Elmore has been looking for new ways to understand and evaluate the Elmore Difference—that is, the change that we make which no other agency can.  Data has an important role to play and we have created new and better ways to collect, store, and analyse our numbers.

We believe that we will only get a true picture of the Elmore Difference by sharing stories, so we are working with Arts at the Old Fire Station (AOFS) to do just that. Like AOFS, Elmore has adopted a Storytelling methodology to collect stories and we’ve trained some caseworkers to become skilled story collectors. 

Unlike ordinary approaches, the Storytelling methodology (using the Most Significant Change technique) gives service users the chance to be storytellers, decide on the most significant changes, and explain them in their own words. By focusing on lived experiences on a longitudinal basis (that is, the experience of Elmore’s impact over many months or years), the technique can shine a light on changes which might feel intangible, fuzzy, or unexpected.

The Most Significant Change technique also enables and empowers storytellers to say, in their own words, what’s changed for them. And the process can be fun, making Elmore’s evaluation or impact analysis a creative and meaningful experience for everyone.