prepared for qshelter’s housing and...

JULY 2017

Thoughts on shaping a social outcomes framework in the housing sector Prepared for QShelter’s Housing and Homelessness Workshop

Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 3

Housing social outcomes project experience (see below for further relevant experience) .......................................................................................................... 3

What is the value of a social outcomes framework? ............................................................. 5 How an outcomes framework can support organisational performance ............................... 6

1. Purpose ..................................................................................................................... 6 2. Programs ................................................................................................................... 6 3. Effectiveness .............................................................................................................. 6 4. Collaboration .............................................................................................................. 6 5. Supporters ................................................................................................................. 6 6. Policy ......................................................................................................................... 7

What might a framework contain? ......................................................................................... 7 Principles for development .................................................................................................... 8

Project principles ............................................................................................................ 8 Other considerations ...................................................................................................... 9

Examples of data presentation ............................................................................................ 10 About Think Impact .............................................................................................................. 12 Other relevant project experience ........................................................................................ 12

PREPARED BY

Ross Wyatt and Suzi Young, Think Impact

CONTACT

For further details please contact:

Think Impact

Level 1, 41-47 Somerset Place Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia [email protected] +61 402 001 237

ABN 15 129 607 576

DISCLAIMER

Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the material and the integrity of the analysis presented herein, Think Impact accepts no liability for any actions taken on the basis of the contents of this report.

Thoughts on shaping a social outcomes framework in the housing sector. July 2017

thinkimpact.com.au / 3

Introduction The following document summarises some key considerations in an approach for designing a social outcomes framework for the housing and homelessness sector in Queensland.

It is based on our experience as social impact practitioners working across various social sectors, including the housing and homelessness sector in Queensland and other jurisdictions.

Housing social outcomes project experience (see below for further relevant experience)

Year, Client Project Description Key results and relevance

2017 (ongoing), Community Housing Limited (CHL)

Theory of Change and Outcomes Framework Think Impact is engaged to support the development of an organisational wide Theory of Change and Outcomes Measurement Framework for Community Housing Limited.

Facilitation and capacity building to support the design on an impact-led theory of change. Engagement with beneficiaries to identify meaningful and measurable indicators and development of an implementation plan to support the successful implementation of the Framework.

2017, Old Colonists Association of Victoria (OCAV)

Social Impact Evaluation including social outcomes framework Think Impact recently completed an outcomes framework and a Social Return on Investment (SROI) for OCAV who provide independent and high care for elderly Victorians in metropolitan and regional Victoria.

Requires extensive stakeholder engagement across a diverse group of stakeholders, articulation of suitable outcomes, identification of indicators and development of tools to quantify and ultimately monetise change.

2016, Women’s Property Initiatives

Social Return on Investment Evaluation Think Impact undertook a Social Return on Investment (SROI) evaluation for Women’s Property Initiatives Visible Changes. The report was assured by Social Value International and launched in March 2017. It was awarded the top prize at the SIMNA Awards 2017 for Excellence in Social Impact Measurement.

Required extensive stakeholder engagement, identification of suitable indicators that quantified social impact and monetisation of the social outcomes. The report was externally assured by Social Value International.

2016-7, CoDesign Neighbourhood Project

Design of an Impact Evaluation Framework for the Neighbourhood Project Think Impact developed an Impact Framework (including indicators

The project resulted in the development of a Theory of Change for the program, which supported the program team to understand how their activity



Year, Client Project Description Key results and relevance and proposed tools) to evidence and articulate the social impact created by The Neighbourhood Project. This includes indicators in three key domains • People: Changes in wider

community which evidence the creation of a “movement” around community-led placemaking

• Process: Changed capacity of councils around their willingness and capacity to support community led-placemaking

• Place: “On-the-ground” changes generated directly or indirectly from “better local places”

would create change. Sets of indicators were developed for each outcome and key domain areas (People, Place, Process) to measure progress towards the intended impact of the program.

2015, Shelter Housing Action Cairns (SHAC)

My Money Program (MMP) Evaluation Think Impact conducted a Social Return on Investment (SROI) evaluation that analysed the social valued created by the MMP. This program employs Financial Support Workers to provide financial counselling and direct assistance to clients presenting for crisis housing.

