Understanding the cost benefit equation

Measuring the value we add through anything we do is sometimes incredibly easy and can be measured by numbers. This is often the case in the world of business where the majority of activity is measured by the impact on the profit and loss account. It's not quite so simple in the voluntary sector where much of the impact simply cannot be measured in numbers alone. It would be folly for a charity to proudly announce a 20% increase in the number of people it had helped if in fact the service the charity is delivering had not made a real difference to those people. Many of the best things in life require a much wider range of measurement tools. How do you represent a small increase in confidence which has enabled you to take steps, whether physical, mental, or emotional, and has resulted in a positive outcome? Numbers alone simply don't cut it. I have just listened again to the excellent Radio 4 Programme, The Charity Business. It's well worth your time listening if you would like a greater understanding of the challenges faced by charities when it comes to measuring impact. Here's the link https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09w2tjd I love the comment with which Matthew Taylor ends his impressive programme: "We need to value charities for what is special about them; for the things they do that the market and the State can't or won't deliver". As a society it's more important than ever to understand the significant role charities play in our communities.