Impact evaluation workshops with Dr. Louise Taylor

Unpacking Impact: Insights from our workshops

We’re excited to share insights from our recent impact evaluation workshops run by our very own Dr. Louise Taylor. These sessions were sparked by a growing conversation across our network of partners, funders, and the wider charitable sector about the challenges around measuring impact when this is not quantifiable in the short term. It’s a widespread topic of interest and discussion at the moment.

The Sessions

In the session we looked at:

• what we mean by impact
• how some of the definitions and uses of the term are problematic due to their colonial roots
• the complex nature of working with people
• the difficulty in causation, and
• the need for long-term measurement to see real benefits for communities

We also discussed how important it is to have a clear sense of purpose and collective understandings of the impact that you are working towards, at the outset. We discussed how this is best achieved through co-creation with the communities we are working with.

What we learned

Feedback was positive and participants particularly liked how the session was responsive to questions and allowed for discussion and sharing of examples. The session was fast paced and there were suggestions about making this session longer (to allow for even more discussion) and running a follow up all day session - which we are considering.

The most frequently asked questions were clustered around these themes:

• What are the differences between measuring outputs, outcomes and impact?
• How can you measure impact for short term initiatives?
• What methodologies are best for working in complex and diverse contexts where the work is part of a greater whole?
• Who are we evaluating for?

What's next?

We ran two workshops of 1.5 hours, making these available to our existing community. We started by offering face-to-face and kept participant numbers small to allow for questions and discussion. The interest was high and since these sessions discussion has continued with those that attended. There have been requests to repeat the workshop and to develop an online version. In response to this demand, we will be:

• Be running this workshop again.
• Developing and offering an online version of this workshop.
• Exploring what an all day part two workshop might entail.

We are also offering further workshops in September - learn more and sign up here - EPIT Events

Want to join the conversation?

We’d love to hear your thoughts on impact evaluation. Share your experiences, challenges, and ideas with us. Together, we can create a more equitable future for all.