Resilient Communities: our approach to research & evaluation

1. Resilient Communities: our approach to research & evaluation

2. Contents • Our approach to research & evaluation (slides 3-4) • Our principles (slide 5) • Resilient Communities Theory of Change (slide 6) • Resilient Communities Key Evaluation Questions (slide 7) • Resilient Communities Learning Framework (slides 8 – 9) • Methods & tools (slide 10)

3. 1. Our approach to research and evaluation The purpose of our research and evaluation activity is twofold: 1) to understand UnLtd’s impact and the impact of social entrepreneurs, and 2) to build on successes and learn from our mistakes. We’ve learnt from our research in places that our approach needs to take into account: • How to evidence change and learning in complex systems • How to produce useful and timely insights to iterate programme activity • How to capture unexpected outcomes in different places • How to balance the needs of different stakeholders

4. 2. Our approach to research and evaluation • We have a Theory of change (slide 6) that outlines how our support to social entrepreneurs and work with partners results in more local people working together to create social change and boost the local economy. • Aligned to our ToC, our Learning & evaluation framework (slides 8-9) sets out the data we will collect to evidence and test our ToC. We want to explore the idea of creating a collective impact framework that will enable us to talk about the aggregate impact of social entrepreneurs. • From our Theory of Change, we have identified a number of research questions that we think will demonstrate the value of place-based social entrepreneurship • Learning Framework: we also have identified a number of internal learning questions/hypotheses that we’d like to test (see slide 9)

5. 3. Our Principles Anything we do will be: • Participatory – we will involve people (social entrepreneurs, local residents, Big Local Partnership) in the evaluation • Accessible – we will use appropriate tools and language • Proportionate – we will focus our work and integrate into existing activities • Useful – we will regularly share findings and learning with partners so that people gain something from being involved. Our outputs will have a clear audience and purpose.

6. And society joins in taking social entrepreneurs mainstream We work with innovators to transform the system We find, fund, and support place-based social entrepreneurs to reach their potential, including: And act to breakdown barriers social entrepreneurs face to maximise their impact We believe that SEs flourish and create more local impact when they learn together and are connected to both local and wider networks We believe that our role is work other players in the system to support SEs Goal – Local people are working together to create social change and boost the local economy Our Core Beliefs Increased local demand for SEs’ products and services Social entrepreneurship is seen as a viable way of transforming a place We believe people are resourceful with assets and knowledge, we enable people and are led by their own local agenda We believe that place-based SEs create deep impact by involving local people and generating local benefits. More relevant and appropriate products and services for local people Increased knowledge, skills, networks, and confidence More people understand social entrepreneurship and advocate for it locally SEs have better understanding of local issues and needs More local people and organisations buying from and/or investing in social entrepreneurs Social ventures have increased operational capacity and can do more for local residents More SEs are connected to local and wider networks to raise aspirations and broaden horizons • Our Assumptions • We can reach a diverse range of individuals and our processes mean that we are able to find, fund, and support people from different backgrounds. • Social entrepreneurs can function in different political systems. • Local stakeholders (champions and anchors) understand and buy-in to the value of social entrepreneurship as an economic model. • Political cycles and turnover of staff in key local organisations doesn’t hamper our work • Champions and anchors have sufficient time to work with us. SEs are better able to evidence the impact of their venture More evidence and learning about the value added of place-based SEs More connections and collaboration between SEs More local jobs and employment opportunities SEs are more able to secure sustainable routes to market with local customers More local resources are put into social entrepreneurial activity to drive social change Social ventures are better able to grow their social impact People and communities shape local services and interventions in their area Closer relationships with key local anchors and champions A better connected ecosystem of SEs working together to create change locally Local policies support social entrepreneurs and make it easier for them to operate effectively More local people are involved in the design, delivery and governance of social ventures Our RC theory of change

7. Our Key Evaluation Questions (KEQ) • We want to focus the evaluation on our support, what it enables SEs to do and what that means for a place. Although being flexible in how we collect our data, we have set key overarching research questions to guide researchers and provide boundaries: • How is our RC model being implemented? • How effective is our RC model in enabling individuals to develop, and grow their ventures? • What sort of changes in a place are we noticing as a result? (perspectives of Social Entrepreneurs, Award Managers, champions, anchors) • What is our role in creating that change and what are other factors are contributing to it?

8. Our Learning Framework • We’re using a developmental Evaluation approach which starts with a Learning framework – rather than indicators to measure. • Purpose – to set the direction for learning and development and helps us to be systematic, strategic and intentional about where we focus our energy and attention • A learning framework maps the key challenges and opportunities, identifying (1) what we need to pay attention as we deliver the resilient communities work; and (2) what we need to learn. • We co-designed the learning framework so that we have collective agreement on what information is needed and how it will be used.

9. Learning Framework for Resilient Communities – what do we need to pay attention to?Key: Purple boxes = Links to our ToC (slide 6); Orange boxes = Internal Learning Context Working with partners • Attitudes and perceptions of UnLtd (treading on toes?) • Level of sustained interest and engagement • Levels of resources committed / leveraged • Types of partnerships established and examples of collaboration • Evidence of conflict or difficult relationships Developing a replicable UnLtd model • Approach to selecting areas • Similarities and differences in the activities • What is unique about the work? • What’s working, what isn’t? • Potential for replication Supporting social entrepreneurs • Level of interest and engagement • Are we distracting SEs from their venture? • Collaboration - SEs learning and working together Internal issues • Internal collaboration and dynamics • Decision making structures • Ensuring we have enough resources, including funding & staff • Any international connections made Barriers faced by social entrepreneurs • Routes to market • Access to finance • Local policies Impact in a place • Improvements in economy, e.g. more jobs • local participation and community cohesion and • Improved health & wellbeing • New/more local people participating in decision-making • Social mobility What is changing? • New / innovative products, services, interventions • Influence – evidence of SEs having influence locally • Infrastructure • Investment How change happens • Pace of change • Drivers of change • Enabling/ constraining factors What else are we noticing?

10. Methods and tools • Learning framework (slides 8 - 9) & theory of change (slide 6) • Reflection learning sessions to draw on Award Manager experience, iterate work and understand impact • KPIs – survey data that monitors progress of our work • Stories & case studies • Participatory methods with social entrepreneurs, anchors, champions and local residents • Quarterly reporting against action plans to understand progress • Readiness Energy Index (baseline and endline assessment of a place) • Literature review to answer existing research questions