New Project with Big Change: Evaluate and improve operational processes

Big Change Project

Big Change Operational Audit 

Project:

Big Change would like an external expert to evaluate current high-level operational processes and then, if appropriate, make recommendations for improvement. 

Project description:

It is anticipated that the volunteer will:

1. Spend half a day with Noah Bernstein, the Director of Impact & Operations to investigate the current operations and obtain any relevant documentation

2.  Spend half a day at Big Change, having 4 45-minute meetings with individual staff members to investigate their activities, time spent on each, and any suggestions they have for improvements. 

3.  Use the results of the meetings and the documentation to summarise current activities, processes and value added by each. Draft some suggestions for improvements.

4.  Run a half-day facilitation session with all staff to discuss findings and possible improvements (if appropriate)

5.  Produce a written report with findings of current operations and recommendations for improvements.  

Some background in process improvement and facilitation would be useful. This project would suit either a single volunteer or a team of two.

Time commitment: 5 days over 3-4 months

Location: The volunteer(s) would need to spend 3 half-days on site at Big Change (London, W2 6NB). The rest of the work could be carried out remotely.

If you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return along with your CV to amy.hughes@theorsociety.com by 27^th February 2020.

The OR Society fully supports equal opportunities. As such, we welcome applications from the partially sighted or blind, or those with disabilities.

Information about the organisation: 

Big Change are an organisation which aim to promote a new common purpose for learning that prepares young people for life, work and citizenship. They aim to engage all sections of society to support learning at school, in the home and in the community. Big Change projects are working at the grassroots in local communities and also influencing the national agenda and narratives around what young people need to thrive.

For further information about Big Change please visit https://www.big-change.org/ or email noe@big-change.org

For further information about the Pro Bono OR scheme, please visit: www.theorsociety.com/Probono  or email ProBonoOR@theorsociety.com

Project 2 with the NSPCC: Develop a graded care tool to assess child neglect

NSPCC Project 2

Development of a Graded Care Profile Tool for assessing neglect

Project:

NSPCC wants to develop a tool for Local Authorities in Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland to identify the economic benefits of assessing the quality of care a child is receiving.

Project description:

Graded Care Profile 2 (GCP2) is an assessment tool which helps practitioners in English Local Authorities (LAs) to measure the quality of care a child is receiving. NSPCC has evaluated the tool and found it to be effective in helping identify whether a child is at risk of neglect. The tool shows LAs the potential cost avoidance opportunities from implementing GCP2 assessments. It draws on available data sets and is an Excel model. 

This project is to develop a similar tool for LAs in the rest of the UK who have slightly different performance indicators and datasets. 

Key skills required: economic/cost modelling using Excel

The project would be suitable for a team (either an existing team or individual volunteers who are happy to collaborate).

Proposed project stages: 

1. Briefing/familiarisation with current model (for LAs in England) and requirements for Scotland, Wales, N. Ireland - meeting & online call with Development Manager in Liverpool

2. Desk Research – available data and model options (e.g. to what extent does each country need a different model)

3. Model Building – develop Excel Models (up to 3)

4. User Testing & QA – e.g. pilot the model with some LAs

5. Handover model & documentation

Time commitment: Potential time required – 10-15 days over 3-4 months

N.B. The time required could be less per volunteer if the project is broken down into separate model-building for the 3 countries or if a team of volunteers works on this.

Location: Most of this project can be carried out remotely.

If you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return along with your CV to amy.hughes@theorsociety.com by 18^th February 2020.

The OR Society fully supports equal opportunities. As such, we welcome applications from the partially sighted or blind, or those with disabilities.

Information about the organisation: 

The NSPCC are the leading children's charity in the UK, specialising in child protection and dedicated to the fight for every childhood. They are the only UK children's charity with statutory powers meaning they can take action to safeguard children at risk of abuse. 1 in 5 children in the UK have suffered abuse or neglect. That’s why, across the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man, the NSPCC are working to protect children today and prevent abuse from happening tomorrow

For further information about the NSPCC, please visit https://www.nspcc.org.uk/ or email Caroline.Westley@nspcc.org.uk

For further information about the Pro Bono OR scheme, please visit: www.theorsociety.com/Probono  or email ProBonoOR@theorsociety.com

Project 1 with NSPCC: Modelling the cost of vulnerable children going into care

NSPCC Project 1

Development of a modeling tool for the costs of children going into care

Project:

NSPCC wants to develop a tool to show Local Authorities the costs of children going into care to help them improve their processes.

Project description:

The Children’s Services directorate within the NSPCC focuses on working with children from an early age. As part of this they need to understand the cost of children going into care from birth, to begin to understand the quantitative impact that the NSPCC services can have for a locality.

The NSPCC previously undertook some work looking at the costs of going into care which informed part of the Reunification framework, a service that is being scaled-up and training provided to external organisations to use to improve their processes within their local authority. 

This project is to build on this work and to create a tool to inform costs of diverting away from edge of care to show local authorities the potential costs they incur in this area, and to then be able to provide them with services and knowledge to improve these process to have positive impacts on the children and families they are working with.

Key skills required: economic/cost modelling using Excel

The project would be suitable for a team (either an existing team or individual volunteers who are happy to collaborate)

Proposed project stages: 

1. Briefing/familiarisation with previous work, available data and requirements - meeting with Development Mgr)

2. Desk Research – available data and model scoping/definition

3. Model Building – develop Excel Models

4. User Testing & QA – e.g. pilot the model with some LAs

5. Handover model & documentation

Time commitment: Potential time required – 5-8 days over 3-4 months

N.B. The time required could be less per volunteer if a team of volunteers works on this.

Location: Most of this project can be carried out remotely.

If you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return along with your CV to amy.hughes@theorsociety.com by 18^th February 2020.

The OR Society fully supports equal opportunities. As such, we welcome applications from the partially sighted or blind, or those with disabilities.

Information about the organisation: 

The NSPCC are the leading children's charity in the UK, specialising in child protection and dedicated to the fight for every childhood. They are the only UK children's charity with statutory powers meaning they can take action to safeguard children at risk of abuse. 1 in 5 children in the UK have suffered abuse or neglect. That’s why, across the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man, the NSPCC are working to protect children today and prevent abuse from happening tomorrow

For further information about the NSPCC, please visit https://www.nspcc.org.uk/ or email Caroline.Westley@nspcc.org.uk

For further information about the Pro Bono OR scheme, please visit: www.theorsociety.com/Probono  or email ProBonoOR@theorsociety.com