Reports Database:
Realising and rebuilding resilience – SROI evaluation of the Wellsprings Women’s Support Program

“Wellsprings for Women (Wellsprings) is a women’s only centre operating in Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. The Women’s Support Program (the Program) at Wellsprings offers a range of tailored support to women experiencing social isolation in these communities. The Program is delivered by case managers, with the support of volunteers, and includes case management for women experiencing family violence, social and emotional support, information and learning opportunities, practical support and material aid, and support to access external services.

To gain a deeper understanding of the social and economic value created by the Program, Wellsprings commissioned this Social Return on Investment (SROI) evaluation. SROI is an internationally recognised approach for understanding and measuring the value of a program or organisation. It looks at what changes for key stakeholders from the perspective of the stakeholders themselves. A SROI calculation provides an indication of cost effectiveness, by comparing the investment required to deliver the activities with the value of the outcomes experienced by all beneficiary stakeholders. Social value is calculated by placing a financial proxy on the quantified change commensurate with the degree of change experienced by stakeholders as a result of the Women’s Support Program.”