For CEO’s of charities and voluntary organisations receiving public funding a major challenge ahead in 2013 is likely to be demonstrating the positive impact of their service in the community they serve.
It’s fairly straightforward to accumulate some anecdotal evidence or a handful of testimonials.. To request, obtain, analyse and report regular feedback to stakeholders requires both a plan and a system in place.
Recently I have again been working with Mentorlink, a respected, sucessful and expanding charity, as we plan, pilot and implement new systems to address these issues. This is not simply a ‘tick the box’ exercise; it has stimulated debates about:
the aims and vision of the charity
does the charity actually achieves it’s core objectives (and have the proof that it does meet them)
the benefits to the people that volunteer and run the charity
whether the charity delivers great value for money
They have obtained some great evidence to date about their work and the testimonials from teachers, mentors, volunteers and young people have inspired and encouraged everyone on the staff to become even better next year.
Whether you work in the voluntary sector or in a commercial business a social audit is a highly recommended exercise.
Happy planning,
Gill