL to help us understand the “Why” of our process. Focusing on CBPR the session will explore what it means to co-design research, involve people with lived experience, and embed learning into community action.

• SESSION 3, Wed 1 July 2026, 1-2pm – Developing a Plan: Refining research questions, identifying key stakeholders, thinking about MEL early.  

Before collecting data, MEL requires a plan. This session provides guidance on how to craft clear and meaningful research questions, map key stakeholders, and build MEL thinking into projects from the start. It will explore practical tools and simple frameworks that help ensure data collection is meaningful, manageable and aligned with organisational priorities.

• SESSION 4, Wed 29 July 2026, 1-2pm – Choosing the Right Technique(s) for Your Project.

Linking the core concepts from the first three topics together, this session provides guidance on how to choose the right technique for your project. Qualitative methods are not a one-size fits all; this session will discuss how to align your method with your “Why” and organisational priorities.

• SESSION 5, Wed 26 August 2026 1-2pm – Core Techniques in Action: Interviews & Focus Groups.

Learn how to design and facilitate effective interviews and focus groups, including developing question guides, managing group dynamics and building rapport. This session will explore when to use each method, how to gather rich and trustworthy insights, and common pitfalls to avoid.

• SESSION 6, Wed 23 September 2026, 1-2pm – Core Techniques in Action: Observations.

An introduction to observations as a powerful but often underused source of qualitative data gathering. This session will highlight different types of observation, how to take structured field notes, and how to balance participation with objectivity.

Autumn – Winter Series

Follow this link to register for one or more of the following webinars

• SESSION 7, Wed 28 October 2026, 1-2pm – Core Techniques in Action: Content Analysis.

This session covers how to analyse existing material (i.e. documents, reports, social media posts etc) using content analysis. It will provide guidance on how to systematically review text using set criteria, identify patterns, and translate existing information into meaningful insights.

• SESSION 8, Wed 25 November 2026, 1-2pm – Core Techniques in Action: Case Studies.

Case studies allow for a focused look into specific examples of people, places, or programmes. This session explores how to design and structure case studies, how case studies can illustrate impact, capture complexity and bring evidence to life for stakeholders and funders.

• SESSION 9, Wed 16 December 2026, 1-2pm – Creative and Arts-based Methods.

This session introduces creative and visual approaches; including drawing, mapping, storytelling prompts, photography and participatory arts techniques. Participants will learn how these methods can be used ethically and inclusively to engage communities, especially those less comfortable with traditional interview‑style formal research.

• SESSION 10, Wed 27 January 2027, 1-2pm – Data Analysis: Thematic Analysis & Simple Categorisation.

This session breaks down qualitative data analysis focusing on two accessible approaches: thematic analysis and simple categorisation. Learn how to code text, identify recurring patterns, and develop themes that capture what the data is saying.

• SESSION 11, Wed 24 February 2027, 1-2pm – Data Analysis: Turning Stories and Art into Data.

Building on the creative methods session, this session shows how stories, drawings, maps and other creative outputs can be analysed in a structured way. Learn how to extract themes, identify patterns and treat creative materials as valid and meaningful data. Explore examples of how narrative and visual data can enrich understanding and support decision‑making.

• SESSION 12, Wed 24 March 2027, 1-2pm – Evaluations and the “L” in MEL.

This final session focuses on learning; how to turn data and findings into action. Learn how to share insights effectively, support reflective conversations, and ensure that evaluation leads to real improvements. Explore practical approaches for feeding learning back into programme design, strategy and organisational decision‑making.

If you need help completing the booking forms or have questions about any of the free webinars, please contact Active Kent & Medway at activekent@kent.gov.uk.