Ecosystem Research Hubs collect the data and insights to provide the longitudinal evidence of socioeconomic impact!
A very different, sustainable and collaborative approach to proving that public contracting is helping communities become healthier, safer and more resilient!
Communities are fed-up with being told about social value and impact, which cannot be felt on the ground!
In establishing the Dual Impact Collaborations model within UK counties, we wanted to answer the biggest issue communities have voiced.
That public bodies, business suppliers and politicians keep telling communities that they are benefiting from the social value re-invested from billions in taxpayer spending each year... but this is not evidenced on the ground.
So, our approach is to regionally invite universities into Socioeconomic Impact Hubs to harvest all available data and insights, which we then turn into publications and share far and wide:
- Regional hubs where academics provide the independent review of available data (from public bodies/think tanks, charity & social enterprise operators and business social value portals/reviews) to produce insights and metrics relating to socioeconomic dual impact.
- Research is longitudinal, and shared across all stakeholder groups within a county to help shape policy, practice and ongoing social value investment.
- Research is published and shared out into communities, with public bodies and contributing businesses to establish engagement, raising awareness and trust.
Business Social Value Portals/Reporting
We invite business suppliers to share their social value and impact reporting into public bodies.
Although this is very much unvalidated social value and impact self-assessment from businesses, via portals, it allows researchers to reconcile with wider data harvested from across a county.
Public Sector Data Harvesting & Reporting
We invite, through freedom of information and following GDPR, public bodies to share their data for inclusion
Mindful of sensitivities, this is very much about understanding and adding-in the real-term cost benefits from delivering impact - from reductions in crime and violence, reducing the demand and costs of public services.
Independent Thinks Tanks & Research
We invite data sharing and collaborations with wider thank tanks and commissioning of research from private funders.
Breaking down the silos is what we want, removing duplication and ensuring available information leads to the same objective; shaping policy and practice.
Data Outcomes & Metrics from Communities
We help our charity and social enterprise members to establish a theory of change (ToC) then capture data.
Locked within thousands of hours of weekly activities inside communities, is the missing data needed for meaningful socioeconomic impact research and reporting.
We promote insights, to build engagement and trust within communities!
Winning community hearts and minds, comes by building trust that change is happening, which is why the ecosystem has a dedicated communications operation.
Dual Impact Collaborations utilise the existing communications channels and relationships within counties, whilst we also utilise the expansive social media reach our charity and social enterprise members have in place.