MEASURING VOLUNTEER IMPACT

JOANNA STUART, INSTITUTE FOR VOLUNTEERING RESEARCH

AVM CONFERENCE 2016

OUTLINE OF SESSION

• WHY MEASURE IMPACT?• PLANNING FOR MEASURING IMPACT• COLLECTING INFORMATION• COMMUNICATING AND USING FINDINGS

WHY MEASURE IMPACT?

Learning and improving

Accountability

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY ‘IMPACT’?

• The difference that volunteering makes• Distinction between the ‘work you do’ and the

‘difference it makes’• The ‘difference you make’ includes outcomes

and impact• Outcomes – changes, benefits, learning or

other effects of the programme or project• Impacts - the broader or longer term effects of

the programme or project

Source: NCVO (2015) Volunteering Impact Assessment Toolkit

Can you tell the story of your work and what it should achieve?

PLANNING – UNDERSTANDING YOUR PROJECT

A project or programme’s story of how change happens

Often presented as a map, diagram or chart with a narrative

Useful for planning, communication and evaluation

Emphasis on what you want to achieve rather than what you do

• Starts with the needs you want to address

• Changes you want to bring about

• The activities you will deliver

THEORY OF CHANGE

A BASIC TOC: NCVO CES PLANNING TRIANGLE

For examples of planning triangles from Charities Evaluation Services see:

http://www.ces-vol.org.uk/tools-and-resources/outcomes-and-outcome-indicators/example-planning-triangles.html

More clients get and sustain jobs

Improved work experience

Skills workshops

Improved basic skills

More appropriate behaviour at

work

Greater confidence

Increased knowledge

of job market

Work placements

Peer mentoring

Reduction in youth unemployment regionally YOUTH EMPLOYMENT

PROJECT

(Source: adapted from CES (2011) Making Connections: using a theory of change to develop planning and evaluation)

Create your own mini theory of change in three sentences:1. Describe what you do2. The changes you want to bring about3. The long-term, wider change that your work contributes toMax 20 words a sentence!

Share it with your neighbour. Can you help improve each others’?

SUPER QUICK THEORY OF CHANGE

(Source: adapted from CES (2016) Winning Hearts and Minds, NCVO Annual Conference 2016)

1. Planning and strategy2. Communication3. Evaluation

WHY IS THEORY OF CHANGE USEFUL?

Source: VSO (2014) VSO’s Global Theory of Change: https://www.vsointernational.org/sites/default/files/VSO%20Theory%20of%20Change.pdf

• Understand your project and what you want it to achieve

• Be clear on why you want to assess impact and who it is for

• Involve others Service users Volunteers Staff Other stakeholders

PLANNING – KEY PRINCIPLES

Most commonly used methods are:• Surveys• Interviews• Focus groupsBut you can also use….• Observation sheets• Records and forms (e.g. case notes, feedback

forms)• Participatory and visual methods

COLLECTING INFORMATION

- Volunteering Impact Assessment Toolkit –template questionnaires and topic guideswww.ncvo.org.uk/practical support/publications

- Tried and tested scales and surveys in specific areas e.g. NPC well being measurehttp://inspiringimpact.org/resources

http://www.ces-vol.org.uk/tools-and-resources

- Volunteer Investment and Value Audithttp://www.ivr.org.uk

- Focus groups and interviewshttp://www.evaluationsupportscotland.org.uk/resources/evaluation-methods/

USEFUL TOOLS

VIAT – volunteer questionnaire

Source: NCVO (2015) Volunteering Impact Assessment Toolkit

• Mapping (relationships, service use)• Evaluation wheel• Voting/sticky dots• Choosing games• Photos/videos

See:http://www.evaluationsupportscotland.org.uk/resources/evaluation-methods/

PARTICIPATORY AND VISUAL TOOLS

• Focus on what you need to know and choose methods which help you measure your outcomes

• Capture unexpected outcomes• Choose methods appropriate for your service

users/volunteers• Adapt existing tools to ensure they fit with

your needs• Test your tools first• Be proportionate and prioritise - what do

your service users, volunteers or organisation value most?

COLLECTING INFORMATION – KEY PRINCIPLES

• Reports• Summary bulletin/leaflet• Case studies• Videos• Press releases• Annual reports• Social media/blog/webpages• Presentations/workshops• Funding applications

COMMUNICATE AND USE YOUR FINDINGS

Imperial Volunteer Centre (Imperial College)

• Used the Volunteering Impact Assessment Toolkit to identify the outcomes of volunteering for student volunteers

• Adapted the toolkit questionnaire for volunteers

• Communicated findings via:

Presentations to senior staff Poster presentation at

education day Report on website Workshop at annual

conference Short article for in-house staff

magazine

Churches Conservation Trust

• Used the toolkit in their study of nine case study churches

• 28 page glossy report - sent to all volunteers- sent to partner orgs- presented to MPs- grant applications

• LEARNING!!!! To help develop and improve your volunteering programme

• To provide evidence of impact to existing funders

• To develop funding applications and attract new funding

• To raise the profile of volunteering internally and externally

• To raise the profile of your organisation• To recruit volunteers

HOW TO USE YOUR FINDINGS

• Think about the audience and what format will engage them

• Make the most of stories and quotes• Be creative • Share findings with participants• Be willing to learn and act on what you find• Reflect on your approach and how you would

improve it

COMMUNICATE AND USE YOUR FINDINGS – KEY PRINCIPLES

USEFUL RESOURCESVolunteering Impact Assessment Toolkit

www.ncvo.org.uk/practical support/publications

NCVO CES tools on outcomes and impact

http://www.ces-vol.org.uk

NPC (developing a theory of change)

http://www.thinknpc.org/

Evaluation Support Scotland guides and resources

http://www.evaluationsupportscotland.org.uk

Inspiring Impact

http://inspiringimpact.org/resources

NCVO training for Volunteer Managers

www.ncvo.org.uk/training-and-events

KEEP IN TOUCH!

www.ivr.org.uk

Joanna.stuart@ivr.org.uk

@IVRtweets

NCVO champions the voluntary sector and volunteer movement to create a better society.We connect, represent and support over 11,500 voluntary sector member organisations, from the smallest community groups to the largest charities.This helps our members and their millions of volunteers make the biggest difference to the causes they believe in.

• Search for NCVO membership• Visit www.ncvo.org.uk/join• Email membership@ncvo.org.uk

25