Where do we want to be?

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Thinking about outcomes

The participation request form asks you for the outcome you want to improve. This quick guide explains what an outcome is and helps you to think about the outcomes that are relevant to your participation request.  

What is an outcome? 

Outcomes are the effect or the difference that has been made because of a service, an activity, or a policy decision.  

Examples of outcomes are improved health and wellbeing and reduced child poverty.  

 

What isn’t an outcome? 

Some community groups will have something specific in mind that they would like to influence. For example, they might want to see a new bus route put in place or they may be concerned about proposed changes to local health care. These changes or decisions are not what is meant by outcomes. They can be thought of as steps along the way. To turn them into outcomes we might consider. 

  • People have access to low-cost bus travel 

  • People in our community can get to where they want to go 

  • People can access health care from trusted local services 

  • People can keep well without travelling long distances for support 

 

So, which outcome should I use? 

To get to an outcome it is often useful to ask yourself “what difference will this make to people in my community?” The answer you get to that question will help to form your outcome. 

The outcome must be relevant to the public service authority that you are making the participation request to. If you want, you can use an outcome that the public service authority says it is working towards (e.g. on its website or in a plan). The important thing is that the outcome is relevant to both the public service authority and your participation request. 

Examples 

Example 1: Your group wishes to see an area of waste ground developed for community use. 

Q.      What difference will this make to our local community? 

A.      Communities benefit from an improved environment, and an increase in physical activity levels

You can even ask the same question again when you’re exploring the issues … 

Q.        What difference will this (improved environment and increased physical activity) make to our local community? 

A.        Individuals will have improved health and wellbeing; our community will have improved health and wellbeing; and there will be less demand for health services. 

So, your outcomes are about:  

  • Improved environment 

  • Increased physical activity 

  • Improved health and wellbeing. 

  • Decreased demand on services  

Example 2: The local community would like an extension of opening hours of a community library. 

Q.      What difference will this make to our local community? 

A.       We will have more access to local community facilities which will help to improve opportunities for learning and reduce social isolation. 

Your outcomes are:  

  • Improved opportunities for learning 

  • Fewer barriers to accessing learning 

  • Improved educational attainment 

  • Reduced social isolation 

  • Improved access to learning or work 

 

Links to more information