Social Effectiveness Research Centre
The Social Effectiveness Research Centre is an association of leading experts in the field of social effectiveness. We are brought together by a common interest in helping increase the impact of work done by social organisations and projects in the UK.
Our starting point is that organisations and projects already contain within them the potential knowledge and learning that could lead to better solutions to many of the problems facing society.
Currently that learning is often lost, especially by smaller projects and programmes, amid the daily pressures facing organisations working for the social good. That learning can also often go unheeded by larger organisations or government and society more widely.
SERC exists to try to redress this situation - and help social groups, projects and organisations in particular to identify and amplify the learning they already have in their midst - through collecting in one place the most useful theories, learning and best practice experiences of other similar projects.
Our community-based approach and combined experience of working in the social sector suggests that the most valuable insights begin at the grassroots level, whatever the size of the project or organisation.
We at SERC believe that all projects and organisations could also learn, and society as a whole benefit, from having all the disparate best practice and learning from voluntary, statutory and community projects gathered together in one place.
If you are a social group, project or organisation and have or know of any resources you feel could be added to the virtual information library, then get in touch and let us know. Likewise, if you have any questions or would like any other help from SERC or its members, please get in touch with us by any of other means on the Contact Us page.
RESOURCE LIST:
Impact Management
Impact management is the new term for what was previously known in various guises as M&E (monitoring and evaluation), MEL (monitoring evaluation and learning), MEAL (monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning), PMEAL (planning, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning), IA (impact assessment), IE (impact evaluation) or impact measurement (IMe). These terms are not all exactly coterminous, but basically generally mean the same thing...
(Click here to read more about this resource.)
Lean Start Up Theory
If there was ever a theory of organisational effectiveness that deserved the description 'buzzword', it's this one. Beloved of Silicon Valley and private company execs throughout the world, it refers to a particular way of creating and running new companies. So what is 'lean' (as its rather fervent disciples like to call it)?
The classic example of LST always given is ...
(Click here to read more about this resource.)
Co-Production
Co-production is a subject close to the hearts of all of us here at SERC. For that reason, we're very critical if it's done badly, or - worst of all - cynically (for example, when it's just used as a new piece of jargon, or as a way of papering over cuts to services, or as a way to abdicate responsibility for decisions).
But if done well, then in our experience it is probably the most socially effective way to run an organisation of them all.
So what is it? Well, in the simplest terms, it simply means...
(Click here to read more about this resource.)
Fundraising Futures
All social projects need resources. With volunteering rates in long-term and (unless David Cameron can save the day) potentially irreversible decline, now more than ever it is properly funded projects and organisations that will make the difference in terms of increasing the social good in the UK.
Even the most volunteer-heavy project is far from cost-free. And there are many other looming clouds on the horizon that might make any organisation want to focus even more on fundraising...
(Click here to read more about this resource.)
The Information Library will be added to regularly on an ongoing basis. If you have any resources you feel could be added to the Centre's virtual library, email
SERC can be contacted by any of the following methods:
Post
Social Effectiveness Research Centre
16 Alpine Road
Bristol
BS5 6BD
United Kingdom
Telephone
(0044).117.902.2219
Text/SMS
(0044).7879.231.238
Website
SERC's virtual information library is a one-stop resource for reports, publications, articles, web pages, videos and other resources relating to social effectiveness. The library is curated by our expert members in order to address the issue of social effectiveness from a number of different perspectives. All potential entries are subject to vetting for relevance and quality, meaning everything within it has been chosen for its usefulness to the issue of social effectiveness.
Please note that SERC does not own the intellectual property rights to any of the resources linked to and takes no responsibility for any misuse of the resources.
Each resource in the library is accompanied by a short summary of its content and purpose, along with links to further information. All the resources and further information links have been carefully chosen by us as the best, most concise, most accessible sources on the learning, theory or idea in question.
To start using the library, click on the heading you are interested in below to see a list of relevant resources for the topic:
INFORMATION LIBRARY
> Project/Programme Effectiveness
> Organisational Effectiveness
The Information Library will be added to regularly on an ongoing basis. If you feel there is a resource which would be a good addition to the library, just get in touch by any of the means on the Contact Us page and we will be happy to review the resource in question!