CashBack For Communities Phase Four Impact Evaluation

Strengthening focus and targeting Some partners felt that CashBack helped them to focus in on what was important. For example, one partner felt that without CashBack it would be working with a different client group of less disadvantaged people, which would limit the impact of its programme. Another felt it had shifted strongly towards delivering more employability focused work. One felt that through CashBack, it was now more focused on the change it could bring about through sport, rather than the sport itself. It indicated that it is now seen as a model of good practice in changing lives through sport, by sport scotland. Impact Many partners felt much more aware of thinking about what difference they have made for young people through their work. Many have strengthened their outcomes focused evaluation through their CashBack activities, introducing new outcomes focused tools to track impact. This has helped some feel better equipped to demonstrate impact to others, including funders. Being able to demonstrate the impact on young people has been a core driver for us.” Partner Example: Bridges Project Through CashBack, Bridges Project became much more aware of the need to evaluate impact across all projects. As a result, the organisation has rolled out a monitoring and evaluation framework based on the Indicators of Vulnerability assessment tool they developed through CashBack. Impact on wider funded organisations For two of the partners, the CashBack programme involved providing funding for a wide range of creative and youth work organisations. There was clear evidence of a similar impact on these funded organisations in terms of: • Enabling new partnerships across sectors • Learning and upskilling of staff • Developing an evidence led culture • Co-design, participant involvement and empowerment • New referrals and connections with young people • Strategic and organisational changes, with new roles created • Adapted delivery, new ways of working and higher quality experiences for young people • Enhanced reputation and profile • Supporting access to wider sources of funding to continue services. For the first time we used a co-design process which allowed us to empower the participants and produce a flexible and responsive project.” Funded organisation, CashBack for Creativity “

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