Investing in culture and communities The social return on investing in work- based learning at the Museum of East Anglian Life

Why SROI? “SROI is a complex and revealing methodology which avoids the imprecision of qualitative and blandness of quantitative evaluation” Tony Butler

SROI analysis SROI engages people in rigorous analysis of impact and knock on effects Our stakeholders The scope and the people affected by our project The story of change What we invest, what we do and changes that result The evidence How we know things have changed and the results Our impact Valuing results and taking off what we can’t take credit for Our social return on investment Calculations Verifying, reporting and improving Using what we’ve learnt

Work- based learning 8 week course for around 50 people a year who are long term unemployed

Our scope The scope and the people affected by our project Our WBL programme has significant effect on: Participants Their families in the widest sense The state and community Museum staff and volunteers

The story of change What we invest, what we do and the changes that result We invest £31K of funding plus £3K of volunteering But further investment of cultural heritage is critical too Participants and families invest a great deal of emotional energy “where else could you work on a steam engine and build a kiln?” partner agency

The story of change What we invest, what we do and the changes that result

Participants saw improvements in: Progression towards work Confidence and hope for the future Relationships Happiness... “we see the difference in the person - much more work ready, bags more confidence, have made friends” partner agency

The story of change What we invest, what we do and the changes that result But we have wider influence too: Families see improvements in family relationships The state and community see ­savings in welfare payments ­More effective and efficient local delivery Museum staff and volunteers improve their understanding of disadvantaged people

The story of change Key question: How to value and encourage happiness and emotional investment

We used the four stages of learning model Unconscious undeveloped Conscious undeveloped Unconscious developed Conscious developed The evidence How we know things have changed and the results we see

Amjed’s experience 8 years of isolation till referred 100% attendance Gaining qualifications, leading a team A regular job with CMHT The evidence How we know things have changed and the results we see

Participants’ progress is not linear but has significant steps When participants begin to care, they initially take up more services and support The most significant part of progressing towards employment is getting a job

The evidence Key service need: Approaches to progression delivered jointly with partners

The evidence How we know things have changed and the results we see 37 progressed. As you would expect from work-based learning: 90% progressed towards work – average of 38% 70% had more confidence and hope for the future – average 35% 50% improved their relationships – average 30% Say, one and a half steps of four

The evidence How we know things have changed and the results we see Other results showed: 5 out of 7 families see improvements with a 50% ‘score’ The state and community see significant welfare savings, even taking into account the above Creating more efficient and effective local service delivery offers tremendous scope Museum staff and volunteers see improvements, but limited

Our impact Taking off what we can’t take credit for and valuing results We researched what would have happened anyway (deadweight) We asked participants how much was down to MEAL (attribution) We used this evidence to attribute our impact “ finding placements has been hard – too academic. The service at MEAL is so unique, it serves our clients well ” partner agency

Our impact Taking off a proportion if we just transferred the problem We estimate that almost all our outcomes are ‘new’ with almost no displacement effect Progression towards work however does see some displacement.

Our impact Valuing results We valued our participants’ outcomes using these financial proxies Value of work over benefit Value of counselling and work placement Value of a social life and family therapy

Our impact Valuing results We valued our wider outcomes using these financial proxies Family relationships with family therapy plus the cost of bringing up a child State and community through welfare payments and the value/cost of local networking Museum and volunteer learning through diversity awareness training

Our impact Valuing results Welfare savings

Our impact Adjusted results OutcomeAdjusted results Proxy value Progression towards the world of work 38% x 37 = 14, adjusted to 9 after attribution Increased yearly income from having a job over benefits £8,340 Increased confidence and hope for the future 35% x 37 = 13, adjusted to 7 after attribution Value of counselling £649, + value of work experience £1,139 Development of positive relationships 30% of 37 = 11, adjusted to 5 after attribution Cost of social life £1,359 + family counselling £333 Better family life 54% of 48 = 26, adjusted to 4 after deadweight and attribution Cost of family counselling £333 + part cost of bringing up a child £4,805 Welfare payment savings 37 results, adjusted to 20 after attribution and displacement Higher service take up then tax contributions at average £2,891 – nb real value More effective and efficient local service delivery 92% of 4 = 4, with no adjustment Local network membership £25 + admin savings of £439 Confidence in dealing with disadvantaged people 40% of 10 = 4, adjusted to 3 after deadweight Cost of diversity awareness training at £85

Our impact Key opportunity: Hidden value of family outcomes

Our impact How long our impact lasts Whilst the outcomes we achieved are long-lasting we expect other factors to soon take over from MEAL’s influence: We consciously avoid dependency

Our SROI Calculating our return Our true investment is £53K including museum costs Our first year of value is £180K with more value in subsequent years For every £1 invested we gain over £4 of social value

Verifying, reporting and improving Using what we’ve learnt What we’ve learnt about SROI Face to face feedback is invaluable Work it through, but don’t over- work it An independent partner ensures rigour and persistence

Verifying, reporting and improving Using what we’ve learnt What we’ve learnt about WBL Key question: How to value and encourage happiness and emotional investment Key need: Joint local approaches to progression Key opportunity: Hidden value of family outcomes Key investment: In cultural heritage