By Dr Claire Hutchinson
An evaluation and social return on investment of a disability employment model by a national social enterprise to promote open employment for people with disability.
The employment model consists of training (both in the classroom and on the job), workplace immersion, followed by paid employment at the social enterprise or elsewhere with tailored ongoing support. This project started with a review of the international literature on the efficacy of the model or its components, and then the development of a theory of change with staff. A theory of change is the starting point for a social return on investment study and captures what resources and activities are deployed to achieve the desired outcomes of the social enterprise. Currently, the project team (Dr Claire Hutchinson and Dr June Alexander) are conducting interviews with trainees, paid trainees, parents, and staff, with survey data due to be collected in Q2 2024. The final social return on investment will capture how many dollars of social value is being create for the community and wider society for every $1 invested in the social enterprise.
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