Intro to Impact Management

Is impact a good thing?

Impact isn’t generally used in a positive sense - as anyone who has had a prang in their car knows. Indeed, the dictionary defines it as “Forcible contact or collision”.

Impact generally leaves a noticeable impression. It often produces a change in shape. So why do we use the word impact in the context of the lives of the people that we work with? 

It is helpful to think of impact in the artistic sense of the word, for example a sculptor chipping away to bring out something special and valuable.

Speaking the lingo (definitions)

Impact sits within a wider cluster of ideas that relate to the effectiveness of the services that we deliver, including:  

• Outputs, which tell us how busy we have been:
  They typically count of the number of times we did something,
  e.g. provided 17 coffee mornings attended by a total of 28 older people.

• Outcomes, which tell us how effective we have been:
  They summarise what changed as a result of the activity/service being delivered, e.g. 75% of participants reported being less socially isolated.

• Indicators, which are the building blocks of evidence:
  They are the specific things we track in order to show an outcome is being achieved, e.g. reducing sugar intake and walking more are both indicators of physical health.

• Impact, which describes the overall effect of our work:
  Patterns in outcomes data over time are used to tell the bigger story of how a service is making a difference within a population, e.g. We saw a moderate improvement in the health of 65-75 year old men last year.

Sector Trends

When Impact first came on the scene the preoccupation was with measurement. There was a sense that collecting lots of data reassured organisations of their professionalism. Over time organisations realised that they were accumulating lots of data but lacked the ability to interpret and understand the story that the data was telling them.  

Impact Management is a more recent development that places the emphasis on being very clear on what data is being collected and why. Within Impact Management the aim of reporting on Outputs and Outcomes is in order to understand what aspects of a service are being effective and to identify where it is proving more challenging to achieve positive change. Data is used to aid reflection and learning, with a view to continuous and intelligent service improvement.

Social Impact

Within the world of Impact the phrase Social Impact is often discussed. This represents a desire to make claims about the ‘knock-on effect’ of organisational impact through the wider social system, e.g. reductions in A&E admissions or reduced demand on Social Care services. ‘Social Return on Investment’ sits at the most difficult end of impact reporting involving complex mathematics and economics based on principles such as ‘Attribution’ e.g. how can you be sure that the improvement you saw in the wellbeing of a client was due to your intervention and not some other factor?

Expert economists have produced a variety of databases containing a wide range of ‘Financial proxies’ which seek to apply £ values to the outcomes achieved, e.g. frequent moderate exercise has a wellbeing effect of £4179. It is fair to say that within the sector are both enthusiasts for, and sceptics of, the £ values proposed in these economic models.   

Where next?

If you’d like to have a chat with us about how impact management can be used to drive improvement within your charity, social enterprise or business just drop a line to: impact@goodlabs.uk

Covid-19 Local Data Maps

At Goodlabs we believe that accurate and transparent data is absolutely critical to good decision-making.

People have been telling us that the vital data required to compare Covid-19 impact around the country is buried deep in Government websites and not easy to find.

To make life a bit easier for you two of the key data maps illustrating deaths occurring due to the disease are shown below. They are fully interactive and provided by the Office for National Statistics.

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New CRM system for Rape Crisis

Rape Crisis Tyneside & Northumberland belongs to the national network of Rape Crisis centres, providing vital services for women who have experienced sexual abuse, exploitation and violence. Our connection came via our delivery relationship with Lloyds Bank Foundation, one of RCTN’s funders, along with the Ministry of Justice and others.

Like many charities in receipt of funding from major public and corporate sector sources RCTN has to navigate a vast array of statistics about the work that it is delivering. Historically this had been done via a Microsoft Access database but this technology was fast becoming obsolete and its limitations myriad.

Goodlabs supported RCTN through a multi-phased project that involved reflecting critically on systems and processes for client/case management, along with development of a Theory of Change and Outcomes Framework. This was followed by the production of a detailed specification outlining the essential functionality of the new CRM, and then taking this to the market via a proportionate tendering process. Systems were demoed, providers shortlisted and interviewed and eventually a decision made.

Finally Goodlabs provided arms-length project management through the build and implementation phase, support with export and import of historic data, plus the coaching and training of key staff to ensure rapid adoption of the new platform (a custom iteration of the Salesforce based ‘In-Form’ supplied by Homeless Link).

Growing Greggs' work in Schools

Greggs CEO Roger Whiteside opening the Greggs Foundation’s 500th Breakfast Club.

