Evaluation of Positive People and Hopeful Families

Client: Pluss CIC

Duration: 6 years

Funders: National Lotter Community Fund and European Social Fund (ESF)

Overview:

SERIO recently completed the evaluation of five Building Better Opportunities (BBO) programmes; ‘Positive People, which was delivered in West Cornwall, South and East Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset; and ‘Hopeful Families’ which was delivered in West Yorkshire. All five were managed by Pluss CIC. These initiatives were funded under the BBO national programme, a collaboration between The National Lottery Community Fund and the European Social Fund. The BBO programme was dedicated to engaging and supporting disadvantaged adults who are out of work or most at risk of social exclusion. Its ultimate goal was to bring this cohort closer to the labour market and contribute to the strengthening of communities across England.

Objectives of the project:

• Engage and support disadvantaged adults at risk of social exclusion

• Facilitate their integration into the labour market

• Strengthen communities through sustainable employment

SERIO’s evaluation approach:

• Deliver ongoing evaluation to provide evidence and insights throughout the project lifecycle

• Focus on identifying 'what works' for maximum impact

• Complementing monitoring data collected by Pluss CIC with in-depth case studies and best practice examples

Outcomes:

• Provided in-depth understanding of the effectiveness of the 'Positive People' and 'Hopeful Families' programmes

• Identified best practices and successful case studies to enhance programme delivery

• Established the social return on investment for each of the programmes

• Provided valuable evidence to shape and inform ongoing and future project initiatives

Impact:

• Enabling Pluss CIC and partners to refine and improve programme delivery based on evidence-driven insights

• Contributing to the broader mission of empowering disadvantaged adults and strengthening communities across England