Date of event: 29/07/09
Organised by: Making Local Food Work Co-operatives Uk
Venue: Leeds Church Institute
Report by: Nancy Brown, Network Co-ordinator - Public Health
This was an excellent all day session on structures and governance for food co-operatives which outlined the different legal structures for community food organisations and the features and benefits these structures. It also looked at common issues with governing these organsisations and how to resolve them to improve governance. It was a great interactive session.
For more information contact Mark Simmonds on 0161 246 2953 or e-mail at
Mark.R.Simmonds@cooperatives-uk.coop
Thursday 30 July 2009
Monday 27 July 2009
Corporate Community Involvement Seminar: Creating Impact
Date of event: 17/07/09
Organised by: NCVO
Venue: NCVO, London
Report by: Rhiannon Davies, Communications Officer
First up to present was Mike Tuffrey, founding Director of Corporate Citizenship. Mike talked about the London Benchmarking Group (LBG), which was formed 1994 by BP, Grand Met, NatWest, IBM, Marks & Spencer and Whitbread, who needed an investment model and to demonstrate good community management. The result was “LBG model” (see page 8 of Mike’s presentation), which helps companies assess what they invest into communities and to report more effectively the impact of this investment.
This was very relevant to Target: Wellbeing, with all our projects currently grappling with the roll out of our portfolio-wide evaluation at the moment. Designed by the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO), it aims to evaluate the outcomes, rather than outputs and I was very pleased to see that Mike’s advice was to focus on Inputs Vs Impacts (the same as our “Outcomes”, just different jargon!) rather than just Outputs when reporting.
For the uninitiated a quick description of the difference might be useful:
INPUTS are the resources put into your project to make it happen. These could include funding, volunteer time, training, etc.
OUTPUTS are the activities or services your project delivers in order to create outcomes. These could include the number of sessions delivered, attendance at those sessions, etc.
OUTCOMES are the long term changes, benefits, learning, etc. that happen as a result of your project. E.g. People reporting improved levels of food preparation and cooking skills and people reporting increased self esteem.
Our evaluation planning process helps project officers identify what their inputs, outputs and outcomes are, and how they can evaluate these. As every single one of our projects will be thinking about their evaluation in these terms, whether they are using Target: Wellbeing’s evaluation tools or not, Mike’s presentation gave me confidence that they will be better equipped to approach potential corporate (and other kinds of) funders as a result of the hardwork we’re all putting into our evaluation process at the moment!
Next to the podium was Dr Richard Piper, Head of Strategy and Impact at NCVO, who had quite a different, and at times controversial, message about measuring and reporting impact. Richard suggested that measuring impact should only be done when it has a purpose, and that there were negative elements to what he termed, “The Measurement Fallacy”, such as the proliferation of jargon and toolkits, and that it might well divert attention from managing the impact and communicating it.
However, I’ve seen Richard speak before at the NCVO’s/ Media Trust's marketing conference back in January, and I felt his message here was very similar to what he was saying back then – that impact reporting needs to actually communicate the things that will affect the people you want to speak to (e.g. potential funders, corporate or otherwise) in a way they will understand. I would certainly agree it’s too easy to fall into the old annual report trap of a 50 page glossy brochure, with reams of facts and figures even though we’re never sure who actually reads them. And if someone did read them would they actually be moved by what they read?
For me this doesn’t mean not using the results of impact evaluation, but communicating them in a way that really illustrates that impact, perhaps through a combination of facts and figures, photographs and testimonials, and in a format that is engaging for it's planned recipient. But more than this, Richard pointed out that we shouldn’t just report on the main, strategic outcomes, that all the positive things that happen on the periphery (like participants making friends at a class, or just a general feeling of wellbeing during the session) was worth reporting too. Richard calls this the “Full Value”, and you can read more about it on page 8 of his presentation.
His overarching point is summarised in the introduction to Performance Hub’s publication, “True Colours”, which he co-wrote with Jake Eliot:
“The future success of every third sector organisation depends partly on whether or not it can persuade other people that it is valuable and worthy of their attention and support. If you can get these people – volunteers and donors, trustees and employees, partners and funders, and the audiences of lobbying and campaigning – contributing positively to you organisation, its future will be bright. But many third sector organisations don’t communicate their value strongly enough, or tell others about their successes. As a result many organisations are misunderstood and under-appreciated.”
