Overview
Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) is a national charity that addresses dying, death and bereavement in Ireland. Caru s an initiative of IHF delivered in partnership with the All Ireland Institute of Hospice Palliative Care (AIIHPC) and the Health Services Executive (HSE). Caru is a continuous learning programme that supports and empowers nursing home owners and staff in the delivery of person-centred palliative, end-of-life, and bereavement care to residents.
Supported by IHF’s Caru Programme, IHF Arts and Cultural Engagement Team has awarded funding to six Seed Grant projects in 2026. These projects aim to explore creative approaches to encouraging conversations about Advance Care Planning within residential care settings. The funded initiatives represent a range of residential care settings, clinicians and artists, and encompass varied creative practices such as storytelling, music, memory-sharing, and visual arts.
This postgraduate project will support an evaluation of the 2026 Caru Seeds Grants Programme. The evaluation will focus on understanding how creative approaches contribute to engagement with ACP, while placing particular emphasis on programme sustainability at a systems level. This includes examining how participating organisations could adopt, integrate, and sustain these approaches over time, and identifying the conditions that support ongoing engagement with ACP in residential care.
Grant: €4500
Closing date for receipt of applications: 27 July 2026
About Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF)
IHF is a national charity that addresses dying, death and bereavement in Ireland. Our vision is an Ireland where people facing end of life or bereavement, and those who care for them, are provided with the care and support that they need. Our mission is to work towards the best end-of-life and bereavement care for all. Our values are integrity, courage, compassion, respect, and dignity.
About the Seed Grants Programme
Initially supported by the Creative Ireland Programme, IHF’s Seed Grants programme piloted in early 2021. The aim has been to inspire and support the work of groups, organisations or individuals who wish to mark, in some tangible way, their response to the universal realities of dying, death, and bereavement. To date, 61 projects have been supported with micro grants, expertise, bespoke mentorship, and resources, enabling communities of place or interest to develop their own tools and / or articulate their needs. Awardees include nursing homes, individual artists, writers, secondary schools, community / voluntary groups, clubs, disability support centres, local choirs, and hospitals. Priority was given to creative initiatives that take innovative approaches to affording meaningful connections and conversations, along with reflection and remembrance.
Evaluation of the 2026 Caru Seed Grants Programme
The 2026 Caru Seed Grants Programme projects aim to explore creative approaches to encouraging conversations about Advance Care Planning (ACP) within residential care settings. Awardees include nursing homes across Mayo, Kerry, Dublin North, Offaly, Kilkenny, and Meath, reflecting a diversity of contexts and approaches.
IHF is seeking a postgraduate researcher to work in collaboration with the Research and Policy team to conduct a light-touch evaluation of the programme. The evaluation will be undertaken during and following the delivery of the workshops and will focus on understanding how creative approaches contribute to engagement with ACP in residential care settings. A key priority will be to explore programme sustainability at a systems level, including how participating organisations may adopt, integrate, and sustain these approaches over time, as well as identifying the conditions that support ongoing engagement with ACP in residential care.
Evaluation Approach
The evaluation will adopt a qualitative design, drawing on data from multiple stakeholder groups involved in the delivery and implementation of the seed grant projects. Data collection will primarily take place online and will include semi-structured interviews or focus group discussions with workshop facilitators (artists) and nursing home management, alongside a small number of in-person observations in selected nursing homes.
Six individual semi-structured interviews will be conducted with workshop facilitators (one per participating site) following the completion of the workshops. Photographs captured by facilitators throughout the programme will also be used, where appropriate, as supplementary data to provide visual insight into participation, engagement, and the creative process. In addition, a focus group discussion will be conducted with representatives from nursing home management. This discussion will also take place following workshop. Particular attention will be given to understanding opportunities and challenges associated with integrating creative approaches to ACP into routine practice, as well as organisational readiness to sustain these approaches over time.
The postgraduate researcher will also be required to attend a small number of workshops (across one to two nursing homes) to conduct field observations. These observations will provide insight into how the workshops are delivered in practice, including levels of resident engagement, interactions between participants and facilitators, and the overall atmosphere of sessions. Field notes will be recorded, and photographs may be taken, where appropriate, to document aspects of participation and the creative process. Observational data will be used to enrich and triangulate findings from interviews and discussion.
Data Analysis
Qualitative data will be analysed using an agreed analytical approach (for example, reflexive thematic analysis as outlined by Braun and Clarke, 2022). The appointed researcher will be responsible for managing and analysing the data using appropriate qualitative data analysis software (e.g. NVivo or equivalent). Analysis will focus on identifying cross-case insights across the six projects, key themes relating to implementation and sustainability, and the factors that enable or constrain integration into routine practice.
Reporting and deliverables
The researcher will produce a final report in collaboration with IHF Research and Policy team. The report will include:
Deliverables will include:
Collaboration and Governance
This project will be conducted in close collaboration with IHF Research and Policy team. The appointed researcher will lead the day-to-day implementation of the evaluation, including data collection, analysis, and reporting. IHF Research and Policy team will provide supervision throughout the project, through regular check-ins. This approach is designed to support researcher autonomy while ensuring alignment with organisational priorities and maintaining the quality and relevance of outputs.
Additional Information
Role Responsibilities
The appointed postgraduate researcher will be responsible for delivering the evaluation in collaboration with IHF Research and Policy team. Key responsibilities will include:
Lead the development and refinement of data collection tools (e.g. semi-structured interview guides)
Coordinating and implementing data collection activities, including conducting semi-structured interviews and undertaking observations in selected nursing home settings
Managing, organising, and maintaining datasets to a high standard, ensuring data quality, accuracy, and confidentiality
Leading qualitative data analysis using appropriate software (e.g. NVivo or equivalent). Access to the relevant software will be required and should be arranged by the appointed researcher.
Leading the drafting of the final report, executive summary and final presentation.
Providing general administrative and project support related to evaluation activities, as required
Qualifications and Experience
IHF is open to applications from candidates who have experience in most but not all of the following areas. The successful candidate will be supported through their induction to increase their knowledge and ability to deliver on the responsibilities outlined here. Further training and ongoing support will be available.
The successful candidate will be required to complete Garda vetting following appointment and prior to the commencement of any data collection.
Essential:
Bachelor’s degree (Level 7 or equivalent) in social sciences, health sciences, public health, international development, or a related discipline
Demonstrated experience in research or evaluation roles
Experience in qualitative data collection methods, including conducting semi-structured interviews and/or focus groups
Experience in qualitative data analysis approaches
Excellent organisational skills, with strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience contributing to reports or publications
Garda vetting (to be completed following appointment)
Desirable:
Grant
The total budget available for this work is up to €4500, inclusive of VAT and all associated costs (including any travel required).
Timeframe
The closing date for receipt of applications is 27 July 2026.
Shortlisted candidates will be notified by 31 July, with interviews held online during the week commencing 03 August 2026.
It is envisaged that work will commence in mid-August 2026. Data collection will take place from late August through September, followed by data analysis in October. The final report will be delivered by the end of November 2026.
For further information
Please contact the Research Team – [email protected] or Lisa Jones, Monitoring and Evaluation Lead, on 01 679 3195 for further information or if you have any queries in relation to this project.
Submitting your application
Applicants are required to submit the following:
A current CV, including a declaration of any potential conflicts of interest
A cover letter, including your interest in the project and a brief description outlining relevant expertise and experience
Examples of similar work undertaken, where available
Contact details for two referees
Applications should be submitted by no later than 27 July 2026.
