We’re using our Social Impact Toolkits to show how the GLA’s Good Growth investment for the Brixton Rec achieves good growth from the ground up.
The aim
We’re working alongside the architects, council, consultants and most importantly representatives of different local groups to design a vision for social impact. Setting out new ways to evidence how money, time, energy, resources is spent, how knowledge is used and what success is achieved.
Our focus for this project is to build an impact measurement framework that acts as a helpful guidebook, a map, a bridge building manual between the different parts of the project process and its intended outcomes.
We know that Impact Measurement Framework isn’t the most inviting of terms. So for this project it’s our job to change how people understand and make use of one. We’re working alongside the architects, council, consultants and most importantly representatives of different local groups to design a vision and intentions for how money, time, energy, resources and knowledge will be used.
Our aim is that this framework recognises the different needs from all sides. At the same time supporting new methods of capturing community insight and intelligence. We want all involved in the site and its development to show how the Good Growth funding for this project achieves good growth from the ground up.
The Process
AKOU joined the project team over a year into the project (and in the midst of the Pandemic). However it didn’t take us long to get up to speed. We started by pulling together all available data and insights. We then built a system to manage data and allowed the first set of indicators to emerge through analysis, conversation and iteration.
The framework we have designed is a work in progress as we invite the community to comment and contribute. We have mapped out the area in relation to who we need to speak to and are now going through a collaborative iteration process with different local groups. Looking at ways that the framework will be fed into with community data over time.
We will soon be prototyping different data collection methods with a variety of people in different scenarios.
The relationships
Good relationships are a key success measure for this project. However, mapping them is not an easy process. If it were, there would be far more of it happening.
We’re currently building the first stage of a network map. This will help to capture the extensive work undertaken by architects, consultants, collaborators and councillors to build valuable local relationships. It’s these relationships that have made the co-design process possible.
AKOU’s app and Collective Perspective toolkit helps everyone to participate in the process of mapping relationships and getting feedback from their connections. We’ve officially launched our Collective Perspective Journey with tenants at 3space (the shared workspace that sits right next to the Rec building).
This will help us to see how the co-working space has supported the growth and development of social capital amongst the tenants. And importantly, how this has a wider impact on the community. Helping to prove the overall social impact of the space. As part of this process we’ll soon be hosting a MAP-athon. This will see 3Space members use the AKOU app to map their connections and relationships
The tools and resources we’re using for this project:
Utilising spreadsheets, smarts and a little AI AKOU spark to transforming existing data and information into useful baselines and insights
We never stick plasters over complex parts of our projects. We use industrial strength and craftsmanship to design solutions and create stories from data to cement the impact into the project
A journey of discovery, data collection and learning for all involved (map and travel expenses included)
Coming soon. The Pulse – Brixton Rec Impact Zine, will be our engaging platform to deliver the latest impact stats and stories to the project team and local community