Project explored the relationship between financial literacy and homelessness and involved the development of an impact framework that measured the progress experienced by predominantly single Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers presenting for crisis housing.

2017 (ongoing), Community Housing Federation of Victoria (CHFV)

Development of sector-wide housing social outcomes data platform Think Impact is currently developing a social outcomes framework and data platform to make social outcomes measurement accessible for smaller housing providers and to enable the aggregation of data across the sector to provide a more powerful advocacy voice for the entire community housing sector.

This ongoing project is to be underpinned by a sector-wide social outcomes framework. It incorporates the parallel development of a cloud-based platform and software which can be made available to providers at a modest cost to enable easy measurement and valuation of social outcomes.




2017 (ongoing). Community Sector Banking

Development of a measurement approach to resilience and capability arising from secure housing CSB recently engaged Think Impact to support them to radically re-think the policy and investment practice around affordable housing. One element is the development of a measurement framework.

This project has the potential to influence the policy settings around the provision of safe, secure and affordable housing and the role it plays in connecting people with opportunity to participate in the economy and society.

Prior to 2015

In recent years Ross Wyatt was the project director for several community housing SROIs for Common Equity Housing Ltd and others. He also led the first ever sector wide evaluation for community housing (for CHFV and PowerHousing Australia) and chaired PowerHousing Australia’s Navigating the Waves of Change National Conference.

What is the value of a social outcomes framework? The real value of safe, secure and affordable housing comes in many ways. Much of that value is not experienced as economic value, but social value – To live without fear. To be able to maintain a home for children. To feel like you have a future. To belong to a community. To be able to look for a job. These are all real examples of the value created by the community housing sector that don’t get captured by current activity measures often required by funders such as rental returns, occupancy rates, or wait list times.

This workshop comes at a critical time for the community housing sector in Australia. There is increasing publicity and political awareness of the need and urgency for safe, appropriate and affordable housing for vulnerable Australians. Clearly there is a significant role for the community housing sector to play in contributing to positive outcomes for tenants, the broader community and ultimately government.

The government increasingly seeks community housing providers to demonstrate the value they create for tenants, including how tenants can be supported to increase their ability to sustain a tenancy, transition out of social housing, improve their health and increase their economic and social participation.

A social outcomes measurement framework has the potential to evidence deeper and broader notions of value, which is critical if we are going to ensure appropriate investment that breaks cycles of disadvantage and enables all Australians to realise their full potential.



Without a consistent sector approach to outcomes measurement, it is difficult for the housing and homelessness sector to evidence its value and to inform policy, strategy, service delivery and investment.

At the same time, there is growing pressure on the community housing sector to deliver social outcomes (health, employment/education, social inclusion), often without the necessary funding to provide the required multi-faceted wrap-around support for individuals and families. Identifying appropriate indicators within a Social Outcomes Framework has the potential to help tell the story of the change created for tenants with the right support, how you have contributed to the change, and what it really costs.

How an outcomes framework can support organisational performance An Outcomes Framework can support the organisational performance of providers in six key areas:

1. Purpose Understanding change from the perspective of beneficiary groups and the value this creates is critical for connecting staff and organisational activity to their purpose. The outputs of an Outcomes Framework will contribute to clarifying and energising the fundamental purpose of your sector (and the housing providers). It will do this by demonstrating, from the perspective of your beneficiary stakeholders, exactly how the sector (and their organisations) creates positive change.

2. Programs This project will provide valuable insight to assist you to modify programs to create more positive change for the individuals you exist to support.

3. Effectiveness The Framework will help housing providers to understand, measure and demonstrate how effective they are and how effective they can be.

4. Collaboration The Framework will provide valuable resources to assist you to engage others to amplify your impact and lead the change.

5. Supporters The Framework will assist you to build stronger relationships with funders and supporters by providing evidence of the change you create.



6. Policy A consistent Outcomes Framework or the sector will expand your influence in policy, as it will provide a valuable basis for discussion and influence on how policy and societal norms drives housing vulnerability and exclusion.

What might a framework contain? The following “thought starters” are based on the experience gleaned in the above projects. An outcomes framework should at the very least incorporate:

• A theory of change – presented visually and with causal links • Consideration for distance travelled – all outcomes are not equal, nor are they experienced

equally

• Consideration for enduring impact – what lasting change is to be experienced. What activities support outcomes to endure.

