How can we measure the impacts of our citizen-led action?
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If you are planning a more complex citizen-led action, you want to continue it or seek more resources for the future, we recommend that you do an impact measurement that later supports the value of the action. If your action is smaller or one-off, it’s OK to skip this step.
To gauge the impact of our citizen-led action to protect the environment and determine if the anticipated effects are being generated, we should track the achievement of these results, ideally by the monitoring of a specific set of indicators. Additionally, impact management implies the treatment of the information obtained, monitoring of indicators, review, improvement or correction of aspects of our action, to finally communicate the impact.
Keeping in mind the following aspects of our citizen-led action will facilitate impact measurement: (1) the environmental problem we aim to solve and the changes we seek to generate, (2) the stakeholders who will perceive these changes, and (3) the appropriate indicators to measure the degree of change. In the citizen-led action measurement process, it is recommended to verify the results using measurement tools and communicate them effectively.
The measurement process is a very relevant component of any citizen-led action, as it enables us to verify and understand whether we are achieving our proposed goals and analyse our performance level in relation to the established objectives. This process involves a series of procedures that help to make the changes we seek to achieve tangible, measurable, and well-grounded. Overall, impact measurement allows us to understand the benefits, learning, or other effects resulting from our citizen-led action to protect the environment. It is centered around the people who are the action target or beneficiaries, as they are the ones experiencing the changes.
In this section, a variety of tools are available to ensure that the outcomes align with the set objectives and planned activities. Guidelines are provided as a reference to establish a system for measuring and managing impact from the initial approach of the citizen-led action, providing insight into its starting point and intended direction. The Theory of Change is proposed as a strategy in this regard, allowing for a connection to be made with specific impact objectives, activities, and resources required for their achievement. This systematised the process, enabling measurement, management, and improvement.
This canvas is essentially a roadmap that details the steps required to achieve a particular goal, in this case to protect the environment. It is a useful tool enabling us to determine whether the citizen-led action is contributing towards the intended impact and if there are any alternative paths to consider. By sharing the underlying assumptions in each step, the tool helps identify potential risks in the plan. Additionally, it assists in aligning team members with the larger end goal and clarifying their role in achieving it. The Theory of Change tool is an effective means of clearly articulating and connecting personal work to a broader collective objective.
An evaluation plan outlines the methods and strategies that will be used to assess the effectiveness and impact of our citizen-led action. The plan typically includes a description of the action, its objectives, and the intended outcomes. The evaluation plan is normally developed at the outset of an action and is used throughout to monitor progress and assess the effectiveness of interventions. By developing an evaluation plan, you can ensure that the citizen-led action is on track and can identify areas where changes may be needed to ensure that it achieves its intended outcomes.
[23.] This article addresses the issue of impact communication in CO’s, as well as the application of storytelling, a powerful tool to generate connection and links with our action.
[22.] This guide provides: a definition of the theory of change and an explanation of its purpose; a step-by-step methodology, presenting in greater detail each of the four key steps required in the process; links to useful tools and references are provided.
This report evaluates the use of Community Level Indicators and explores ways that it is used to address key challenges related to impact measurement in community-driven projects.