What this lesson teaches
I can judge what citizens and the government achieve when they work together, using evidence matched to the goal.
Syllabus K230, Issue 1, Guiding Question 4. Citizens and government working together for the good of society
Make a guess
A project reports 500 volunteer hours and 40 meetings. Do you think this proves it met people's needs?
- No, it shows effort put in, not what changed for people.
- Yes, because more volunteer hours means more help was given.
- Yes, because so many meetings show the project worked well.
Show the answer
No, it shows effort put in, not what changed for people.
To judge results, ask what changed for the people affected, and gather evidence from them.
To judge a project, match the evidence to the goal: needs met, decisions influenced or belonging strengthened.
Money raised, meetings held and volunteer hours show effort put in, not results. A count of visits may count the same person or household many times. To judge whether a need was met, ask what changed for the people affected. To judge influence, look for a link between the public's input and a decision or response.
To judge belonging, you need evidence about connection, such as what people say about their relationships and whether they feel valued. People continuing to take part adds useful evidence, but it does not measure everyone's feelings.
A partnership may succeed at one goal more than another. Ask people who took part and people who could not. Find the gaps that remain and agree who will fix them. Admitting a weakness helps improve the work; it does not mean everything failed.
Weigh the evidence. An interviewer from outside the organising team adds an independent view. But people who agree to be interviewed may differ from those who refuse or never come. Organisers seeking support may highlight success. That is a reason to check their records, not proof that they are false.
- Effort
- Money, meetings, hours: what people put in.
- Results
- What changed for the people affected.
- Match evidence to goal
- Needs, influence and belonging need different evidence.
Worked example: A repair workshop
Thirty residents come to a repair workshop. Eighteen household items are fixed. Five people later say they made new friends. No one has asked residents who could not attend.
- Attendance shows participation. The eighteen repaired items show more directly that a practical need was met.
- Five people's accounts suggest new friendships for them, not for all thirty.
- Missing feedback from non-attendees is a gap. Asking them about barriers would help plan the next workshop.
Watch out for this
If a project meets a practical need, it must also have changed policy and built belonging for everyone.
Each goal needs its own evidence. A project can succeed at one goal and not others.
Check your understanding
Which is the best evidence that a tuition programme met students' needs?
- Volunteers gave 200 hours, and most said they enjoyed it.
- The programme ran 50 sessions over the school year.
- Students' grades and confidence improved after they joined.
Show the answer
Students' grades and confidence improved after they joined.
Yes. This shows what changed for the people helped. To be surer the programme caused it, compare with similar students who did not join.
Check your understanding
A volunteer programme reports that it ran 40 sessions. What else do you need to judge whether it succeeded?
- Evidence of what changed for the people it aimed to help, such as their views.
- The number of volunteers who took part in the sessions.
- Photos and a video showing that the sessions were well attended by residents.
Show the answer
Evidence of what changed for the people it aimed to help, such as their views.
Activity counts show effort; results show success.