Developing Communities Through Learning

Increasingly, those who work with communities are required to demonstrate the impact of what they do for purposes that include evaluation, self-evaluation and demonstrating the evidence of impact for funders. This book is for professionals from any discipline who choose to work with individuals or groups in a community setting and who wish to show that their practice has an impact, where impact is defined as a strong effect or influence on participants. The purpose of the book is to explore the complexity of demonstrating impact in a context where the learning is frequently informal and where outcomes are complex, multifaceted and difficult to pin down. An individuals journey in his or her learning is idiosyncratic and often unpredictable. The book explores ways to think about demonstrating impact in community settings, and draws on the contrasting perspectives and experiences of the editors, all of whom draw on their experience of work with communities in different ways. The book also includes nine case studies that illuminate in a practical manner the processes and issues associated with gathering the evidence of impact. This book is intended to be useful for both the early career professional working with communities and the more experienced worker who wishes to refine his/her thinking concerning impact. It is intended for those working in any discipline where learning in the community is important, who seek to enhance well-being, knowledge, skills and capacities of individuals or communities. It is hoped that funders and policy makers too will explore this book to gain an understanding of the complexities and challenges associated with demonstrating an impact on work with people and their communities.