The Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) has been awarded ESRC funding to continue examining and developing the impact of the What Works Network.
The project will focus on two key aspects of WCPP’s work: implementation and impact. This will involve analysing how these markers of success look to WWC’s stakeholders and how other organisations demonstrate impact.
This work will be in collaboration with What Works Centres (WWCs) to understand and improve practices in achieving and demonstrating impact across the Network.
The project has five main aims:
- Review current knowledge in the UK and worldwide into how impact is understood and assessed in different contexts, including evidence intermediaries, think tanks and university research centres.
- Consult with WWCs to compile and share learning about current practices regarding impact across the Network. What are WWCs currently doing? What seems to be working well and why? What are the challenges that Centres are facing?
- Exchange and learn from other organisations in the evidence-policy field with similar aims to WWCs.
- Increase understanding of policy and practice stakeholders’ views on how the Network has impact, what works well and what changes might be needed.
- Develop training sessions based on emerging need, for instance on how to plan and organise for impact, how to reach specific audiences, and how to narrate impact.
The project will begin in April 2023 and run for 18 months, with periodic updates about key learning to be provided as the project progresses.