Choosing the Right Tools. Northern Rock Foundation 8 December 2011 Chris Ford

Suggested time table 10 Welcome Your starting points 11ishCoffee Some options & models 11.45ish What are your next steps? 12.30Formal(ish) end....

Your starting points On your own please note: what you currently do that ‘proves and improves’ your organisation’s activity. – Strengths and weaknesses – Who does the work – Who values the work; and who doesnt – Any other concerns You have about 10 mins

Your motivations Working in pairs please: – Compare your conclusions from previous discussion – And identify why you do what you do. – Then prioritise these ‘whys’ Please note your answers You have about 15 mins

Purposes of monitoring and evaluation The communication role Ensuring accountability and transparency The performance management role The wider learning role The policy role ‘Accountability and learning: developing monitoring and evaluation in the third sector.’ (Ellis with Gregory for CES, 2009,)

Decision Support Tool Aim: To help make better informed decisions about how to measure your organisation’s social impact; by providing information and a structure to support a conversation within the organisation

Where you are...Most Relevant starting point... “I’m starting out, and not certain about all of this.” Why do it? - Why do you want to do this? - Typical scenarios? - What are the priorities for your organisation? - What do you already do? “I think know what I need but not I’m not clear how to get it.” What tools? -What are the options? -Thinking about costs and benefits “I know what I’m doing and just need to check my thinking.” Which tools? - Making a decision - Testing your decision - Next Steps

PQASSOVODAODA Excellence model (EFQM)Groundwork NE ISO 9000NECA Social Return on Investment (SROISocial Return on Investment (SROI)Crisis Investors in People (IiP)Chester-le-Street Mind Social Accounting and Audit (SAA)Community Campus Balanced scorecardOuseburn Trust Impact frameworkPCP

Our starting point was... Best we could find but there’s no comprehensive list. (eg social capital is an odd omission. ) Constantly new tools – funders, intermediaries, niche needs.

A simplified model MissionObjective 1 Programme 1 (projects 1 – 6) Project 7Objective 2 Programme 2 (projects 8 – 12)

NB - this is very condensed and (a bit) simplified! Activity (project/ program me) Stakeholders: Who & w hat Outputs & OutcomesIndicators (proxy indicators) Where find this ; ho w generate this. Develop specific piece of art work Participants Family & carers Day centre workers Other health & social care Funders Numbers attending Production of work Specific skills developed Launch event Social skills Self identity Turn taking Initiating conversations Direct Observation of products and processes Participants journals Other key informant interviews

Time for some SMART thinking... [Specific: Measurable: Achievable: Realistic: Timely/limited] How do you want to take this work forward? (your journey, your time scales) What and who will help and hinder? What resources do you have and need? What synergies can you achieve? What relationships can you develop?

Thanks very much... Chris Ford 14 Durham Dales Centre, Castle Gardens, Stanhope. Co Durham. DL13 2FJ