Showcasing the impact of student
opportunities
Fiona Ellison & Lewis Coakley
Learning objectives
Learning objectives
• Learn more about the usage of impact reporting on
showcasing value of activities
• Gain an understanding of research and data analysis that
NUS has developed around student opportunities
• Know where to gain additional sources of information to
showcase the value of student opportunities
• Feel confident in implementing impact measurement
programme
What is impact?
What is impact?
Impact’ can be explained as the measurable changes
resulting from activity.
Why is it important to understand impact?
• Funding
• Recruitment
• Trends
• Evaluation
What is already out there?
Variety of sources:
• NUS Surveys
• Youth sector
* NCVYS Youth Report
* vInspired
* Cabinet Office Community Life Survey
• Education sector
* BUCS value of sport
* HEFCE – Student retention
How do you use data to show impact?
Proviso:
• Correlation and
causation
• Accuracy and Input
Links
Membership Intelligence Data Sets
Drop Out
Polling… we asked “What are the Biggest Issues Facing
Students Nowadays?
Time pressure
Transport
and Work Load
1%
4%
Social Pressure
1%
Other
3%
Mental Health
1% Housing and
Accommodation
1%
Cultural or Language
Barriers
1%
Visa Restrictions
0%
Academic pressure
5%
Employment
8%
Crime and security
0%
Cost of Tuition and
Student Loans
13%
Cost of Living
62%
Mean block grant as a proportion of the institution’s
income sorted by mission group
Union mean block
grant as a
proportion of
institutions total net
income %
Ranking of
institution’s total
net income
(highest to
lowest)
Russell
0.384
6
1994 group
0.415
4
Million +
0.506
2
Alliance
0.499
3
Guild HE
0.565
1
Unaligned
0.409
5
Mean block grant and block grant per full-time
equivalent student numbers by mission group
This years’ mean
block grant (£)
Mean block grant per
full-time equivalent
(£)
1,704,309
73
1994 group
790,500
66
Million +
658,779
42
Alliance
841,000
47
Guild HE
221,000
45
Unaligned
492,000
51
Russell
Total mean expenditure on clubs and societies by
mission group
Total mean spend on
clubs and societies
(£)
Russell
154,000
1994 group
26,718
Million +
34,274
Alliance
30,296
Guild HE
19,501
Unaligned
27,063
Clubs and Societies versus NSS Q23
Total spend
clubs and
societies
(£)
Total
number of
C&S
Spend per
C&S
(£)
Q23 (TD)
66,500
128
520
Q23 (BD)
6,401
69
93
Variance
60,099
59
427
Block grant, drop-out and student engagement
Top decile for
drop-out
Bottom
decile for
drop out
Mean number of students’
union staff
12
46
Mean staff costs as a % of
expenditure
98.6
81.1
Block grant, drop-out and student engagement (2)
Top decile for
drop-out
Bottom decile
for drop out
Mean Block Grant
£589,359
£1,525,386
Mean number of clubs and
societies
75
215
Mean expenditure on
clubs and societies (£)
23,554
132,277
Clubs and Socs top decile
Mean % of students
registered as sports club
members
Mean % of students
registered as societies
members
Mean number of students
involved with RAG
Mean number of
community projects
operating
Mean number of students
involved in community
projects
Mean election turnout %
Top decile for
drop-out
Bottom decile for
drop out
Variance
3
20.2
17.2
5.2
38.2
33
20
1,443
1423
2
60
58
66
902
836
12.6
26.4
13.8
Link between Q22 and Other NSS Questions
Q6: Assessment and marking arrangements have been fair;
Q10: I have received sufficient advice and support with my
studies;
Q4: The course is intellectually stimulating;
Q14: Any changes to the course have been communicated
effectively;
Q11: I have been able to contact staff when I needed to;
Q3: Staff are enthusiastic about what they are teaching;
Q13: The timetable works efficiently as far as my activities
are concerned; and
Q1: Staff are good at explaining things.
Measuring your impact
Measuring your impact
Mechanisms for data capture?
• Survey(s)
• Focus groups
• Interviews
• Photographs
• CRM system
• NUS digital
• Social media
• Polls
Impact Measurement - NEF
Background
Based on SROI – Social Return on Investment
The method based on three fundamental features:
1. Stakeholders are central
2. Theory of change – Know how your work creates impact
3. Transparency – the process is open to scrutiny
Stage process
Stage 1: Define the scope
Stage 2: Understand what changes
Stage 3: Measure the change
Stage 4: Determine attribution
Stage 5: Analyse findings – report and embed learning
Using your impact information
How to use impact measurement
Showcasing impact is about:
• Having good data and information
• Communicating it in the best way possible
Ensure that you:
• Embed a culture of communicating impact
• Make it regular
• Make it meaningful and relevant
How to showcase impact
•
•
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•
•
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Impact reports
Physical displays
Officer reports
Press releases
Blogs
Videos
Social media
SU website
Ultimate aim to make your impact clear
Questions?
What next?
Get in touch:
fiona.ellison@nus.org.uk - @Fiona_Ellison
lewis.coakley@nus.org.uk - @LewisCoakley
Sign up to the next webinar – “Bringing your club and
society elections to life” 20th Feb
Explore the student opportuniteis resource hub:
studentopportunities.nus.org.uk