soft outcomes, hard data – using the outcomes star to improve, learn and evidence change
DESCRIPTION
Presentation given by Elizabeth Harper from St Mungos, UK at the FEANTSA/HABITACT seminar "Tackling homelessness as a social investment for the future: Looking at the bigger picture", 12th June 2013, AmsterdamTRANSCRIPT
Our vision is that:
• Everyone should have a decent place to live
• Something meaningful to do• Satisfying relationships with other people• The good health to enjoy them
Who are St Mungo’s
Our services
• 1800 residents • 850 staff• 100+ different projects including
– Street outreach – complex needs projects– Semi Independent houses– hostels– registered care homes
Our interest in Outcomes
Historically• Focus on inputs and outputs• Lack of service accountability• Inability to demonstrate many of the
effects of our work – clients– staff
Risks – of input output model
• Cherry Picking
• Undervalued and Under funded services
• Delivering outputs rather than client outcomes
Development
• A tailor made outcomes tool– Sector relevant– Incorporate learning
• Clients in partnership
• Objective
• Visually appealing
Outcomes Star
What have we learnt?
• Aggregated can be useful.
• That the measurements on the Star have meaning for the ways that clients are worked with
Research project
• Tailored support brings best results
• Women in mixed hostels fare worst
• Positive outcomes peak at 6 – 12 months
Improvement actions:Addressing decline at 6 – 12 months
• Raised internally as a concern
• We have developed internal pathways for clients
• Camden and others now use this model wholesale
Improvement actions:Women’s services
Peer research project
• Identify issue
• Research
• Women's strategy and coordinator
• National campaign
Implications for client work
• Measures link to cycle of change
• Guides staff practice
• Working at clients pace
• Client centred and personalised.
Emerging findings
• Rough sleeping
• Relationships– men – women
Summary
• To learn
• To improve
• To demonstrate
But beware…….
Its not using a measurement tool……its how you use it
Distance travelled is not an indicator of quality
Outcomes Star Demonstrating worth