Measuring Impact - Nicva

24 Measuring Impact – Case-studies of impact assessment
4.3.4 The outcomes and impacts with the widest distribution
Outcomes or impacts that occurred in at least ten of the 21 activity areas are listed in Table
4.3. These descriptions are indicative of the most common ways that voluntary organisations
describe their outcomes or impact. Some appear in both lists, reflecting the different language
used by the respondents.
OUTCOMES
IMPACTS
• Quality of life
• Confidence and esteem
• Skills, general and personal
• Community development,
social inclusion and safety
• Health (general), child
development and mental
health
• People supported
• Participation in, and effect on,
service provision
• Empowerment
• Access to learning, employment
and cultural activities
• Financial, fundraising and
standard of living
• Changes in organisations
• Public awareness
• Public awareness
• Community safety
• Local economy
• Pride in the area
• Reduced demand on public
services
• Social inclusion
• Community development
• Local employment
• Improved health and
well-being
• Participation in local decision
making
• Enhanced cultural life
• Improved local environment,
nature conservation and
recycling
• Changes in organisations
• Service provision
Table 4.3 – Main outcomes and impacts cited by groups
4.3.5 Activity areas with large numbers of outcome and impact descriptors
The activity areas were ranked according to the number of different descriptors that were
cited by organisations of that type (Table 4.4). This gives a list of types of organisation whose
impact is more likely to be easily described by the outcome and impact descriptors cited here
through to those that would probably require tailored methodologies. Two activity areas did
not have enough case-studies to give an accurate representation.