Impact Framework for the Volunteer and Community Sector

  • Project partners:
    NHS North West London ICB, Envoy Partnership
  • Project location:
    Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, London, UK
  • Project type:
    Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Sector:
    Voluntary and Community Sector
  • Publication year:
    2024

About the Project

Envoy Partnership developed a comprehensive evaluation framework for North West London’s (NWL) Bi-borough Partnership (BBP), with elements co-designed and tested with local voluntary and charity sector (VCS) organisations from Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea. The framework consolidates a range of impact and value measurement approaches into one universal reporting platform for use by the VCS, enabling organizations to select proportionate and meaningful approaches to measure and monitor impact on health equities, inequalities, and health systems.

Methodology

Between August 2023 and January 2024, Envoy Partnership conducted in-depth interviews with six VCS organisations to examine their approaches to collecting service user and activity data in order to demonstrate service impact. The objectives were to evaluate current data collection and reporting practices used across the VCS sector and identify shared service user outcomes that could be incorporated into a universal impact reporting system. Outcome measurement and accounting for net impact are a key part of Social Value/ROI measurement and required evidence.
Despite the diversity in service types among the six organizations, the findings revealed several commonalities as well as unique service user outcomes (see Appendices for more information). Drawing on these insights, alongside previous sectoral research (e.g., the development of a similar framework for KCSC’s My Care My Way program) and desk research on comparable UK population-level wellbeing datasets, the research team explored the potential for a framework that could standardise core wellbeing measures across service types, while also allowing for more tailored outcomes specific to individual services. Including indicators that are actively collected in UK population surveys provides established, consistent, and trusted benchmarks to situate outcome data and demonstrate impact.

Findings

The framework consists of a four-module “quadrant” system that combines qualitative and quantitative approaches through:

  • Module 1: A “Core plus Flex” indicator directory with standardized wellbeing measures that allows VCS organizations to select proportionate and meaningful approaches to measuring changes in self-reported health and wellbeing among service users
  • Module 2: A qualitative feedback system that enables uploading and storing of case notes, interim reporting templates, and case studies, with capability for thematic analysis and CSV/Excel export for integration with third-party analysis tools
  • Module 3: WSIC contextual data analysis that helps BBP and VCS partners understand service reach by comparing activity performance against aggregate clinical episodes and attendances for target demographic groups, providing a baseline picture at Bi-Borough, ward, and Primary Care Network-levels
  • Module 4: A Core20PLUS5 benchmarking system that incorporates national NHS England approaches to healthcare inequalities, tracking how VCS services address priority focus areas

Next Steps

With the system currently ready for testing, and underpinned by findings from our local research and stakeholder engagement processes, we recommend securing further funding or resources for testing with selected VCS partners. This will provide opportunities for refining the approach, as well as securing stronger impact evidence and learning opportunities to improve the reach and impact on service users. This benefits decision-making clarity for NHS commissioners and VCS organisations, and improves the practices and culture of working with qualitative and quantitative evidence on all sides. Testing should include:

  1. Testing on one or two other platforms other than Airtable
    • Option for VCS organisations testing the module concepts on their own systems where appropriate
    • Option for NWL BBP central co-ordination for synthesising data onto Airtable and/or other selected system on behalf of participating VCS organisations
    • NWL BBP / BIT commitment to updating WSIC and recommended PLUS5 benchmarks, e.g. every 3 or 6 months.
    • To share the framework with other workstreams across NHS NWL ICB and Bi-Borough locations, to garner further feedback and refinement, in particular: Primary Care and Social Prescribing; NWL Evaluation Toolkit under development; Health Equity Programme Board; PCN groups, such as CLCH; Business Intelligence Team; Integrated Neighbourhood Team (INTs); Personalised Care leads; and current Vibrant Health Communities programmes such as Healthier Futures, Community Living Well
  2. To share the framework with other key partners, to engage them in understanding and refining/informing how the system can be of benefit and would be used, such as Third Sector Together (3ST), KCSC (and alignment with On Our Own Terms where appropriate), One Westminster, Westminster City Council functions for Public Health; Community Partnerships (Environment & Communities); and WCC’s Community Investment Portfolio.
  3. To develop a cross-sector steering group of key local partners, to oversee the testing and application phase, and decide the strategic direction of the system’s functionality, operability, and mobilisation (including any related training and learning content e.g. video tutorials, that can be offered for the system’s use).
  4. During test phase, to provide user guidance and data governance documents, which will help to broaden the system’s use and ensure sound governance on data quality and how it is used, held safely, and presented and communicated transparently.

Further Information

Contact details