With Target: Wellbeing’s first evaluation report from the NWPHO due in October, this gave me lots of food for thought about how best to present the information in the most accessible and digestible way to our various stakeholders. So I’ve been devouring “True Colours”, and making lots of plans, none of which involve producing a chunky, glossy tome of an annual report!
You can read more about the session and view the presentations here.
Target: Wellbeing has a copy of “True Colours” in our library, which any Target: Wellbeing project can borrow. Just email me at rhiannon.davies@groundwork.org.uk . Alternatively you can buy your own copy here.
Organised by: NCVO
Venue: NCVO, London
Report by: Rhiannon Davies, Communications Officer
First up to present was Mike Tuffrey, founding Director of Corporate Citizenship. Mike talked about the London Benchmarking Group (LBG), which was formed 1994 by BP, Grand Met, NatWest, IBM, Marks & Spencer and Whitbread, who needed an investment model and to demonstrate good community management. The result was “LBG model” (see page 8 of Mike’s presentation), which helps companies assess what they invest into communities and to report more effectively the impact of this investment.
This was very relevant to Target: Wellbeing, with all our projects currently grappling with the roll out of our portfolio-wide evaluation at the moment. Designed by the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO), it aims to evaluate the outcomes, rather than outputs and I was very pleased to see that Mike’s advice was to focus on Inputs Vs Impacts (the same as our “Outcomes”, just different jargon!) rather than just Outputs when reporting.
For the uninitiated a quick description of the difference might be useful:
INPUTS are the resources put into your project to make it happen. These could include funding, volunteer time, training, etc.
OUTPUTS are the activities or services your project delivers in order to create outcomes. These could include the number of sessions delivered, attendance at those sessions, etc.
OUTCOMES are the long term changes, benefits, learning, etc. that happen as a result of your project. E.g. People reporting improved levels of food preparation and cooking skills and people reporting increased self esteem.
Our evaluation planning process helps project officers identify what their inputs, outputs and outcomes are, and how they can evaluate these. As every single one of our projects will be thinking about their evaluation in these terms, whether they are using Target: Wellbeing’s evaluation tools or not, Mike’s presentation gave me confidence that they will be better equipped to approach potential corporate (and other kinds of) funders as a result of the hardwork we’re all putting into our evaluation process at the moment!
Next to the podium was Dr Richard Piper, Head of Strategy and Impact at NCVO, who had quite a different, and at times controversial, message about measuring and reporting impact. Richard suggested that measuring impact should only be done when it has a purpose, and that there were negative elements to what he termed, “The Measurement Fallacy”, such as the proliferation of jargon and toolkits, and that it might well divert attention from managing the impact and communicating it.
However, I’ve seen Richard speak before at the NCVO’s/ Media Trust's marketing conference back in January, and I felt his message here was very similar to what he was saying back then – that impact reporting needs to actually communicate the things that will affect the people you want to speak to (e.g. potential funders, corporate or otherwise) in a way they will understand. I would certainly agree it’s too easy to fall into the old annual report trap of a 50 page glossy brochure, with reams of facts and figures even though we’re never sure who actually reads them. And if someone did read them would they actually be moved by what they read?
For me this doesn’t mean not using the results of impact evaluation, but communicating them in a way that really illustrates that impact, perhaps through a combination of facts and figures, photographs and testimonials, and in a format that is engaging for it's planned recipient. But more than this, Richard pointed out that we shouldn’t just report on the main, strategic outcomes, that all the positive things that happen on the periphery (like participants making friends at a class, or just a general feeling of wellbeing during the session) was worth reporting too. Richard calls this the “Full Value”, and you can read more about it on page 8 of his presentation.
His overarching point is summarised in the introduction to Performance Hub’s publication, “True Colours”, which he co-wrote with Jake Eliot:
“The future success of every third sector organisation depends partly on whether or not it can persuade other people that it is valuable and worthy of their attention and support. If you can get these people – volunteers and donors, trustees and employees, partners and funders, and the audiences of lobbying and campaigning – contributing positively to you organisation, its future will be bright. But many third sector organisations don’t communicate their value strongly enough, or tell others about their successes. As a result many organisations are misunderstood and under-appreciated.”
