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Colourful Steps Programme Social Return on Investment Evaluation Report

Executive Summary

This report is the evaluative SROI analysis of the second phase of the Colourful Steps Programme conducted by Değiştiren Adımlar Derneği (Steps That Change Association).

Steps That Change Association is a non-profit civil society organisation founded in September 2018 to empower young people, support their personal development and prepare them for the future. The association’s primary goal is to foster an inclusive and innovative living culture where diversity is embraced. Its core values are inclusiveness, a rights-based approach, sincerity, open-mindedness, and stakeholder involvement. Alongside this, it also promotes empowerment, equal opportunities, sustainable development, and participation in civil society. In practice, the association prioritizes creating environments where young people from diverse backgrounds can meet, collaborate, and create together.

The Colourful Steps Programme aims to support high school students in Istanbul, both from public and private schools, enabling them to interact with peers from different educational and socio-economic backgrounds. The programme’s objectives are to foster social responsibility, raise awareness of diversity and inclusion (particularly regarding disability), and encourage active citizenship. The programme lasted a total of eight weeks, including the final week dedicated to evaluation and graduation. Each week’s activities took place in a different venue. The diversity of venues was selected to align with the programme’s objectives. For example, in some weeks the programme was delivered on university campuses, while in others it took place in the premises of civil society organisations, public community houses, or youth centres. The programme is designed to broaden perspectives and support informed choices about future education and careers.

The second phase of the programme was implemented in Istanbul with 21 participants over seven weekends in November and December 2022. This report is evaluative rather than forecast, and its independence is ensured by the fact that the assessment was carried out voluntarily, with no financial relationship between the assessor and the association.

Impact was measured over the medium term using both qualitative and quantitative methods, with all stakeholders engaged before, during and after the process. Participants reported positive changes such as developing a rights-based perspective on diversity, making more informed academic and career choices, adopting a social value–oriented mindset, and improving social skills. Some negative outcomes, such as feelings of loneliness, were also observed.

The project team reported positive outcomes including learning to work effectively with high school groups, acquiring new knowledge from the modules, improved organisational and teamwork skills, and greater capacity for delegation. However, increased stress and anxiety levels were also noted. Trainers highlighted positive changes such as satisfaction from contributing to young people’s lives, learning from the participants themselves, and developing more inclusive facilitation practices. As these outcomes could not be quantified, they were excluded from valuation, resulting in underestimation of the programme’s total social value.

The overall SROI ratio for the programme is presented below:

As a result of the SROI analysis, the ratio we identified is 1.91. It was determined that a social return of 1.91 TL was obtained for every 1 TL investment. The sensitivity analysis revealed a range for the SROI ratio. Three different simulations showed that the SROI ratio varied between 1.65 and 2.35. The fact that these different ratios are relatively close to each other is evidence that the calculation is consistent and rational.

The Colourful Steps Programme has demonstrated that even within a short timeframe, significant changes can be achieved among high school students from diverse backgrounds who did not know each other beforehand. Over seven weekend sessions, participants increased their knowledge and awareness on multiple issues. While workshops and sessions played an important role, the inclusive composition of the organising team, the involvement of visually impaired volunteers, and the socially conscious choice of venues deepened the overall impact.

The association also runs the Colourful Campus Programme and continues to grow with such initiatives. Sharing this impact report with young participants and stakeholders is recommended, and the programme team has already committed to publishing the report on their website after presenting it internally on 10 September 2025. A dedicated presentation to the board is also expected to contribute to organisational learning, particularly in preparation for the university-level version of the programme.

Overall, this report is intended to inform future decisions about the programme, provide evidence-based insights to potential investors, and support the association in building new partnerships. Finally, the association’s commitment to impact measurement and its collaborative, patient approach are expected to serve as an inspiration for other small- and medium-sized civil society organisations in Türkiye.