Inspiring Impact NI - Big Plans for 2015

In January, the team kicked off their year with the launch of the Journey to EmploymenT NI (JET NI) framework. The JET framework identifies seven groups of factors that contribute to successful job outcomes for young people, and suggests robust, easy-to-use measurement tools for each.

This event gave VCSE organisations and funders the opportunity to hear from organisations that had applied the framework, and learn more about work on youth employability and the emerging field of shared outcomes measurement.

This was followed in February with the Long Gallery Event entitled ‘Investing in the Voluntary & Community sector: Compliance v’s Impact – Getting the balance right!’ Aongus O’Keeffe, Programme Leader, Inspiring Impact NI explained how the programme will support the sector and its funders to address the evidence deficit and put impact at the heart of the sector. The event outlined some of the efforts currently underway to address this problem.

A PwC scoping study on obstacles and barriers to impact practice is currently underway and a final report will be published in late February/early March.

An internal exchange event for the five demonstration projects will take place in late March providing an opportunity for organisations to share learning from the process of applying an impact practice cycle to one of their funding streams.

A learning exchange event will take place also in late March to bring together the 13 grant funded organisations to share some of the learning and challenges encountered at what is the half way stage of the funding period.

These organisations will continue to provide direct support to their members/client groups until September/October so that they are better able to understand the cycle of impact practice; assess their own impact practice; access information on impact tools and resources; and plan to apply impact practice.

As this is the final year of the current funding and planning phase of the programme, the team will be looking at developing a strategic plan for Inspiring Impact NI post 2015.