A pioneering internet-based tool kit will help the Scottish Arts Council evaluate the impact of the arts on social exclusion issues. The new service is designed to assist the council’s Social Inclusion Partnerships (SIPs) projects in improving and developing their practice, and aims to help project workers assess the impact of their work. The SIPs are an initiative of the Scottish Arts Council which aims to address the causes of social exclusion, and improve the quality of life within disadvantaged communities. The latest round of grants for SIP funding comprised a total of £429,195 divided between seven projects, which included arts-based technical training for young people, a multi-arts development initiative and the creation of other opportunities in the arts for those with little or no experience. The tool kit, which has been in development for eighteen months, provides a structured process for SIP project workers to follow. Online report forms, evaluation sheets and an e-mentor are key components, aimed at guiding workers towards the successful development of their project. Social Justice Minister Margaret Curran said that an extra benefit of the tool kit would be the information to the Scottish Arts Council on the impact of the arts on exclusion issue. ‘Evaluation is crucial to ensure that efforts directed towards addressing social exclusion are achieving their objectives,’ she said. Initially, the kit is primarily aimed only at SIPs projects. However, the Scottish Arts Council plans to extend the project, should the pilot project prove successful. For more information, or to view the evaluation tool kit, CLICK HERE.