AMION produced an evaluation of the Gather programme covering its activities between 2019 and 2023. The business support programme was delivered by Form and aimed to establish a robust digital, creative and tech (DCT) ecosystem in the Liverpool City Region. Business support was delivered through a range of support activities including online courses, one-to-one mentoring and hosting wider networking and alumni support events.
In addition to Spirul conducting a telephone survey of beneficiaries on our behalf, the evaluation involved hosting a community workshop with businesses to develop more project-specific insights and better understand their experiences working with Form.
Key achievements of the Gather programme include exceeding its targets for participants from outside Liverpool city centre, businesses newly engaged with LCRCA and business collaborations. The programme also achieved high customer satisfaction ratings and had positive community feedback. The programme was also found to have increased employment, turnover and Gross Value Added (GVA) within the Liverpool City Region.