Welcome to our first impact round-up of 2019. Each month at NCVO Charities Evaluation Services we summarise the latest impact and evaluation news and share useful guides, resources and data collection tools.
News from NCVO
- We recently launched Road Ahead, our annual report highlighting the main drivers shaping the sector in key policy areas.
- NCVO published Charity Ethical Principles which were developed in consultation with the sector throughout much of last year.
- We are very excited to announce the launch of our brand-new website where finding a new training course tailored to your needs is quicker and easier than ever.
- NCVO Annual Conference 2019: Looking to the future takes place on 1 April 2019. Join colleagues from across the sector to explore how future trends and tools can strengthen your charity and support your development as a leader.
- NCVO Charities Evaluation Services are recruiting! Our call for a consultancy administrator is now live.
A webinar on good impact practice
Our sister council in Wales have scheduled a webinar on 6 February to raise awareness about the Inspiring Impact programme. The presentation will offer a brief introduction to the main elements of good impact practice and provide tools and resources to support organisations.
Outcome Star top tips
Triangle Consulting has launched a new set of psychometric factsheets and a new guide which gives top tips to help you choose the right Outcome Starᵀᴹ and become more outcomes focused.
Data visualisation events and tips
Ann K Emery, ‘a queen of data visualisation’, has developed a list of the major data visualisation conferences on her website Depict Data Studio. The list includes the events’ websites, hashtags, dates, registration fees, and information about experts in data visualisation. For inspiration, have a look at her blog, which showcases what she sees as the best data visualization examples of 2018.
On blogs and social media
- Our associate, Helen Kara, gives top tips to manage your own research or evaluation.
- A blog for What Works Centre for Wellbeing discusses methods for a more inclusive way to measure wellbeing in community-based organisations.
- Another national research centre, What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth, shares evidence in their blog on supporting in-work progression.
- Evaluation for development’s blog explores how data visualisation can mislead, and the importance of engaging the values and ideologies reflected in data collection criteria with your interpretation and visualisation.
Tell us your theory of change story!
We’re currently doing lots of interesting work on theory of change which we’ll be showcasing over the next few months. We’d love to hear your stories too. If you’ve developed a theory of change in your organisation, we would love to learn more about your experiences of the process of developing and using these theories.
To contribute, email your thoughts to ces@ncvo.org.uk by the end of February. With your consent, we’ll share our learning from your stories and our experience over the next few monthly impact round-ups. In the meantime, here’s a great blog from Megan Griffith Gray, head of planning, digital and communications, about how NCVO have used our theory of change. There are also spaces available for our Developing your Theory of Change training course on 6 March 2019.
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:
- Developing a winning campaign strategy and plan 1 February
- Outcome and impact measurement (two days) 7 and 8 February
- Collecting outcome and impact data 11 February
- Advanced project management 14 February
- How to report on outcome and impact data 26 February
- Strategic planning 15 March
- Charity leadership in the 2020s 14 May
We can also come to you. Our courses can be delivered at your venue, providing an affordable way to train groups of staff, trustees or volunteers. Contact us for more information.
Sini 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 
