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The Social Impact Evaluation of Growing the Future
A Social Impact Evaluation was carried out on Growing the Future to understand what outcomes it was delivering, and the value it was creating. The evaluation used a Social Return on Investment (SROI) methodology; a methodology which measures and accounts for social, economic and environmental outcomes, as well as purely economic ones.
The evaluation found that Growing the Future did indeed achieve the outcomes that it set out to achieve:
Evaluation of Growing the Future
A three stage evaluation was carried out by an independent evaluator, Miller Research (UK) Ltd, whose approach was guided by the UK Treasury’s Magenta book approach, examining activities, outputs, outcomes and impacts.
The evaluation showed that the Growing the Future project has successfully developed course materials and delivered training to stimulate the capacity of people in Wales to grow vegetables and fruit for themselves. The project has shown that the National Botanic Garden for Wales offers the capability to successfully deliver a £1.4m EU funded project on time and within budget, creating a range of economic and social impacts. It has exceeded project output targets in all areas to develop and deliver practical training through the 16 hubs and the 22 online training courses.
In excess of 40 practical courses were developed and subsequently delivered by 23 experienced trainers based within the hubs.
The horticultural courses appealed to new growers as well as the more experienced with a range of age groups engaged in the project. A fifth of course participants were beginners with no growing experience and 60% identified as intermediate, having tried growing for one or two years. Growing the Future engaged a broad range of age groups, with two thirds reported to be 45-65. From the course participant survey, 80% of those who had attended courses reported they had implemented the new techniques they learnt, as well as reporting an increase in the amount and variety of food they had grown. One course participant reported that attending the courses was “one of the best things I have done...Increased my knowledge and got to meet and keep new friends”. The project therefore demonstrated wider social benefits such as lasting networking as well as the transfer of horticultural knowledge.
This pan-Wales delivery approach was one of the main strengths of the project. One stakeholder surmised a wider sentiment that Growing the Future was seen as “an excellent project, supporting local growing hubs as centres of excellence and an inspiration for the communities who live around them." A location close to home was a critical factor for individuals in choosing Growing the Future courses, with 82% of respondents to the online survey reporting location of training to be the most important influence on their decision to take part. The map below shows the distribution of participants by local authority area, (with darker colours representing a greater density of course participants), with coverage across Wales demonstrated, especially in Carmarthenshire (the immediate hinterland of the National Botanic Garden) and from Cardiff (with the greatest density of population and three hubs).
Future Options
Growing the Future has been a successful pilot project that has demonstrated demand for horticulture learning and which has created an excellent platform for future delivery.
The project supports several of the goals of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill and addresses current market failure around the development of non-commercial growing skills in support of the healthy eating agenda. A strong demand exists from all stakeholders – course participants, trainers, hubs and the wider project steering group for the project to continue the delivery of courses developed across Wales, to increase engagement of beginners to horticulture and broaden the audience base. Although more than half of survey participants said they were prepared to pay £10 to £40 for a future course, there is no doubt that the continuation of the role played by Growing the Future will require some form of public support.
Individual Learning
Increased growing of food
Ripple effect
- community growing
Increased food security Reduced food miles Improved diets
• 1135 Individual learners
• 8 tonnes more food produced each year by learners
• 2 tonnes more food grown each year by friends, family and neighbours
• 10 tonnes more food produced in Wales each year
• 25,000 food tonnes/km saved
• 6 tonnes of CO2 emissions saved
Interestingly, alongside these intended outcomes were a number of unintended outcomes which actually proved more valuable. The three most valuable outcomes for Growing the Future participants were:
• Increased life satisfaction
• Increased exercise;
• An increased connection with the Earth; and
Together these contributed 84% of the total social value created.
Although not specifically designed into the project, there appears to have been a substantial ripple effect with 95% of Growing the Future participants sharing their knowledge with family, friends and neighbours. The Social Impact Evaluation demonstrates that the total Net Present Value (NPV) created by Growing the Future to date is £3,117,189. This means that for every £1 invested in Growing the Future £3.42 of social and environmental value has been created by the project so far. However the Social impact of Growing the Future has accelerated, creating 89% of its total social value in 2014 and the first three months of 2015. If the participation figures achieved in 2014 had been achieved throughout the project the SROI achieved at this stage would be 1:7:85.
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