Whilst most people in our ‘trade’ are aware of inputs, outputs and outcomes, a significant number can miss what we call ‘wider impacts’, which can often be as important as traditional tools for measuring the success (or not) of projects and initiatives.

We have found that our independent review of performance will often idendify more than can be than by staff, who are often to close and too busy to ‘look up’ and around them.

Here at Wider Impact we take time to take a ‘coal face’ approach to our work.  We always carry out site visits as part of field research, and aim to ‘blend into the background’, which more often than not results in people forgetting we are there, or treating us as part of the project or initiative. 

We find that this approach results in our missing nothing, and identifying what we often call ‘golden nuggets’ of information. A significant component of this approach is having the experience and skills to collate, compute, analyse and report on findings.

It is of course essential to respect the privacy of individuals, and always remember what commission aims and objectives are.

As will be noted at link http://www.widerimpact.com/research, over the years we have idendified many examples of projects and initiatives impacting far beyond the remit of origional objectives; many of which we are confident are still developing, many years after the project or initiative has officially ended.

For example, peoples’ lives can signifiantly change for the better as a result of projects and initiatives, which will roll over to future generations.  After over 30 years in the ‘trade’ people who I often cannot remember, still approach me now and say things like, ‘That activity weekend change my life forever. I was a bad lad before I attended and was supported by the staff. I have made sure that my kids didn’t go the way I was going’.

Please do not hestitate to contact me at edwin@widerimpact.com if I can assist with your work in any way, or have a look at the contents of this web site. Access to all reports is FREE.

Kindest regards

Edwin