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Our Impact

Partnerships and collaborations build a strong and confident community business marketplace. 

Owl XL CIC 2022-23 Social Outcomes and Impact

At the beginning of the financial year we were actively
working with 17 collaborators.

We have had contact with 11 other individuals for information sharing or exploratory conversations.

During the year we have been involved in 5 group projects, 2
of which were with our ongoing collaborators.

Work continues with 22 collaborators into the new financial year and 8 partnerships or contracts came to an end throughout the year.

In total we have connected with 44 organisations or individuals, 27 of whom were new connections during the year.

Social Inputs

Owl XL CIC offers a wide range of services to work towards developing impact mindsets and supporting social enterprises to be sustainable.

We work collaboratively to support clarity of thought, focus on higher purpose and defining the business DNA, building business models and plans which encompass impact strategy and measurable social outcomes, as well as supporting with governance and the CIC registration process.

Capturing and analysing social outcome evidence involves identifying methods that suit the thinking and working styles of an individual or enterprise, building relevant monitoring systems to capture their social outcomes, then collaboratively evaluating the information as it is collected and completing reports as needed. This helps in identifying and providing social outcome information for promotional activity, social media in particular and grant bids where necessary.

Developing partnerships with agreed roles and outcomes has been a key component for ourselves, as well supporting other CICs to do likewise. This has supported purposeful joint working where social outcomes are evidenced and used to promote social impact.

Supporting the community is part of our enterprise DNA. We help individuals exploring whether setting up a CIC is viable by enabling them to consider key elements of their core vision and the practicalities of running a business. For one organisation we helped them to collect information for a feasibility study, giving them the evidence they needed to consider whether there was community support for their proposed venture, using the ABCD (Asset Based Community Development) approach to empower local communities. Using the ABCD approach to support CIC growth has given a variety of enterprises a focus to develop their vision and offering.

Other pieces of work we provided this year were a bookkeeping service, governance support to establish required policies and producing computer graphics. We provided 3 purpose designed training sessions for Competition and Collaboration, Developing a Social Impact Mindset, and how to use the STEP outcome monitoring.

Social Outputs and Outcomes

Social Outputs are numerical or physical indicators of work staying on course and Social Outcomes are changes in knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviour, condition, or status.

As can be seen, our time is often spent working on more than one of our strategic outcomes.

Social outcome evidence we achieved with our collaborators fall into the following themes:

Summary of Key Social Profit

OutcomeSocial Profit
DNA discovered

Individuals and sole traders enabled to consider the social core of their proposed CIC’s on which to build their business model.

Existing enterprises better able to envisage how their business will function and operate, giving them their business model.

Seasoned business mind introduced to the DNA concept. Understanding social outcomes and their importance for the charity in formation.

Innovation

Continued development of STEP (Supported Transition Engagement Programme) as an outcome monitoring tool. The programme captures individuals’ soft skill development during volunteering or work experience opportunities, giving them a visual account for their own reflection, as well as a means for the enterprise to demonstrate outcomes they have enabled at a strategic level. 1 enterprise in particular we have worked in partnership with to develop this programme and 2 others have now also started using it and supporting further refinements.

A planned development from STEP is the consideration of a work experience monitoring system, that enables visual representation of progression as well as the standard written form. 1 enterprise will be piloting this during 2023-34.

Showing outcomes well to give more powerful media messages.

Team project planning tools designed to meet enterprise ways of working, in particular to enable flexibility.

Connecting with customersCIC’s understanding their purpose in delivering value to their customers,
understanding how to trade to meet customer needs, effective networking to connect with relevant customers, understanding the customer journey and how to engage with them, and revising communications to connect better.
Partnerships developed

Development of easy-to-use partnership agreements that identify strategic aim and objectives for collaborative pieces of work, giving consideration to social outcomes of the project embedded within the activity.

Clear definition of partnership roles and focus for outcome monitoring, understanding social outcomes for individuals and businesses.

Connecting enterprises together to share knowledge and resources to strengthen their work.

Project Monitoring to evidence social outcomes

Planning for social outcomes and project monitoring systems in place to ensure social impact recognised, evidenced and reported on for collaborative projects.

Relevant monitoring systems in place with social outcomes connected to activities and individuals, with rolled up impact analysis at an organisational strategic level.

Research project with incorporated Social Value Act outcomes able to evidence where the focus of future work needs to be.

Social outcomes evidenced and analysed in line with business plan.

Annual reports of social impact and media messaging more easily written and more powerful.

Building Enterprise DNA, Impact Strategy and Business Models

Understanding business DNA, the customer journey, partnership work, business modelling and planning.

Understanding of planning to include social outcomes.

Using DNA objectives to adapt promotional messages and to engage the interest of potential customers.

Commercial business mind exploring social value. Updating business model and plan in line with new insights.

Support to find sustainable pathway at critical pivot points

Small businesses set up as limited companies exploring benefit of transitioning to become CICs.

CIC set up with 2 purposes, one to support the other, enabled to evaluate business pathway and pivot to more manageable business model.

CICs set up and registered

Understanding the heart of the enterprise in order to support the set up the CIC.

Building strategic foundations to CIC, including understanding business DNA and social outcomes.

Social outcomes and promotion

Refreshed outlook from an outside viewpoint on current plans and promotional material, ensuring social outcomes clearly demonstrated.

Impact reports produced and publicised showing strong social impact.

Development of the social impact mindset, changing approach to their work.

Revising training course feedback in line with our recommendations to capture outcome evidence for the business plan.

Clear view of the year’s work and outcomes achieved.

Developing an ABCD approach (Asset Based Community Development)

Adopting an ABCD approach, moving from identifying needs to recognising community strengths.

Recognising how the enterprise can be sustainable through empowering the community.

Efficient governance

Reducing stress associated with maintaining financial records.

Executive Boards understand their roles and responsibilities at a strategic level.

Policies and procedures in place, being used appropriately.

What our collaborators tell us about the Social Impact our input has

testimonial

There is no point in helping others if it isn’t a key part of how we develop our Social Enterprise.  So we are proud to keep you informed about our own Impact and what we are measuring to ensure we remain a force for change and helping others to build sustainable outcomes.

In our trading, we are very proud to build collaborations and partnerships, as described in our Business DNA. We see these developments as a part of our impact and celebrate by helping them to be recognised by visitors to our website.

A percentage of the profits made by Owl XL CIC is given to The Rotary Foundation, an international charity that helps Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill and peace, by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment and alleviating poverty.  Work is carried out by Rotarians and local communities, collaborating with international Rotary partners.  All approved grants must clearly describe how the work is sustainable and empowering (including plans for long-term success after the grant funds have been spent) and their measurable goals in response to real community needs.

Measuring Social Profit