Research proposes a new design and evaluation framework for the Judicial Diversity Forum’s diversity and inclusion initiatives

Research by the Bridge Group explored Judicial Diversity Forum (JDF) officials’ views and experiences of the outcomes and impact of their diversity and inclusion initiatives.

The research analysed the aims of activities and if they had reached the people they were intended to benefit. It also considered the extent to which partners’ activities complemented each other and whether member organisations understood their own and each other’s roles and responsibilities.

The research found that most officials of the JDF did not consider the aims of the JDF to be clearly defined, and that there was a perception the implementation of actions is not coordinated, with insufficient collaboration between member organisations.

While significant progress has been made in implementing the JDF’s Action Plan, some officials highlighted in the report that it is not always possible to measure progress due to the lack of data.

JDF officials expressed widespread support for targets or milestones regarding the impact of diversity initiatives. The Bridge Group proposed nine high-level goals for the JDF to monitor and evaluate progress against in the framework, such as that ‘At each level of the judiciary, the judiciary better reflects the society it serves’. The goals are designed to be flexible and can be applied to different stages within the talent pipeline for the judiciary, the gateway to the profession and within the judiciary itself.

The Bridge Group proposed that the Judicial Diversity Form (JDF) adopts a ‘theory of change’ methodology – a specific and measurable description of the change it wants to achieve – for member organisations’ diversity initiatives. This should include agreeing targets for inputs and impact to promote a shared understanding of the purpose of members’ activities. The findings also recommended reconfiguring the JDF Action plan to group initiatives by aim rather than by responsible organisation. A new action plan is under development and will be published later this year.

Matthew Hill, Chief Executive of the LSB, said:

“Assessing the impact of efforts to improve the diversity of the judiciary is crucial to achieving progress. The Bridge Group has outlined that an effective approach to the design and evaluation of initiatives is one with clear aims and targeted and collaborative action. The JDF has focused on incorporating these recommendations into its actions and priorities for 2022/23 to maximise our chances of success in addressing the remaining barriers to a diverse and inclusive judiciary.”

Download the report:

Bridge Group report: Strengthening the evaluation of JDF partners’ diversity initiatives (PDF)