October 2014

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Day of the Region is an innovative project inspired by a similar project ‘Dag van de Regio’ carried out by Groningen LAG in the Netherlands. This transnational approach to project delivery and drawing on examples of good practice in Europe is a defining feature of this project.

The project aims to showcase, celebrate and raise awareness of existing community activities through volunteer run community events. The project was managed by a Project Officer and steered by LAG members, other partner organisations and members of the community. A total of 22 communities were engaged in the project (including the pilot) over a period of 3 years.

This project forms a significant part of the Dumfries & Galloway LEADER programme and, significantly, it has been steered and managed by the LAG. Whilst the LEADER programme has been subject to its own evaluation process, it is important to evaluate this project within the context of the wider programme and its aims.

The purpose of this evaluation was:

•  To carry out an assessment of the delivery of the Day of the Region Project

• To undertake engagement with a range of participants in order to establish their experience of Day of the region

• To provide an assessment of the wider EU, national and policy context within which the Day of the Region would fit with the Dumfries and Galloway LEADER 2014-2020 programme based on the findings of this commission

• To identify structures for the delivery of the Day of the Region in the new LEADER 2014-2020 programme in Dumfries and Galloway