1. The national impact of student opportunities
Jamie University for the Creative Arts SU
Tom University of Gloucestershire SU
Ed Moloney Bolton SU

2. Our session
Aim:
Review some of our national thinking and work we currently do on Impact
Offer some practical tips for identifying, evaluating, communicating impact
Start building a national evidence base for the impact of student opps
Jamie and Tom

3. The Student Opportunities Advisory Group
Measuring our impact is difficult
Communicating it needs to take in to account different audiences
NUS can help
Let’s measure the same things where we can
More guidance on what impact is
More support needed on measuring key metrics such as retention and attainment
Tom- what we came up with at NUS CAG

4. NCVO definition
All of our organisations exist to make a difference, whether that’s enriching people’s lives, helping a particular cause or creating a better world.
The difference we make is called IMPACT
Focusing on our impact will help make or organisations be as successful in reaching our goals
Tom
Why impact is important.
Difference between impact and outcomes.

5. Outcomes versus Impacts

6. What is IMPACT?
Jamie

7. UCASU Strategy for 2016-2020 Vision and Mission –
Theme 1 – A thriving community; which supports students in and beyond university
Theme 2 - A transformative education; which means that all students can thrive during their time at UCA and beyond.
Theme 3 - Accomplished and fulfilled students; ready to make a creative impact
Jamie

8. UCASU – Example Top Line Measurements
We will grow and develop large and diverse social communities that bring students together for a collective purpose. We will ensure that all students have an opportunity to be part of a large scale, diverse community by 2020.
We will develop a partnership with the university that enables students to directly influence their own learning and teaching. We will ensure that all students are able to influence and develop new, progressive ideas and we will ensure UCA recognises the students union at all levels of decision making.
We will develop a variety of opportunities for students to participate in paid internships, placements and networking opportunities. We will be recognised for producing high quality graduates and by 2020, we will be accessed by high profile organisations for students who were involved within UCASU.

9. Jobshop and Jobshop Temp Service 2451 Sports and societies members
SU Activity/Service
Number of Students
Jobshop and Jobshop Temp Service
2451
Sports and societies members
2108
Volunteers
950
Course reps
440
Voters (FTO elections )
1210
Subject reps 23
Total
7182
Tom
Our elevator pitch/Our driver/Our challenge…
Number of services student engaged with
Individual students 1
1806 2
1202 3
675 4
232 5 35
Total number of individual students
3950

10. Excellent Student Experience
Wellbeing
Community & Infrastructure
Extra-curricula
Co-curricula
Curriculum
Tom

11. GLOS SU
Much more broad approach
How we are approaching measuring impact
M&E plan, measure outcomes and impact (what we want to measure/How we do it/When we do it/Who does it/what resource is needed/How we communicate the measure and to whom)

12. Does this affect students’ Grit and Resolve?
Residential Training
Attempting to add to the “TUSU Premium” work by Jon Berg and Teeside SU
Trying to demonstrate that SUs have an impact on retention.
Residential: leadership development activities, building a community, and empowerment.
Does this affect students’ Grit and Resolve? Ed

14. Residential Training
Three questionnaires delivered before and after the course, and at 6 months
Looking at self-reported grit and resilience of students.
Working in collaboration with academics and UG researchers. Same methodology been used elsewhere in the University.
Research will be published later this year. Ed

15. Embedding Impact -Impact statements
-Cascade down in to our annual operating plan
-Underpinned by a annual monitoring and evaluation plan including qualitative and quantitative research methods
-Our themes link in to initial research with over 1000 students
-Themes developed based on how our University approaches decisions- Stats/KPIs/Recruitment/Satisfaction/Retention/Attainment/Grad Outcomes
-KPI dashboard link to the impact statements
All of this informs our annual Impact Report and Block Grant Submission.

16. Practical tips Understanding impact
Monitoring and evaluating impact – Regular KPI monitoring
Leadership – Choosing were to put resources
Organisational culture – Embracing change across the organisation
Stakeholder/funder engagement – shape the narrative, recruitment/retention/attainment/outcomes
Communicating Impact – Mapping of key stakeholders and how we communicate with them
Service user engagement – How regularly do we gather feedback from our students
Tom/Jamie/Ed – overview/recap of our tips

17. Values discussion
How do we balance the differences between institution and union ?
How do we inform the narrative around success with the institution ?
Jamie

18. Activity In groups: List all your stakeholders
For each stakeholder list why they are an important stakeholder for communicating impact (Funder? Member?)
What impacts do you need to communicate to them? (e.g. joining a soc/you make friends)
Jamie/Tom

19. What next
All of us