Social Impact Measurement
The new era of ‘outcome-based government’
Inspire2Enterprise helps social enterprises understand and navigate the UK social policy landscape, which has undergone radical change in recent years. With growing recognition that the real value of government expenditure – i.e. how much it improves people’s lives – has rarely been considered, new approaches to public spending and service commissioning have been developed.
‘Evidence-based policy making’ has been endorsed by a number of government agencies and organisations, while the ‘social return on investment (SROI)’ model is gaining traction in the voluntary sector. These approaches seek to measure and maximise the social outcomes delivered by public spending, and signal a shift away from the policy methods of old.
At Inspire2Enterprise, we work to ensure social enterprises can adapt their methods to meet the needs and expectations of commissioners and end-users following this wave of public sector reform.
Demonstrating social value
With people less swayed by ‘the numbers argument’ in service delivery, there is an increased focus on the quality of the outcome, rather than the numerical output.
It is therefore critical that social enterprises are able to demonstrate social impact. Indeed, with the introduction of Payment by Results (PbR) in many public service contracts, providers’ fees are increasingly contingent upon results that demonstrate that set targets have been achieved. For example, that repeat offending has been reduced, or that social care services have met people’s needs under the personalised care agenda.
Inspire2Enterprise has a wealth of experience and expertise in social impact measurement. We can work alongside your organisation, or we can oversee the whole process for you. Either way, our team of social impact specialists can help you:
- Analyse and quantify social value
- Develop an index against which to measure social outcomes
- Assess in quantifiable terms what was previously unmeasurable
In this way, we can help you produce reports and applications that communicate clearly and compellingly the social value of your work. Speaking the language of funders and investors, these documents can greatly enhance your organisation’s prospects for successful contract bids and new work.