ELBA’S Annual Impact Digest 2023

Written by Dr Carmen Nicoara, Head of Research and Impact at ELBA

ELBA and BIG Alliance proudly present our second Annual Impact Digest (2022-2023), a testament to our collective resilience and transformative work in east London and Islington. This Digest not only summarises our key achievements and robust evaluation methodologies but also highlights our collaborative journey through recent challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and cost of living crisis.

Our analysis shows that, as a direct result of their engagement in our 2022-2023 programmes:

• 87% of beneficiaries reported substantive improvement in their behaviours/attitudes (for example, improved their ability to stay positive, or developed their motivation or growth mindset); in addition, 83% improved their employability skills;
• 78% of community organisations reported substantive improvement in their management processes (i.e., developed leadership style, increased capacity, improved organisation resilience, or developed ability to maintain/increase the number and quality of staff or volunteers);
• Furthermore, 100% of employee volunteers reported some immediate change in their overall well-being, with 78% experiencing substantive change in their skills (i.e., negotiation and influencing, decision making, strategic planning skills or prioritisation).

This year’s Digest showcases how our research and data-driven strategies have shaped impactful initiatives, especially for the youth, promoting opportunities in a challenging environment. Our alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals underlines our commitment to sustainable futures. The Digest re-introduces our Theory of Change, defining and deconstructing our impact assessment approach.

Our three anchor frameworks – UN SDGs, Skills Builder, and B4SI – have been instrumental in aligning our evaluation practices with the needs of our corporate and community partners. To delve deeper into ELBA’s impactful work and our community’s stories of empowerment, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability, please contact Dr. Carmen Nicoara at carmen.nicoara@elba-1.org.uk.