What should I be recording?
At the end of each quarter, we’ll ask you to fill out a survey about the work you’ve been doing through your Restored Beacon. We’ll ask you to tell us:
- How many survivors you’ve supported through small groups, drop-ins, and befriending – separately for each type and overall
- How many of those survivors were newly supported that quarter (meaning, they wouldn’t have been included in the previous quarters’ numbers)
- How many volunteers are currently involved with your Restored Beacon work
- How many hours each week each volunteer gives, on average
- The names of any local services you’ve newly connected with that quarter
- How many of the survivors you’ve supported this quarter have reported feeling less isolated as a result of the Restored Beacon work
- Any stories and/or quotes from the individuals you’ve supported, or from your Restored Beacon team (remember to keep these anonymous by changing or removing names and other identifying info).
It’s up to you how you keep track of these things throughout each quarter. If you’re running small groups or drop-in sessions, you’ll likely keep a register of attendees, which you could use to count the number of people you’re supporting. The main thing is to avoid guessing! Otherwise, the data won’t be useful.
The two annual surveys (the congregation survey and the church review) don’t require you to measure or record numbers, so you don’t need to record anything on an ongoing basis in order to fill them out.