It’s fantastic to be working again with our friends at the Greggs Foundation on what is certainly one of the most exciting projects that Goodlabs has undertaken to date. Goodlabs is all about helping organisations to make a bigger social impact and that’s exactly what this project is about.

We were presented with the challenge “How can we grow our network of Breakfast Clubs from 500 to 1000 in the next 5 years?” To put that into context it took 20 years to get to the first 500. Succeeding will mean that around 30,000 more children a day are supported to get to school on time, and readied for a day of learning by being provided with a nutritious breakfast within a positive and caring environment.

To fulfil the brief we’re drawing on MD Matt Wilson’s two decades of experience in ‘social franchising’, along with best practice published by others active in the field of scaling up social innovation in recent years. In-depth analysis of the existing Breakfast Model will be conducted in order to eliminate any drag factors holding back growth. The wider landscape of partnership will be considered too, with companies belonging to the Greggs supply chain presenting an interesting opportunity.

You can find out more about the Greggs Breakfast Clubs network, and how you can get involved in it, by clicking here.

Supporting Housing Decarbonisation

The Northern Housing Consortium represents and acts as the collective ‘voice’ of around 70 social housing providers across the north of England, with hundreds of thousands of properties under management. Seeking to respond to the growing sense of urgency around the Climate Crisis NHC approached Goodlabs to support a strategic new project focused on the decarbonisation of social housing across the north.

NHC are rightly concerned that housing is a major contributor to CO2 emitted into the atmosphere. Inefficient boilers powering antiquated heating systems in poorly insulated homes makes for a poor carbon footprint. It also means that social housing tenants, often living on the poverty line, pay considerably more in fuel bills than they would do in a more efficient home. In order to provide clarity, generate ideas and get purchase on this vital agenda NHC contracted Goodlabs to lead them through a Theory of Change process.  

A Theory of Change is a visual model generally rendered as a diagram or illustration accompanied by explanatory text. It seeks to clarify the steps by which change happens, that is, the way that a project or programme of work brings about an impact upon individuals and group toward which the work is directed. Theory of Change achieves this by explaining the relationships between the problem being addressed, the resources deployed, the actions taken and the outcomes achieved. Organisations of all kinds use Theory of Change to demonstrate to internal and external stakeholders that their work has clear method, logic and cohesion, and therefore that impact can be reliably delivered, rather than being left to chance.

Brian Robson, NHC’s Executive Director for Policy and Public Affairs reflects:  

“We worked with Goodlabs on our organisation’s first Theory of Change. Matt took the time to understand our needs and developed a Lab format that enabled staff from all levels of the organisation to contribute. We then worked with Matt to turn the outputs from the Lab into a coherent Theory of Change model that was endorsed by our Board. I enjoyed working with Matt - he was supportive, constructive and collaborative - and hope the opportunity arises to do so again.”

Service Redesign for VODA

Everyone knows the incredible work undertaken by Britain’s charities - also known as the ‘Voluntary Sector’. Less well known is the equally vital work of the infrastructure organisations working behind the scenes to ensure that the voluntary sector continues to thrive. In the borough of North Tyneside the body providing this support is VODA.

Goodlabs was approached back in 2019 to lead on a project involving taking a fresh look at VODA’s flagship ‘Sector Connector’ programme. For several years now the programme has acted as a ‘broker’ between the many businesses in the borough and the local charities that they seek to support, mainly through employee volunteering schemes.

Recognising a desire amongst corporates to make a greater contribution to the wider community VODA commissioned Goodlabs to design and lead a process through which Sector Connector could be made even more effective as a mechanism for connecting corporate volunteers with local charities.

The process being followed involves engaging with all stakeholders to establish the opportunities on offer and also the challenges to be overcome. Labs and focus groups are being utilised in order to surface the areas in which development is required, and where relevant also being informed by wider research available in the field of employer-supported volunteering (ESV).

The aim is to be ready to pilot a ‘Sector Connector 2.0’ sometime in the autumn of 2020. Firms wishing to be involved can email: SC2.0@goodlabs.uk for more info.

Researching community collaboration in Gateshead

As a research project focused on understanding innovative community-led initiatives located in a historic inner city community this work is very much in our sweet spot.

The ‘Best of Bensham Collaborative’, funded by Gateshead Council, involves numerous local organisations working together for the betterment of the community, which continues to feel the worst effects of social and economic inequality despite many previous efforts to turn around its fortunes.

In November 2019 Goodlabs was appointed as external evaluator for the project to produce an outcomes/impact evaluation. The evaluation has two aims. The first, is to establish the extent to which the Best of Bensham project has fulfilled its funding objectives. The second is to be a resource for learning, firstly within the core group of stakeholder organisations and then more widely to all who have an interest in Asset-Based approaches to community work.

