Welcome to our March 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.
New resources to help charities collect, analyse and use data
The Impact Management Programme has launched a new website. The site has been co-designed with over 100 charities and social enterprises, and has a range of tools and guidance to help charities plan projects, approach data collection and embed a culture of impact management. A new data diagnostic tool will give you tailored recommendations for what data to collect and how to use it. Try the tools or read a blog from the programme’s steering group chair on how they were developed.
How does volunteering impact on volunteers?
NCVO’s research team has published a briefing that reviews the evidence around how volunteering impacts on volunteers in four areas: mental health and wellbeing, physical health, social connections, and employability and skills. You can read our blog about the findings or download the full briefing (PDF, 240KB). Volunteering and wellbeing was on the agenda at NCVO’s recent National Volunteering Forum – read our blog for some interesting examples of benefits for volunteers in nature and heritage settings.
Using evaluation to improve your work
Charities looking to develop their work on impact often focus on measurement – improving their data collection so they gather statistics and stories about what they’ve achieved. This is important, but effective evaluation doesn’t stop at measurement. In fact, evaluation can be most helpful when it’s used to strengthen the way organisations work and help them make informed decisions. Our how-to guide has tips on using evaluation to improve your work. NCVO’s senior data scientist Claire Benard writes in her latest blog about her week in a Chicago tech start-up and shares fresh insights on how organisations around the world are using data for good.
On the blogs
- Data visualisation expert Ann K Emery has tips for making reports on data from workshop evaluation forms more appealing.
- The Education Endowment Foundation looks at scaling evidence for impact.
- The NSPCC shares learning from a randomised control trial with families where parents misuse drugs or alcohol.
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:
- Outcome and impact measurement (1-day course) – 12 April or 22 May
- Developing your theory of change – 31 May
- Collecting outcome and impact data – 20 June
- Better outcome and impact reporting – 21 June
- 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. 
