QEST Are Hiring: Freelance Evaluation Consultant

Tradition in Transition: Youth Journeys in Heritage Crafts is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to new funding, QEST wishes to appoint an experienced Evaluation Consultant to deliver an evaluation plan and reporting for our new two-year project.

The Project

As QEST marks 36 years of championing master craftspeople and the intangible heritage craft skills they develop, Tradition in Transition: Youth Journeys Through Heritage Craft looks ahead; bridging gaps in access, knowledge, and careers for under-represented young people aged 16–25. The project is a collaboration between three key heritage sites and locations, which includes Sheffield Museums, The Hub, Sleaford and Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery.

The project aims to:

• Expand inclusive access to heritage craft skills, training, and career opportunities for underrepresented youth.

• Build youth leadership through mentoring, co-creation, and intergenerational exchange.

• Strengthen the visibility and sustainability of heritage crafts through digital legacy and regional collaboration.

Across three strands the project will work with partner organisations across the UK to explore the traditional skills of local areas, and to support young people to take their first steps in acquiring skills for themselves to support crafts into the future.

• CraftLab – will deliver workshops with local businesses and master craftspeople, supporting young participants to document craft heritage in their area and share with their peers through a craft event.

• Craft Kickstarter – will support young people to take the first steps in gaining skills training or vital equipment, alongside mentoring from professionals and peers.

• Craft Traditions Library – will begin to build a digital library documenting craft skills for a young audience.

The Brief

The consultant is required to:

 • Develop an evaluation plan for all stands of the project in consultation with QEST’s project team and the project partners.

• Create relevant feedback forms, questionnaires or other means of gathering evidence for use by the project team and partners.

• Attend some project events to gather information first hand.

• Produce an interim report at the end of the first year and a final report upon completion of the project.

• Share the findings of the reports with the QEST Senior Leadership and Trustees, making recommendations for ensuring a strong legacy for the project.

The consultant should have:

• Experience of evaluating Heritage Fund projects from inception to completion.

• Experience of evaluating projects involving a wide range of audiences, particularly young people and those facing barriers to inclusion.

• A strong understanding of the principles of equality, diversity, inclusion and access.

• Public liability and professional indemnity insurance.

Click here to read the recruitment pack.

How to Apply

Tenders should take the form of a CV and short written proposal (maximum four sides of A4) setting out:

• What you would bring to the project – relevant skills, knowledge and experience.

• Details of recent relevant projects you have undertaken.

• Your thoughts on the key challenges for the project and how you might tackle them.

• Your proposed methodology.

 • Details of two referees.

• A plan for how you will ensure the contract is completed in the event of unforeseen problems.

Please send your tender to [email protected] by 5pm on 24 July 2026.

Interviews week beginning 3 Aug – starting ideally September.

If you have any queries in advance of submitting your application, please contact Lala Thorpe, Education & Partnerships Manager – [email protected]

_{Image by Julian Calder for ‘Skilled Hands’}