In the voluntary and community sector, measuring social impact is just as important as managing your finances, but it often feels harder to do. Many charities and social enterprises are delivering powerful, life-changing work, yet lack the tools, processes, or confidence to capture and communicate that impact clearly.

This practical course takes you step by step through the essentials of measuring social impact in a way that is realistic, meaningful, and manageable for busy organisations. You’ll explore the difference between outputs, outcomes, aims, and impact, and learn how simple tools and approaches can help you evidence the real change you create for people and communities.

The session introduces accessible methods such as Theory of Change, WEMWBS, and Impact Star, alongside everyday techniques like surveys, questionnaires, case studies, and stakeholder feedback. You’ll also look at how to tailor your impact messages for different audiences, including funders, commissioners, partners, and the communities you serve.

Designed for CEOs, senior managers, project leads and those involved in marketing or evaluation, this course gives you a practical framework you can “take back to the office” and start using straight away.

Key Learnings

• Understand what social impact measurement is – and what it is not
• Clarify the difference between outputs, outcomes, aims, and impact
• Explore tools such as Theory of Change, WEMWBS, and Impact Star
• Choose practical methods for collecting impact data (e.g. surveys, case studies)
• Map stakeholders and understand whose voices you need to hear
• Communicate impact clearly to funders, partners, and communities
• Recognise value beyond financial figures alone

For many charities and social enterprises, “We know we make a difference, but we struggle to prove it” is a familiar feeling. This course is designed to close that gap, helping you turn everyday activities and stories into clear, credible social impact evidence.

The session begins by exploring what social impact measurement actually means in practice. Participants unpack the key terms; outputs, outcomes, aims, and impact, and learn how they relate to the work they deliver. By looking at real examples, you’ll see how to move from counting activities (what you do) to understanding and capturing change (what’s different because you did it).

You’ll then be introduced to a range of tools and frameworks that can support impact measurement, including Theory of Change, WEMWBS (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale), and Impact Star. The focus is on when and how these tools are useful, and how to keep your approach proportionate to your size and capacity.

The course also covers practical data collection methods, such as surveys, questionnaires, interviews, and case studies, with guidance on choosing the right methods for your audience and context. You’ll explore stakeholder mapping to understand whose perspectives matter most, and how to involve them in your impact story.

Finally, the session looks at communicating impact: how to present your findings in a way that is clear, honest, and engaging for different audiences, including funders, partners, clients, and supporters. Best practice examples are used to illustrate how simple visuals, quotes, and numbers can work together to tell a compelling story.

By the end of the course, you’ll have a clearer framework for measuring social impact, a better understanding of what to collect (and what not to), and more confidence in sharing the value of your organisation’s work beyond the financial bottom line.

Open course per person           £97
In-house for up to 6 people     £343
In-house for up to 12 people   £365

Duration: Half Day