Measuring Impact - Nicva

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Identifying & categorising the sector’s impacts 25 Education and training Health and social care Community Children and families Intermediaries Youth Disability Volunteering Arts, culture and heritage Environment Advice and advocacy Sport and recreation Gender Benevolent organisations Employment Religion International aid & emergency relief Animal welfare Housing Community justice Ethnic minorities Outcome and impact are likely to be well described using the descriptors cited in this study. Outcome and impact are likely to be fairly well described using the descriptors cited in this study. Outcome and impact measurement are likely to need additional descriptors to those cited in this study. Outcome and impact measurement are likely to need tailored methodologies. Not enough case-studies to give a true representation. Table 4.4 – Activity areas ranked by occurrence of outcomes and impact Critique of methodology 4.4 The study used a large number and broad range of organisations. These organisations described a wide range of activities and identified many areas where the voluntary sector is having an impact. However, this approach has a number of drawbacks: • The approach allowed for description rather than demonstration of impact, except where external studies were quoted by organisations. • Using a questionnaire relied heavily on the respondent understanding what was meant by impact or added value. • Concentrating on just one stakeholder group (staff of the organisation) will have resulted in a bias in the types of impact identified, and may have made it more likely that negative impacts were not reported. • It is also hard to draw causal links between particular impacts and any outputs or inputs of the organisations, or the context or system in which the organisations operate. • The wording of the questionnaire, and the use of a questionnaire rather than interviews also reduced the ability of the study to identify negative impacts.
26 <strong>Measuring</strong> <strong>Impact</strong> – Case-studies of impact assessment Conclusion 4.5 For many groups, the resources required for an in-depth demonstration of impact are not readily available. If an organisation, like an umbrella body or funder, wants to find out the impact of a large number of organisations, then the costs increase dramatically, and an indepth qualitative study may not be feasible. This study tested the appropriateness of a questionnaire sent to the voluntary organisations themselves as one way of overcoming this hurdle. This was in part successful, as many different areas of impact were identified. However it was unable to provide a complete picture of impact as there was no beneficiary involvement or wider consultation with other stakeholders. The study has identified a large number and extensive range of impacts that the voluntary sector has in a geographical area. This is of use to the sector as a whole, in drawing the attention of policy makers to the long-term results of investment in the sector. It also illustrates, for organisations in different activity areas, types of impact that they may choose to investigate. The identification of different levels at which impact can occur is important for choosing an appropriate methodology. The questionnaire as a tool showed some limitations and would need to be supplemented with interviews and/or focus groups to be more effective. These approaches are developed in the following chapters.
Page 1 and 2: Measuring Case-studies of impact as
Page 3 and 4: Acknowledgements NCVO - Susan Wainw
Page 5 and 6: 4 Measuring Impact - Case-studies o
Page 8 and 9: Introduction 7 Introduction: impact
Page 10 and 11: Introduction 9 Figure 1.2 - Pressur
Page 12 and 13: Tools for impact assessment 11 Tool
Page 14 and 15: Tools for impact assessment 13 The
Page 16 and 17: Ideas underpinning impact assessmen
Page 18 and 19: Ideas underpinning impact assessmen
Page 20 and 21: Identifying & categorising the sect
Page 28 and 29: Assessing the impact of regeneratio
Page 40 and 41: Impact assessment involving users 3
Page 46 and 47: The development of indicators for i
Page 56 and 57: Lessons learnt & guidance for futur
Page 62 and 63: References & resources 61 Reference
Page 66: National Council for Voluntary Orga

Measuring Impact - Nicva

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