CASE STUDY: Bill Lawson, Chair Beacon Foundation

‘SROI provides the hard numbers that give us credibility beyond the qualitative stories of success.’

The Beacon Foundation was set up in Tasmania to address rising levels of youth unemployment in disadvantaged areas. Integrating final year high school students and local community businesses, its No Dole Program, pioneered at Brooks High School, reduced final year unemployment from 30 percent to 15 percent in its first year and to zero percent by year three. It has maintained this level since. The Beacon Foundation is now replicating this highly successful and innovative approach to youth unemployment in 70 locations across Australia.

The Beacon Foundation has used the SROI tool to estimate the financial value generated by two job creation programs. And both times, Bill says it has been worth the effort.

‘Taking the SROI report to meetings gives us a lot of traction. Whether we are talking to funders, stakeholders, politicians or partners, the hard numbers give us credibility beyond the qualitative stories of success. SROI is a means by which these benefits can be moved from the anecdotal, however inspiring, to the factual - the language of decision makers.’

In essence, the report stated that from its program, real (that is commercially sustainable) jobs can be created for $5,000 per job. This is equivalent to the 'dole' for about six months. And the benefits to society are significant.

Bill acknowledges that the SROI tool is particularly relevant for the Beacon Foundation. Its aim is to see new ways to find employment opportunities for young people. Since the tool ‘assesses the financial impact of taking a tax taker and turning them into a tax payer’ it’s very relevant. 

Understanding the impact of the program has also provided the Beacon Foundation with strategic focus. Bill commented that in engaging SVA consultants to apply the SROI tool, ‘We knew we were heading toward a certain compass bearing, but it (SROI) gave us confidence that we were reading it right.’ The Beacon board has used the tool frequently in its strategic decision making.

‘I couldn’t speak more highly of the tool. It is useful and plausible. It adds infinite credibility to our story and the great stories of our young people.’

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