Measuring Impact - Nicva
Measuring Impact - Nicva
Measuring Impact - Nicva
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<strong>Impact</strong> assessment involving users 39<br />
Methodology 6.2<br />
A three-stage plan was developed as the framework for the study. Three members of the<br />
refugee community were trained to act as research assistants. These were either ex-service<br />
users of EMEC or had some personal experience of the recent arrivals community. 12<br />
The three principal components of our approach are identified in the following sections.<br />
6.2.1 Stage one: Understanding the organisation and its context<br />
A key issue for many voluntary and community organisations is that the environment within<br />
which they operate is suboptimal (for example, providing services where market failure has<br />
occurred). So, identification of the operating context is key to understanding how the organisation<br />
makes a difference. It makes sense then, to begin with a mapping exercise to identify the context in<br />
which the organisation operates and the other organisations and stakeholders involved.<br />
This mapping exercise is based on consultation with key stakeholders, including project<br />
workers, partner organisations and other service providers. A ‘snowball’ approach was used<br />
to identify these stakeholders, starting from an initial set of contacts provided by EMEC and<br />
other Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) contacts. Preliminary face-to-face<br />
interviews were then carried out up to one level beyond the initial contacts, i.e. initial stakeholders<br />
plus a selection of stakeholders identified by them.<br />
The research co-ordinator conducted interviews with ten project co-ordinators from voluntary<br />
organisations identified on the stakeholder map, five counselling and managerial staff<br />
from EMEC and an associated project. At each interview the developing network map was<br />
shown to the interviewees for comment and amendment. The size, proximity and direction of<br />
relationships, as represented by arrows, were subjective and based on stakeholders’ perceptions<br />
of the nature of the relationships and the interrelation between activities.<br />
Contextual information from the other stages also informs this mapping exercise. A comparison<br />
between these stakeholders’ perspectives helps to map the organisation and its web of<br />
relations and partners. Figure 6.1 (overleaf) shows the system map as developed during the<br />
project. It shows the wider system in which the organisation is situated, and is based upon<br />
organisational networks.<br />
The diagram illustrates that voluntary and community sector organisations like EMEC are<br />
involved in a range of partnerships with public, private and academic sectors as well as joint<br />
initiatives with other voluntary organisations. This kind of mutually inclusive activity appears<br />
to be mediated by a series of networks (white circles in Figure 6.1) and joint-partnership projects<br />
(grey circles). Interviews with the service providers pointed to an extensive system of<br />
client referrals between the voluntary organisations on the map. The model suggests a distinct<br />
role, whereby voluntary organisations such as EMEC appear to fill in gaps in service provision<br />
rather than trying to compete with each other.<br />
12 See Tomlins et al, for study using ethnic minority research assistants.