Best Practice & Existing projects
Principles
Complementary and in parallel to the experimental approach of the pilot communities, the Impact Alliance ‘Best practice’ work is all about identifying what already works well, and amplifying its impact across the West of England region.
By identifying best practice, we can:
increase understanding of the key factors needed to effectively address loneliness and build community resilience;
support organisations or initiatives that are demonstrating best practice, and enable them to share their learnings and empower others to do the same.
In order to establish a shared agreement on what constitutes best practice, and the key factors that enable it to happen, all Impact Alliance members worked together to co-create a list of ‘Best practice criteria’.
The criteria provide a guiding framework; they are flexible, light touch criteria, not a stringent set of requirements.
Best Practice CriteriA
1. Sustainably resourced
Can demonstrate how they are resourced, where the resources come from, what they need and if they can obtain more resources to support their own development if required
Generates its own income; is not solely reliant on another source
Can demonstrate how they attract new people to join/participate; it is not just an initiative that only supports individuals/itself
2. Can measure impact
Can provide rich stories of impact
Can provide simple impact measures e.g. number of connections; knows how to recognise success
Has existing good quality data and evaluation
Could undertake a simple mapping exercise to demonstrate impact
May use tools like HACT (financial proxy to well-being questions)
3. Strong community integration and community leadership
Can explain how the project/activity/group occurred - the process by which it emerged
Has evidence of consultation and engagement in the community in which they are involved, from start to finish and incorporated into delivery throughout
Has the ability to empower and inspire others
4. Functionality – How they operate
The group is welcoming and inclusive to others
Cost is not a limiting factor for people to engage in the organisation
Has a clear, adaptable operating model
Can be easily replicated (in different communities) with the right conditions, e.g. using a toolbox or similar
Current best practice Programmes:
community discos
Delivery partner: Age UK Bristol
Thank you to all Impact Alliance members who have shared photos to use on this website. Please see below for photos used on this page; click on the image for further information. (Any photos not credited are available via Creative Commons licensing).
Community lunch at Redcatch Community Garden
Redcatch Community Garden
Community lunch at Redcatch Community Garden
Friends Ageing Better (FAB) disco, courtesy of Age UK Bristol