Potential project impacts that are of interest include the project leading and supporting:

• Increased capacity of organisations, associations and communities to address the inequalities and impact of poverty in the neighbourhood.

• Increased community capacity to meet local needs through new or extended social and support networks

• Changing the relationship between communities and VCS/Statutory Services through co-production, towards a view of public

  services as vital but a last resort, so reducing demand.

• Actions that improve wellbeing and quality of life

The final evaluation report will be published in spring of 2021.

Impact Framework for Greggs Foundation

One of the reasons that Greggs is amongst the nation’s best-loved brands is that it genuinely cares for the the communities in which its shops are located and has a well-developed programme through which it ‘gives back’. The Greggs Foundation approached Goodlabs to lead a strategic piece of work that would help them to do better in tracking their outcomes, using data to learn, improve and communicate.

At the heart of the Impact Framework that Goodlabs is designing for them is a new Theory of Change. This visual process model explains the relationships between the problem being addressed, the resources deployed, the actions taken and the outcomes achieved. Through the Theory of Change and the associated Impact Framework the Foundation’s trustees and SMT will achieve greater clarity around what is changing for the better in the lives of its beneficiaries.

The new framework will be used to monitor and evaluate performance based on a more precise definition of grant programme outcomes, via a range of measurable indicators. The end result will be an ability to communicate the impact of the charity with increased confidence to both internal and external stakeholders.

Creating an Impact Framework

Change must not be left to chance. Before deciding where to invest their money in your organisation Funders and Commissioners need to be reassured that you can reliably deliver result. This short webinar by our MD, Matt Wilson, provides an overview of to begin putting together a framework for measuring, monitoring and managing the impact that is being made by your charity or social enterprise.

Empowering communities in Northumberland

Evaluating the impact of charity services and community programmes has become an important aspect of Goodlabs’ offer over the last couple of years. Sometimes we handle evaluations in-house and on other occasions team up with other evaluators. This month we commenced a new partnership project with Asset Based Consulting and Helme Park. Together we’ll be evaluating one of the most innovative new public health projects taking place in the North East: the Empowering Communities project, working across Northumberland.

The joint initiative from Northumberland County Council and Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is rooted in the theory of Salutogenesis: an approach the focuses on the factors that make us well, rather than those that make us ill.

Trevor Hopkins brings exceptional insight to the team having written extensively on the subject of Asset Based Community Development in recent years. Simon Penhall is well respected for his work in the arena of Theory of Change. Goodlabs will be contributing substantially to a series of ‘Lab’ events through which VSCO’s will be consulted, as well as assessing the effectiveness of a new ‘Asset Mapping’ technology that will be rolled out through the project.

Working with Lloyds Bank Foundation

We are thrilled to announce that Goodlabs has become a consultancy parter for the Lloyds Bank Foundation. LBF is one of the most respected and reliable supporters of the charitable sector. Through its various grant making programmes in supports many hundreds of charities every year with almost £20 million of financial assistance. One of the special ways in which Lloyds seeks to make a difference is through a package of support known as ‘Enhance’. This support is directed not towards frontline charity services but rather to the strengthening of the charitable organisation. Essentially, the Enhance programme is founded on exactly the same ethos that Goodlabs is: helping you to do good better. Charities in the Northern region who are in receipt of LBF funding now qualify for packages of consultancy support from Goodlabs. The work we deliver within the Enhance programme will include our core offer around Impact Management culture and systems, our full range of Lab formats, plus bespoke services in the area of developing Strategic plans and broader Organisational development support.

Click here to find out more about the Lloyds Bank Foundation.

Impact Award Winners

It was incredibly satisfying to see that two years of behind the scenes work with YMCA North Tyneside was recognised with the scooping of a prestigious award! At a swanky dinner in London the charity bagged the 2019 Charity Governance Award in the Improving Impact category.

Since 2017 Goodlabs had been working with the charity leading on the development of a sophisticated strengths-based impact framework enabling staff to target and tailor interventions for service users. The framework enabled young people, especially those in YMCA accommodation, to be supported over time using a simple assessment tool, embedded in a CRM, offering real-time insights and enabling learning and improvement.

The ‘Strengths Framework’ is rooted in an asset-based philosophy that refuses to allow people to be ‘defined by their deficits’. It is about ‘what is strong, not what is wrong’. Working this way gives young people the best possible opportunity to overcome the difficult start they’ve had in life in order to transition to a brighter future.

Find out more here