Understanding our civic impact

National Civic Impact Accelerator programme (NCIA) 

Following a recent application to join the National Civic Impact Accelerator programme, Staffordshire University have been chosen as one of 12 universities in England to participate in their action learning programme, designed to pilot civic approaches and build capacity. The programme will explore issues and opportunities relating to the role of civic engagement in different types of places and types of institutions around England. We will work with NCIA project staff from NCPPE and participate in a series of action learning groups and take our learning into our own contexts through a wider Action Learning Team, meaning the programme will result in some tangible impacts for our university.

Colleagues from across a range of schools and services, and community partners, have been approached to join the action learning team for this work. The action learning team will feed into the Connected Communities Staff Operations Group.  
 
On Thursday 14th September 2023 staff from the university joined community members to attend the NCIA Action Learning Day in Birmingham. During the day the Staffordshire based partnership worked alongside other community members, organisations and universities, from across the country, to discuss what it means to be ‘Truly Civic’ and plan for our future work together.  

Connected Communities Evaluation Framework 

The Connected Communities Evaluation Framework draws on two frameworks for evaluating civic activity.   

• TEFCE (Towards a European Framework for Community Engagement in Higher Education) Toolbox   

• Civic University Network’s (CUN) Civic Framework  

We recognise that civic and community activity in higher education is complex, and place based. The Connected Communities Evaluation Framework allows for:  

• A cocreated approach to understanding our civic and community impact, working closely with Staffs CAN.  

• Evaluation to be embedded into activity.  

• An open learning environment where ideas can be tested, good practice can be celebrated, and improvements can be made to benefit everyone involved.  

• A predominantly qualitative approach that allows for storytelling, reflecting the complex and multifaceted ways we work with communities.