With Target: Wellbeing’s first evaluation report from the NWPHO due in October, this gave me lots of food for thought about how best to present the information in the most accessible and digestible way to our various stakeholders. So I’ve been devouring “True Colours”, and making lots of plans, none of which involve producing a chunky, glossy tome of an annual report!
You can read more about the session and view the presentations here.
Target: Wellbeing has a copy of “True Colours” in our library, which any Target: Wellbeing project can borrow. Just email me at rhiannon.davies@groundwork.org.uk . Alternatively you can buy your own copy here.
Friday 17 July 2009
Blues Skies
Date of event: 15/07/09
Organised by: Target: Wellbeing Regional Support Network
Venue: Mansion House Active Age Centre, Age Concern Halton and St.Helens
Report by: Rob Squires, Network Co-ordinator - Third Sector
Jude also told us about PROMiSE, which is a new third sector regional mental health network, being pulled together by Voluntary Sector North West and NHS North West, in order to link the sector in with the region’s Mental Health Improvement Programme. PROMiSE are having their launch event on September 7th in Preston (see the VSNW website for more information), and they will be looking for representatives from the sector to sit on the MHIP’s steering and stakeholder boards. Target: wellbeing intends to put forward an applicant to this position, to make sure that mental health projects within our network have an influence within decision making in this area.
Organised by: Target: Wellbeing Regional Support Network
Venue: Mansion House Active Age Centre, Age Concern Halton and St.Helens
Report by: Rob Squires, Network Co-ordinator - Third Sector
This was the second Target: Wellbeing networking event and this time the aim was to connect projects across the region that work on mental health issues.
The venue for the event was the stunning Age Concern Mansion House, located in Victoria Park outside St Helens town centre. The event was a trip down memory lane for me, as I used to work at the Mansion House as the gardener back in 1996. When I joined the Target: Wellbeing team I was intrigued to learn that the Trust Matters 50+ Counselling service is based there, and when I met Paul Chadwick who runs the project, I was very impressed with the work they are doing and was keen to visit the Mansion House again.
After the networking event I had a little look round, and was pleased to see that the house and gardens have maintained their splendour. Upon entering the kitchen gardens I was amazed to see that some willow snaps I had planted back in ’96 have grown into beautiful 30ft high trees.
Paul gave a great presentation about their counselling service, and told a really touching story about a client, who had been feeling suicidal until receiving services from Paul and his team, who put him back on track. The client told Paul that he had put the rope in his hands that saved his life, and that it was Paul's team that pulled him out of the hole. The client gave Paul a copy of a Fathers' Day card from his children, telling him how much they loved and appreciated him. He told Paul that without the help of Trust Matters he probably would not have been alive to this day, to receive the card.
Stories like this are the real stuff, and they cut straight through all the frustrations we feel, as we struggle to evidence the impact that Target: Wellbeing is having, and motivate us to carry on doing what we do.
In addition to Paul, there was a fascinating presentation from Jude Stansfield, Public Mental Health and Wellbeing lead with Government Office North West, who gave us the low down on policy issues in the region.
Amongst other things, Jude gave us a sneak preview of New Horizons from the Department of Health, which is a new vision and programme of work to improve the mental wellbeing of everyone, as well as continuing to improve the quality and accessibility of mental health services. It aims to address the inequalities that different groups in society experience, both in accessing services and in levels of mental health. It will set out the national direction from 2010.
Jude also told us about PROMiSE, which is a new third sector regional mental health network, being pulled together by Voluntary Sector North West and NHS North West, in order to link the sector in with the region’s Mental Health Improvement Programme. PROMiSE are having their launch event on September 7th in Jude also happened to drop into the conversation, that she has organised it for Target: Wellbeing to provide a workshop at the Northwest Wellbeing Conference 2009. This is a important event which will incorporate the 6th annual Northwest Public Health Conference and the 17th annual conference of the WHO Regions For Health Network. The theme of our workshop will be around ‘Lessons learned’. We are keen to involve projects in the delivery of this workshop and will be circulating more information soon. Thank you to Jude for pulling this workshop out of a bag, and giving us this opportunity to make an impression.
There were around 20 people at our networking event in all, representing different projects and programmes from across the region. I took the opportunity therefore, to run a workshop and get information from people about how we can strengthen the Target: Wellbeing network. I asked the same 4 questions as I did at the Running with the Times networking event, at the National Wildflower Centre, last week (see previous blog to see what these are). As with this event, I will be collating the information generated from Networking events, and producing a summary report later in the year.
