Social Return on Investment of the Guide Dogs’ habilitation service at Jordanstown School
The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (Guide Dogs) commissioned NEF Consulting to undertake a Social Return on Investment (SROI) analysis to help them to understand the social value generated from investment in its habilitation service, delivered through Jordanstown School in Northern Ireland. As part of the service, trained habilitation practitioners work with vision impaired children at Jordanstown School to help them to develop orientation, mobility and life skills.
The SROI analysis provides strong evidence that of the habilitation service gives good value for money. For every £1.00 spent, £7.13 is created in social value. While some of the value relates to parents, the majority value is based on service users themselves.
NEF Consulting found that the habilitation service creates £5.72 (for every £1.00 spent) solely from service user outcomes.
This model can be used to support strategic discussions around how time and money can be spent most effectively within the organisation, to deliver stakeholder value. Guide Dogs will be in a position to develop their own approach to capturing social value and to share their knowledge widely across other services.
The end result should be an even more efficient and effective service for children and young people who live with vision impairment.