Using the outcomes of impact measurement to improve community

learning

Elke Hein, Performance and Commissioning Manger, Bristol City Council, Learning Communities Team

Community Learning West• Community Learning Teams in Bristol, North

Somerset and South Gloucestershire• Consortium since 2011• Our purpose is to engage learners and to support

them to develop knowledge, skills, confidence and social networks to get ready for learning and work

• Engaging 4500 learners 19+ with few or no qualifications

• 28% disabled learners, 26% learners from BME communities, 61% from the 25% most deprived SOAs (rising to 84% in Bristol), 71% without a level 2 qualifications

• Funded through Community Learning and First Steps Funding

 

Why measure impact?• Funding requirements• Quality improvement – doing it right• Doing the right thing by learners• Performance management• Getting partner buy in• Value for money• Support funding applications

What do we monitor?

Progressionto further learning, paid or voluntary

work• ILP• Tracking letter• Data matching with local college • Requirement for commissioned

partners• Development worker follow up• Data reports on internal progression• Case studies

Bristol progression data

• 23% enrolled on 2nd step

• 13% gained paid work

• 8% took up voluntary work

• 7% progressed internally

How do we use this data?

• Refocus our curriculum• Improve IAG• Improve performance of individuals,

teams, partners• Enter into collaborative arrangements • Develop data collection• Meeting LSC / SFA requirements

Additional learner outcomes

• ILP

• Tracking

– General

– Family Learning

– Early leaver questionnaire

• Case studies

Learner outcomes - tracking953 responses (of 2568 learners) :• 95% increased knowledge and skill• 84% increased ability to learn • 71% more ambitious• 34% started another course • 27% gained a qualification • 27% joined community activities• 20% started voluntary work• 15% started paid work• 8% got a better job

Outcomes – family learning responses

• 85% are more confident to help children play and learn

• 83% spend more quality time with children

• 82% do more activities with children• 78% are more ambitious for my child• 77% my child’s behaviour has improved • 75% are more confident as a parent • 73% better at expressing myself

How do we use this data?• Increase relevance of provision to learners • Increase participation• Show impact of provision in self-assessment

report and identify improvement areas• Promote family learning and other courses

with Children’s Centres• Establish links and maximise funding and in

kind contributions, e.g. economic regeneration, health agencies and social housing

• Quote in funding applications and ‘Pathways to Success’

New this year

Community cohesion and social networks• Helped me make contacts/friendships

that have improved my life• I have joined a club or group (e.g. book

group, netball team, choir)Health and wellbeing• Made a positive difference to my life

overall• I am more active and/or am eating

more healthily

Our ILP – soft outcomes

ILP - progression

Case study- Kara and Pauline: the journey so farCame to My Life in … course

Set up Missh Group for community building

NP involvement and MP presentation

Became Learning Champions with LCT

Became Play Champions for community

Applying for Play Rangers / Play Pods

St Anne’s Day and street closure planning

Working with University Students on building

Looking into training with PEYTU and Voscur

Presentations to MShed and school

What else do we do to monitor impact?

• Case studies on paper, digital stories, learner video stories

• Meet the manager meetings• Focus groups• Specific questionnaires, eg equalities

telephone survey, Your View cards• NIACE impact measure tool

What next?

What do you want to achieve?

What data will help you get there?

How will you collect it?

Reviewing what you do

Can I embed this in something we are doing already?

Does this data make sense?

Can I improve what and how I collect?

Is there any data I am not using?

Is there anything I can stop doing?

Any questions?