Investing in culture and communities

1. Investing in culture and communities The social return on investing in work-based learning at the Museum of East Anglian Life

2. Why SROI? “SROI is a complex and revealing methodology which avoids the imprecision of qualitative and blandness of quantitative evaluation” Tony Butler

3. SROI analysisSROI engages people in rigorous analysis of impact and knock on effects Our stakeholdersThe scope and the people affected by our project The story of changeWhat we invest, what we do and changes that result The evidenceHow we know things have changed and the results Our impactValuing results and taking off what we can’t take credit for Our social return on investmentCalculations Verifying, reporting and improvingUsing what we’ve learnt

4. Work- based learning 8 week course for around 50 people a year who are long term unemployed

5. Our WBL programme has significant effect on: • Participants • Their families in the widest sense • The state and community • Museum staff and volunteers Our scopeThe scope and the people affected by our project

6. We invest £31K of funding plus £3K of volunteering But further investment of cultural heritage is critical too Participants and families invest a great deal of emotional energy The story of changeWhat we invest, what we do and the changes that result “where else could you work on a steam engine and build a kiln?” partner agency

7. The story of changeWhat we invest, what we do and the changes that result

8. Participants saw improvements in: • Progression towards work • Confidence and hope for the future • Relationships • Happiness... The story of changeWhat we invest, what we do and the changes that result “we see the difference in the person - much more work ready, bags more confidence, have made friends” partner agency

9. But we have wider influence too: • Families see improvements in family relationships • The state and community see • savings in welfare payments • More effective and efficient local delivery • Museum staff and volunteers improve their understanding of disadvantaged people The story of changeWhat we invest, what we do and the changes that result

10. Key question: The story of change How to value and encourage happiness and emotional investment

11. We used the four stages of learning model The evidenceHow we know things have changed and the results we see

12. Amjed’s experience The evidenceHow we know things have changed and the results we see

13. Participants’ progress is not linear but has significant steps • When participants begin to care, they initially take up more services and support • The most significant part of progressing towards employment is getting a job The evidenceHow we know things have changed and the results we see

14. Key service need: The evidence Approaches to progression delivered jointly with partners

15. 37 progressed. As you would expect from work-based learning: • 90% progressed towards work – average of 38% • 70% had more confidence and hope for the future – average 35% • 50% improved their relationships – average 30% Say, one and a half steps of four The evidenceHow we know things have changed and the results we see

16. Other results showed: • 5 out of 7 families see improvements with a 50% ‘score’ • The state and community see significant welfare savings, even taking into account the above • Creating more efficient and effective local service delivery offers tremendous scope • Museum staff and volunteers see improvements, but limited The evidenceHow we know things have changed and the results we see

17. We researched what would have happened anyway (deadweight) We asked participants how much was down to MEAL (attribution) We used this evidence to attribute our impact Our impactTaking off what we can’t take credit for and valuing results “finding placements has been hard – too academic. The service at MEAL is so unique, it serves our clients well” partner agency

18. We estimate that almost all our outcomes are ‘new’ with almost no displacement effect Progression towards work however does see some displacement. Our impactTaking off a proportion if we just transferred the problem

19. We valued our participants’ outcomes using these financial proxies • Value of work over benefit • Value of counselling and work placement • Value of a social life and family therapy Our impactValuing results

20. We valued our wider outcomes using these financial proxies • Family relationships with family therapy plus the cost of bringing up a child • State and community through welfare payments and the value/cost of local networking • Museum and volunteer learning through diversity awareness training Our impactValuing results

21. Welfare savings Our impactValuing results

22. Our impactAdjusted results

23. Key opportunity: Our impact Hidden value of family outcomes

24. Whilst the outcomes we achieved are long-lasting we expect other factors to soon take over from MEAL’s influence: We consciously avoid dependency Our impactHow long our impact lasts

25. Our true investment is £53K including museum costs Our first year of value is £180K with more value in subsequent years For every £1 invested we gain over £4 of social value Our SROICalculating our return

26. What we’ve learnt about SROI • Face to face feedback is invaluable • Work it through, but don’t over-work it • An independent partner ensures rigour and persistence Verifying, reporting and improvingUsing what we’ve learnt

27. What we’ve learnt about WBL • Key question: How to value and encourage happiness and emotional investment • Key need: Joint local approaches to progression • Key opportunity: Hidden value of family outcomes • Key investment: In cultural heritage Verifying, reporting and improvingUsing what we’ve learnt