• How the change will be created

• Meaningful indicators to support outcome measurement (developed with stakeholder participation)

• Population context – What is the larger issues to be addressed • Establishment of a baseline

An Outcomes Framework should also be designed and developed in line with the seven social value principles. This will ensure the Framework provides rigour and meaning in the data collected because it seeks to understand and explore the complex dynamics from the perspective of people you seek to create change for. The seven principles are:

1. Involve stakeholders

2. Understand what changes

3. Value the things that matter

4. Only include what is material

5. Do not over claim

6. Be transparent

7. Verify the result



Principles for development

Project principles The following principles were developed by Think Impact in conjunction with the CHFV Housing Data Platform Working Group (convened by Think Impact) and might be useful for the QShelter forum:

Principle 1: Understand and measure both change creation and client experience • Understanding the change that occurs for clients, including shelter outcomes and life

outcomes such as participation in community, health, employment and education. • Gaining a longitudinal perspective of the experience of tenants.

• Understanding the elements of the community housing offering which create change (type and features of housing, support services, management approach, etc.) to inform housing and service design and funding.

• Improving understanding of different housing providers and housing stock and client segments e.g. migrants in transition, family violence, drug and alcohol, disability.

• Measuring costs as well as value in order to understand the true cost of community housing. • Ability to quantify return on investment. • Quantifying individual and downstream impacts (e.g. cost savings to government)

Principle 2: Learn, rather than compare • Shared learning across the sector about the needs of clients and drivers of value without

compromising the unique offering of each provider

Principle 3: Inclusion • A system for every type of community housing organisation and for every type of community

housing client. • Cooperation with existing data collection (e.g. client satisfaction surveys, sector wide

surveys) in the community housing sector.

Principle 4: Balance • Data required considers the demands on clients and providers • Use of quantitative and qualitative data (numbers and stories)

Principle 5: Data accessibility • Contributors having access to data relating to their clients/sites as well as sector wide data • Identity of clients and providers protected

Principle 6: Avoid duplication • Seek to align and work with other initiatives with a shared purpose to avoid duplication • Ensure efficient use of resources



Other considerations The how - “What would it take?” Often it is useful in the process of developing an outcomes framework to allow space for some visioning work to remove participants from the constraints of the present and design an “ideal” future. You can then explore “what would it take?” to achieve that future and this provides the impetus to allow systems-change thinking.

Involve beneficiary stories The voice of beneficiary stakeholders is critical in the development of an outcomes framework. This can occur in many ways including storytelling, focus groups, participation in indicator development and much more.

Invest in capacity building Development and implementation of a framework is not a simple exercise and consideration should be given to building the capacity and shared understanding of all involved up to a similar level.

Develop a shared measurement platform A shared measurement platform will provide a basis for the sector to come together and develop an outcomes measurement approach that works for everyone, particularly small to medium not-for-profit organisations with limited resources for measurement. Increasing access to consistent and reliable social impact data right across the sector will help the sector advocate more powerfully, gain a deeper understanding regarding what works and challenge some of the systemic issues that lead to housing being understood from a limited economic cost perspective. In addition, the platform may also be used to consistently measure indicators that could inform the environmental performance of the community housing sector.



Examples of data presentation Following are just a few examples of ways to present data. Other examples (including film and data animation) can be provided on request.



Figure 1 Dashboards to aspire to – data platforms to measure and evidence progress



About Think Impact Think impact is a certified BCorp (Benefit Corporation) supporting organisations to contribute to a more prosperous and sustainable world. We help organisations understand, communicate and transform the impact of their work. Our goal is to transition organisations towards a “new prosperity” that supports and enhances: • thriving environments where our climate and ecosystems are safer and healthier • resilient communities where our societies have reduced vulnerability and enhanced wellbeing • inclusive enterprises where our economy provides equitable access to opportunity for the

benefit of all.

We engage across business, government and for-purpose organisations and are committed to helping organisations understand, communicate, and transform the impact of their work. By this we mean:

• Understand – interrogating social change initiatives to understand and measure how change is happening and for whom. We measure impact through methods such as Theories of Change, Impact Frameworks, Social Return on Investment (SROI), Results Based Accountability (RBA), Most Significant Change technique and bespoke methodologies. We work in partnership with our clients to build their impact literacy and capacity to measure what matters.

