Breadcrumbs
System leadership
One of our roles is to work with agencies across the social services system to align resources for greater impact and make better investment decisions to support individuals, families, whānau and communities to achieve better outcomes.
Impact Measurement Standards
SIA publishes standards and guidance to support the adoption of social investment practices across the social services system.
The Impact Measurement Standards(external link) (IMS) were developed to help government agencies make better decisions about public investment in social outcomes. The IMS sets expectations for a consistent and robust approach to assessing the outcomes and impact of government social spending.
The standards provide a shared framework for assessing:
- what programmes and services are trying to achieve
- whether they are making a meaningful difference
- for whom outcomes are improving.
They also provide a common language and approach, supporting agencies to:
- make better use of evidence in the design programmes and services
- assess the quality and strength of that evidence
- put meaningful outcome measures in place from the outset.
By strengthening how evidence is used, the standards support better decision making, continuous learning, and improvement. They help agencies better understand the outcomes they are achieving for people, families and whānau.
The standards apply to government agencies delivering or commissioning programmes and services to improve social outcomes.
SIA uses the standards in its work with agencies to apply the social investment approach and better understand the impact of current social sector spending. We are also working to embed this standard in wider funding and commissioning processes.
Over time, this will help build stronger evidence about what is working, for whom, and where outcomes can be improved. The IMS will be reviewed and updated periodically to reflect learning and practice.
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