Thanks to everybody that came to the Mansion House, you are all stars, and I look forward to seeing you at future events.
Thursday 9 July 2009
Running with the Times
Date of event: 08/07/09
Organised by: Target: Wellbeing Regional Support Network
Venue: National Wildflower Centre, Courthey Park, Knowsley (Landlife)
Report by: Rob Squires, Network Co-ordinator - Third Sector
This was the first in a series of networking events I am organising to connect people across the region involved in Target: Wellbeing. The event was attended by over a dozen workers from projects and programmes that focus or involve Physical Activity.
The event included a talk by Jackie Brennan, who is the Physical Activity lead for the Regional Department of Health team and Government Office North West. Amongst other things, Jackie talked about Be Active, Be Healthy, which is the national physical activity strategy, and how Target: Wellbeing projects contribute to this. In addition she talked about the importance of the regional Target: Wellbeing evaluation, and how the knowledge that projects are generating will help inform and shape policy in the region.
There was also a presentation and site tour by Jan Pell, who manages the Target: Wellbeing Great Outdoors project at the Wildflower Centre. She talked about the 'Natural Health System' and how connecting people with nature, and outdoor spaces, can improve their health and wellbeing. The National Wildflower Centre is playing a very positive role within the Knowsley Target: Wellbeing programme, and is acting as a hub, from which a number of the different projects are delivering activities. We are hoping that this natural collaboration can be built upon as the programme progresses.
I have copies of both Jackie and Jan's presentations and if you want them, then please email me here.
In addition, we ran a short workshop, asking the following four questions:
1. How can Target: Wellbeing partners contribute most effectively to regional strategy?
2. Where do projects need to be by the end of the Target: Wellbeing programme?
3. How can Target: Wellbeing projects, plus programme leads collaborate more closely in the future?
4. Who / what do you want from future Target: Wellbeing networking events?
I have written up the results of this workshop, and emailed them to those that participated in the workshop - if you were not there, but would like a copy, then please email me. I will be running a series of other networking events over the next few weeks, including Mental Health event next week, and Healthy Eating day in September, and will be running similar workshops during these. The information generated will be put together into a short summary report, that will be made available to all.
Organised by: Target: Wellbeing Regional Support Network
Venue: National Wildflower Centre, Courthey Park, Knowsley (Landlife)
Report by: Rob Squires, Network Co-ordinator - Third Sector
This was the first in a series of networking events I am organising to connect people across the region involved in Target: Wellbeing. The event was attended by over a dozen workers from projects and programmes that focus or involve Physical Activity.The event included a talk by Jackie Brennan, who is the Physical Activity lead for the Regional Department of Health team and Government Office North West. Amongst other things, Jackie talked about Be Active, Be Healthy, which is the national physical activity strategy, and how Target: Wellbeing projects contribute to this. In addition she talked about the importance of the regional Target: Wellbeing evaluation, and how the knowledge that projects are generating will help inform and shape policy in the region.
There was also a presentation and site tour by Jan Pell, who manages the Target: Wellbeing Great Outdoors project at the Wildflower Centre. She talked about the 'Natural Health System' and how connecting people with nature, and outdoor spaces, can improve their health and wellbeing. The National Wildflower Centre is playing a very positive role within the Knowsley Target: Wellbeing programme, and is acting as a hub, from which a number of the different projects are delivering activities. We are hoping that this natural collaboration can be built upon as the programme progresses.I have copies of both Jackie and Jan's presentations and if you want them, then please email me here.
In addition, we ran a short workshop, asking the following four questions:
1. How can Target: Wellbeing partners contribute most effectively to regional strategy?
2. Where do projects need to be by the end of the Target: Wellbeing programme?
3. How can Target: Wellbeing projects, plus programme leads collaborate more closely in the future?
4. Who / what do you want from future Target: Wellbeing networking events?
I have written up the results of this workshop, and emailed them to those that participated in the workshop - if you were not there, but would like a copy, then please email me. I will be running a series of other networking events over the next few weeks, including Mental Health event next week, and Healthy Eating day in September, and will be running similar workshops during these. The information generated will be put together into a short summary report, that will be made available to all.
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