Higher Education Community Engagement Model

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Higher Education Community Engagement Model

• Penny Wilson, Head of Community Affairs,
  University of Cambridge

Office of External Affairs and Communications
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Background

• The Higher Education Community Engagement Model
  was developed by twelve Russell Group
  universities in conjunction with The Corporate
  Citizenship Company (TCCC).
• The model attempts to quantify community
  engagement activities and provides useful
  qualitative information about what public
  engagement activities are happening across an
  institution.
• Its not the answer but its a good starting
  point!

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Cambridge experience top line data

• The survey found that, in 2005-06
• 3,000 members of University staff were involved
  in outreach of some kind. Together they gave more
  than 285,000 hours of their time.
• 5,250 students took part in a voluntary activity,
  giving over 85,000 hours of their time.
• This staff and student time is estimated to be
  worth 4 million to the community.
• More than 1 million people benefited from
  voluntary activities undertaken by University
  staff and students.
• 300,000 pupils and 6,000 teachers took part in
  face-to-face activities run by the University.
• Around 1 million was raised and donated to
  charity by University staff and students.

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Cambridge experience

• 3 surveys in 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2005-06
• By 2006 all Colleges, Departments, student
  societies and most admin departments were
  surveyed high response rate
• Surveyed departments not people and went in
  at different levels
• For some answers we let respondents decide on
  categorisation
• Gives numbers, but also gives invaluable
  qualitative information
• It was a huge job!

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What we learnt - 1

• Model basic but need basic knowledge before can
  take to next stage
• Senior buy in essential
• What are the boundaries of what were measuring
  whats in and whats out
• Record keeping at respondent end can be limiting
• We think its more important to have some
  imperfect information than none at all

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What we learnt - 2

• Dont make it too complicated for respondents
• Increases in activity probably due to improved
  data capture
• Show people what you do with their information
• Excellent to build profile of community function
  and of public engagement
• Difficult to benchmark with other universities

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What next

• Next Cambridge survey in 2010
• We havent even started on impact (except for
  individual activities)
• We havent worked enough with our communities on
  measurement

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Further information

• Full guide at www.warwick.ac.uk/go/hecommunityhub
• Cambridge reports at www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/c
  ommunications/community/report/
• Penny Wilson, penny.wilson_at_admin.cam.ac.uk

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Higher Education Community Engagement Model

• Penny Wilson, Head of Community Affairs,
  University of Cambridge

Office of External Affairs and Communications
10
What the model maps - Whats included?

• Examples
• Pro bono support for charitable activities, e.g.
  professional expertise on conservation,
  veterinary science, feasibility studies or
  business plans.
• Rooms, facilities and equipment lent/given to
  voluntary organisations and schools
• Educational outreach activities, including online
  resources, video conferencing, lectures for
  schools, Science Festival activities and summer
  schools.
• Museums community education programmes.
• Public open days and lectures.

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What the model maps - Whats included?

• More examples
• Students running community-focused activities,
  such as a befriending service for elderly people.
• Work placements and work experience.
• Students and staff raising funds for charity.
• Subsidised cultural activities for the general
  public.
• Staff undertaking volunteering activities, for
  example reading projects in schools, mentoring or
  serving as charity trustees or school governors.

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What the model maps - Motivation

• Charitable gifts (responding to community needs
  and requests with minimal expectation of a return
  for the University).
• Community investment (investing in particular
  issues because they are in the Universitys
  interests long-term, so looking for a win-win)
• Core initiatives in the community (meeting the
  core needs of the University as the primary
  motivation, but structured in such a way as to
  deliver additional benefits to the community)

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What the model maps - Subject focus

• Young people and children
• Health
• Environment and conservation
• Education
• Criminal justice
• Refugees and asylum seekers
• Community
• Disability

• Older people
• Cultural and religious
• Arts
• Sports
• Not known

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What the model maps - Type of organisation

• School/college
• Community group
• Charity
• Public sector
• Public-private partnership

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What the model maps - Geographic area

• Local
• Regional
• National
• International

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What the model maps - University unit

• University core
• Department
• College
• Cultural and sport
• Students

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Cash and in kind

• Value of cash contributions
• Value of in-kind contributions
• Management costs

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What the model maps - Staff volunteering

• Number of staff involved in university time
• Staff hours during university time
• Number of staff involved in own time
• Staff hours during their own time
• Then valued at agreed rate.

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What the model maps - Student volunteering

• Students involved in activities organised by
  university
• Student time in activities organised by
  university
• Students involved in activities organised
  elsewhere
• Student time in activities organised elsewhere
• Then valued at agreed rate.

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What the model maps - Leverage

• Money raised by staff
• Money raised by students
• Money raised by other external partners

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What the model maps - Beneficiaries

• Number of organisation beneficiaries
• Number of individual direct beneficiaries

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Further information

• Full guide at www.warwick.ac.uk/go/hecommunityhub
• Cambridge reports at www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/c
  ommunications/community/report/
• Penny Wilson, penny.wilson_at_admin.cam.ac.uk