Across the community sector, we continue to hear how challenging it is to show, measure, and demonstrate the impact of our work. That’s why we’re so pleased to be collaborating with the University of Technology Sydney to deliver the Demonstrating Impact Learning Network, which held its first session of the year this month.
Organisations from across the sector joined us, reflecting a shared interest in telling their stories more effectively. Participants range from frontline practitioners to data evaluation leads and senior leadership.
This work is complex. A theme that stood out to me was the question of how we can ensure that communities, who are so often mined for data, actually benefit from the findings? We know our cohort is frequently over-consulted and undervalued.
This network is designed as a place where we can learn together. Rather than just delivering knowledge we want to encourage collaboration and growth with practical outcomes, led by experts in data and evaluation.
In our session last week, participants shared a rich range of experiences: from establishing a community choir that successfully secured new funding, to rethinking visitor consultation approaches, to navigating the tension between mandatory reporting requirements and highlighting the parts of their work they feel most proud of.
This session also introduced The Evaluation Lab: a supportive, non‑judgemental space where members can bring problems, roadblocks, or questions and learn from one another.
A huge thank you to Dr Kathleen Blair and Hannah Morgan for their leadership and insight.
What’s Next:
In our next Community of Practice session on April 21, we will focus on Participatory and Qualitative Approaches to Impact.
If you are interested in learning more about being part of this group, please contact Lalla at sspo@innersydneyvoice.org.au.
For those eager to build their data confidence before the next session, we have three other events coming up:
- March 14: A one‑hour CAFs Learning Series session with Dr Kathleen Blair: ‘Proving It! How we can measure the impact of our work’
- March 24: Program Logic Training: A full‑day deep dive into how organisations can effectively demonstrate their impact.
- TBC Second Full Day workshop