Welcome to our January impact round-up. Each month in NCVO Charities Evaluation Services we summarise the latest news in impact and evaluation and share useful guides, resources and data collection tools.
Making the most of qualitative data
Qualitative data collected through interviews and focus groups can be really valuable, helping charities understand the difference they’ve made and which aspects of their work have led to this. But organisations we work with often struggle to make good use of the rich, in-depth information they have access to. Find out how to work with qualitative data through approaches like coding and thematic analysis, and how to generate clear findings to help you improve how you do things, in our how-to guide.
Getting ready for GDPR
Whether you’re collecting outcome monitoring data about beneficiaries or running focus groups with staff or volunteers, impact and evaluation work often involves working with personal data. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) takes effect from May and all organisations that process personal data must be compliant. The Information Commissioner’s Office has just published a frequently asked questions guide for charities, and also has a telephone service to help small organisations (including charities) prepare for GDPR. NCVO provides a range of online information and training – read more here.
New guidance on how to measure your impact on wellbeing
The What Works Centre for Wellbeing has published a new online guide to help charities understand, measure, evaluate and analyse their impact on wellbeing. The guide explores what’s meant by wellbeing, when it’s useful to measure it and how charities might go about it. It includes a survey builder function with questions from existing wellbeing measures that charities could replicate. You can also read the Centre’s blog post on how the guide can help.
NCVO strategy courses – new for 2018
In a rapidly changing environment for the voluntary sector, organisations need to have a clear and comprehensive strategy in place. New to our training programme for 2018 are two courses for charity leaders on business planning and creating a strategy process. You’ll learn how to articulate goals, agree priorities and develop a robust plan.
Come and join our team
We’re looking for a new consultant. It’s a varied and highly rewarding role which involves delivering a mix of training and consultancy projects on impact, evaluation and strategy. Our team enjoy helping organisations to improve their work, demonstrate the difference they make and plan for the future. The deadline for applications is 16 February – find out more here.
On the blogs
- The Association of Charitable Foundations shares details of the launch of their Stronger Foundations project, and considers pressing issues – including learning and impact – that foundations are dealing with.
- The Impact Management Programme announces new grantees who will receive funding to develop their impact management process, systems and culture.
Training and events
NCVO provides training and events covering a range of topics, from impact to governance, volunteer management and data protection reform – with discounts for NCVO members (not a member? Find out more).
Here’s what’s coming up:
- Collecting outcome and impact data – 13 February
- Better outcome and impact reporting – 22 February
- Outcome and impact measurement (one-day course) – 2 March
- Developing your theory of change – 6 March
- How to assess the outcomes of funded work (course for funders and commissioners) – 23 March
- Data protection – a course to help you navigate the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) reforms:
Harriet is a senior consultant at NCVO Charities Evaluation Services – the team helps voluntary organisations, volunteering programmes and their funders with practical impact measurement and evaluation. 