• Communicate – Communicating impact using conventional methods as well as more innovative approaches such as film, infographics, data visualisation, sustainability reporting, and more.

• Transform – Increasing and amplifying impact through impact-led design (designing strategy with impact at the core), funder development, purpose re-definition, innovative partnerships and collective impact, policy influence and stakeholder engagement.

See http://thinkimpact.com.au/our-work/ for examples of our work.

Other relevant project experience Year, Client Project Description Key results and relevance

2017, Australian Red Cross

Impact Led Design Outcome Framework for Strategy 2020 Think Impact were engaged by the Australian Red Cross to develop an outcomes framework to respond to the goals and targets in Strategy 2020. It included the development of an impact statement and identification of targets for the entire organisation.

Impact-led design approach for the whole organisation. Strategic engagement across the whole organisation to identify meaningful and measurable indicators. Developed recommendations regarding implementation, including integration into existing business systems. Ongoing support being provided as the organisation implements and socialises the strategy and work plans.




2017, Consumer Action Law Centre

Organisational Impact Framework Development of impact framework for both consumer advice service delivery and systemic advocacy work.

This project is seeking to address the “holy grail” in the social impact world – a fully integrated framework for measuring both impact (of services) and influence (of advocacy work).

2016, Department of Education and Training

Pathway Demonstration Grampian Project Think Impact were engaged by Department of Education to support Learn Local Organisations in the Grampians region to strengthen their partnership and enterprising skills. The project involved the co-design of learning products with local organisations including VET/TAFE providers and employment agencies to support adult learners to re-engage in further education or employment.

Experience working with large organisations requiring diverse stakeholder engagement and project management skills. A unique tool was developed to assess the progress of learners. An impact-led design approach was used in the co-design of the learning products.

2016, Centre for Participation (formerly the Hub ad Volunteering Western Victoria)

Research to inform the Wimmera Community Learning Strategy Think Impact undertook research across the Wimmera to identify the conditions to create a responsive, effective and sustainable pre-accredited learning sector for the most disadvantaged learners in the community. A research report was published that informed the development of the Wimmera Community Learning Strategy.

Research examined the conditions that create meaningful pathways for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable learners in the community to support them onto a “pathway” of employment or further education. It included systemic, community sector and industry recommendations and informed strategic planning for the community learning sector in the Wimmera.

2015-16, United Way Australia

United Way Australia (UWA) Strategy Facilitation and Program Evaluation Think Impact facilitated the development of the United Way Australia strategic plan utilising an impact led design approach. The Ready to Read program with a particular emphasis on the Dolly Parton Imagination Library (DPIL). Use this evaluation as an implementation pilot for an overall social impact framework for the organisation based on a well-articulated theory of change.

A number of key learnings are included in the design of our methodology in this project in particular the organisational engagement and development of progression plans towards the ultimate impact goals.

2016-ongoing, ‘Right on Track’ Developed an Impact



Year, Client Project Description Key results and relevance Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Cooperative (GGAC) and the Centre for Participation

Think Impact is undertaking an evaluation of the social value created by the ‘Right on Track’ project. Right on Track is a crime prevention and early intervention program for young Aboriginal people disengaged from the school/training system who are currently unemployed or at risk of contact with the justice system.

Framework to measure and evaluate the impact of the program. Due to the nature of the participants, the indictors and tools being developed requires a creative and continuous evolution to ensure meaningful measures and stories or change are documented.

2015-2016, Back-to-Back Theatre

Back-to-Back Theatre SROI Evaluation Think Impact completed a Social Return on Investment (SROI) evaluation for Back-to-Back Theatre. Back to Back Theatre, based in Geelong includes an ensemble of 6 actors with intellectual disabilities who create and perform provocative, challenging works for diverse audiences around the world.

The project required a creative approach to the design of stakeholder engagement and measurement of impact. It included the development of surveys for Spanish audiences, filmed workshops, performed demonstrations of change for non-verbal participants and engagement with leaders in the arts sector.



Each time a person acts to improve the lot of others [...] they send forth a tiny ripple of hope [...] and those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.

ROBERT KENNEDY, 1966 (PARAPHRASED)

prepared for qshelter’s housing and...

Documents