Abstract:

This presentation outlines a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project conducted in collaboration between a non-profit organisation, Pursuing Independent Paths (PiP) and University of Essex. The project's primary objective is to develop a first-of-its-kind Impact Toolkit to demonstrate the societal and financial impact of the services provided by PiP on the lives of adults with learning disabilities.

The methodology employed in this project is participatory in nature, aiming to incorporate the experiences of the organisation's beneficiaries into the core of the Impact Toolkit. This approach seeks to define 'social value' in a meaningful and operational way. The project encourages active participation from all stakeholders (e.g. service delivery staff members, social workers, students and family members, local authority service commissioners) through working group meetings and workshops and from PiP's students and their parents/caretakers through one-to-one semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, and questionnaires. To ensure accessibility, alternative forms of expression are being used during the data collection such as Photovoice, Makaton, drawings, pictures and communication cards. A group of students at PiP are also invited as peer researchers, promoting co-production and collaboration, inclusivity and improved outcomes.

The initial engagements and service visits highlight several challenges in the services. These include issues with the feedback systems and data collection processes from students and staff, space utilization and staff retention. A significant challenge was observed for service staff, and a disconnect was noted between the organisation's objectives and the staff's sense of ownership over the collected data. The study questions whether current impact measuring practices are effectively driving improvements or are being treated merely procedural. It emphasizes the need for a tool that measures hard-to-measure impacts and showcases the impact for service improvement that assist service providers in the field of adults with learning disabilities.

The findings will inform the development of the Impact Toolkit, which contribute enhancing the experiences, skills and wellbeing of adults with learning disabilities and ultimately aiming to enhance the services provided to adults with learning disabilities. The toolkit is expected to contribute to PiPs financial sustainability by attracting additional funding and expanding crucial in-demand services to residents across London. This project, therefore, addresses the pressing need for effective tools to measure and showcase the impact of services for adults with learning disabilities, while also highlighting the challenges faced in the field.

Keywords:

Adults with learning disabilities, social value, participatory action research, peer researchers, co-creation, inclusivity, impact toolkit.