How We Think About Impact — And What We Do When a Plan Does Not Work

The number of sessions or activities tells us that something was delivered, but it does not by itself tell us whether a programme made a meaningful difference. Thinking about impact therefore begins with a clear question: what change are we trying to support, and how will we know whether it happened?

We may use quantitative indicators when they are verified and appropriate, but we also need participant feedback, staff observations, the quality of participation, and evidence that services are accessible, safe and relevant.

Sometimes a plan does not work as expected. In that case, the answer should not be to hide the problem behind impressive numbers. It is better to understand why: did the context change, was the original assumption wrong, or does the activity need to be adapted?

Learning is part of accountability. The ability to change direction when new evidence emerges is a sign of responsible programming, not a sign of failure.