I find the original Big Society Capital outcomes matrix quite useful. To develop it, an analyst from NPC (a UK charity that helps other charities and funders) read through hundreds of evaluations and other impact assessments and documented the outcomes of each. They then categorised them in the matrix below. It’s a bit more practical than the latest version. Here it is, slightly edited. I’m struggling with the formatting, so you might like to download the two-page PDF version instead.
| INDIVIDUALS | FAMILIES & CHILDREN | COMMUNITY, SECTOR & SOCIETY | |
| Education, learning and skills
The availability of education for the acquisition of skills, knowledge and understanding to put all children and individuals in a position to succeed in personal relationships and in society. |
Improved attainment and academic success
Improved civic awareness and participation Improved social and emotional skills Improved vocational preparation |
Improved parenting skills
Increased parental involvement and support in children’s learning Strengthened family communication and relationships |
Increased community participation by schools and further education institutions
Advocacy and policy influence |
| Employment and training
Provision of facilities for the development of skills and abilities that increase an individuals capability for gaining and maintaining productive employment; provision of employment that is secure, fair, respectful and varied. |
Better occupation-specific (hard) skills and work experience
Improved (soft) skills and attitudes (job readiness) for employment Increased satisfaction with employment Increased entry to and sustenance of (quality) employment |
Improved parenting skills
Increased financial stability and quality of life for families |
Fairer employment practices
Improved availability of and incentives for long-term sustained employment Increased employer engagement and employment networks Advocacy and policy influence Safer and more stable communities |
| Housing, property and essential needs
Provision of secure, habitable and affordable housing equipped with sustainable and essential facilities such as safe drinking water, energy, sanitation, food storage, refuse disposal and access to emergency services. |
Fewer people homeless or living in poor quality homes
Improved access to affordable basic needs More vulnerable people or those with specialist needs able to live with greater independence |
Fewer families homeless or living in poor quality homes
Improved access to affordable basic needs Reduction of children in care Increase in availability and/or quality of safe housing or residential care for children |
More affordable housing
More community housing Fair tenant management and behaviour Advocacy and policy influence Increase in availability and/or quality of safe residential care for vulnerable people or those with specialist needs |
| Finance and legal matters
Improved knowledge and skills for those excluded to understand their own financial circumstances, along with the motivation and choice of products and services to take action. |
Improved access to support, advice and appropriate financial and legal products and services
Improved financial management and stability Increased financial literacy/capability |
Improved access for families and children to support, advice and appropriate financial and legal products and services
Improved family financial management and stability Increased family financial literacy/capability |
Provision of appropriate and responsible finance
Improved access for community businesses to financial and legal services Improved local economic conditions and reduced dependence on financial support and reduced levels of poverty Improved market infrastructure and levels of social investment Advocacy and policy influence |
| Physical health
Health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely categorised by the absence of disease or infirmity and which allows for a socially and economically productive life. |
Access to good quality rehabilitation services
Improved health awareness and education People feeling more active and able Increased shared decision making More people recover from physical ill health |
Access to good quality rehabilitation services
Better delivery of early intervention services to improve physical health outcomes Improve maternal health Improved health awareness and education Families feeling more active and able |
Increased access to affordable and accessible health, sport and fitness facilities
Increased community participation in sport and fitness activities Advocacy and policy influence |
| Mental health
Improved, user-focused facilities and services that help those living with mental ill-health issues to attain the highest possible standard of mental health. |
An increase in shared decision making
Improved mental health and ability to live a full, self-reliant life Improved mental health |
An increase in shared decision making
Better delivery of early intervention services to improve mental health outcomes More secure parent/child relationships |
Improved mental health awareness and education
Advocacy and policy influence Reduction in stigma and discrimination associated with mental health |
| Healthy living and lifestyle
Access to services and facilities that promote and increase awareness of healthy lifestyle choices not characterised merely by the absence of disease or infirmity. |
Access to services and facilities that promote and increase awareness of maternal health and early life health choices
Improved health awareness and education Improved healthy eating and nutrition People feeling more active and able Reduction in substance abuse and addiction (including smoking) |
Improved healthy eating and nutrition
Improvement in maternal health and early life health choices Increased shared decision making Reduction in substance abuse and addiction (including smoking) |
Increased access to affordable and accessible health, sport and fitness facilities
Reduced difference in life expectancy between communities Advocacy and policy influence |
| Personal and social well-being
Improved self-esteem, resilience, emotional health, life satisfaction and happiness for people and communities |
Reduction in isolation, exclusion or loneliness
Improved independence, control and life satisfaction Increased aspiration, motivation, purpose, sense of meaning |
Improved family relations child well-being (tantrums, child happiness)
Increased confidence and self-esteem for families and children |
Improved community cohesion and community relations, neighbourliness
Increased access to social infrastructure for social networking |
| Criminal justice and public safety
Improving the lives of people so that they can live in confidence and safety, and free from crime, disorder and danger. |
Reduced contact with the criminal justice system
Reduction in offending and reoffending Reduction in risk-taking behaviour |
Reduction in harassment and bullying
Reduction in child abuse Reduction in risk-taking behaviour Reduction in domestic abuse Reduction in youth offending and reoffending |
Improved community safety and accessibility
Increased community cohesion Advocacy and policy influence Reduction in crime |
| Local area and getting around
Development of confident, active, well-resourced and accessible communities based on values of shared citizenship. |
Improved access to and use of local facilities
Improved access to and use of public and community transport Improved specialist transportation services and mobility devices |
Improve access to quality local childcare and support
Improved access to and use of public and community transport Improved community facilities for children and families, nurseries |
Availability of integrated public and community transport
Increase in community assets, community facilities and centres Increase in quality public spaces, parks, recreation grounds Increased community cohesion |
| Culture, sport and heritage
Accessible, affordable and inclusive participation in sporting and cultural facilities that contribute to social cohesion. |
Increased accessibility of arts and cultural facilities
Increased accessibility of sports facilities Increased participation in arts, culture and sports |
Increased accessibility of family arts and cultural facilities
Increased accessibility of family sports facilities Increased participation by families in arts, culture and sports |
Improved community access to arts and sports facilities
Improved local culture and heritage Public awareness of arts, culture and sport |
| Politics, influence and participation
Promotion and advocacy of the UN Declaration of Human Rights and the Human Rights Act; the encouragement of democratic and civic engagement. |
Improved public attitudes and behaviour
Greater participation by individuals Greater personal influence and control Improved access to human rights and entitlements Individuals are more empowered |
Children’s rights
Families are more empowered |
Improved public attitudes and behaviour
Increased advocacy, politics, rights and justice Increased public and community awareness and participation in decision-making Improved community empowerment |
| Climate change and conservation of the natural environment
Conservation and protection of the natural environment, tackling climate change and promoting sustainable use of resources. |
Increased access to low cost renewable energy sources
More energy efficient homes Improved efficiency of energy use Improved efficiency of water use Increased use of public transport |
Increased access to low cost renewable energy sources
Improved efficiency of energy use Improved efficiency of water use Increased use of public transport |
Improved human behaviour and understanding (educational programmes)
Conservation of resources (including water)Conservation of natural spaces, land or wildlife (biodiversity) Advocacy and policy influence Reduced greenhouse gas emissions (related to: energy, low carbon agriculture, green building, sustainable transport) More sustainable agriculture |
Emma Tomkinson 