Measuring outcomes experienced by users of community services

There continues to be growing pressure from human service organisations, funders and beneficiaries to demonstrate activities undertaken by service providers are having a demonstrable benefit. This article reports on the method of development and the results of the initial piloting in Australia of an outcomes framework and form of measurement for the human services sector.

The framework takes a ‘whole of life approach’ in recognising the ways in which life domains interrelate. The design was based on a review of outcomes-related literature, and an action research method involving service staff and a consumer advisory body. The result was the Community Services Outcomes Tree(Opens in a new tab/window) and a lean measurement tool in the form of a customisable survey template.