Social Impact For Better Services
At CRCS, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, connected community in the Belconnen and wider Capital Region. That’s why we are implementing the Social Impact Project, a continuous project to measure our impact on the community.
About social impact
Social impact is about the positive change an organisation makes in the community. It looks at how actions help improve people’s lives, whether by supporting education or health, or making communities safer and more connected.
Measuring social impact helps us see whether our programs are really making a difference in the Canberra community. By understanding our impact, we can make sure we are doing the best we can to support individuals and families.
It also helps us tell our story to others. It shows our supporters, funders and partners how their help is creating positive change. This can encourage more support and collaboration, which means we can do even more good work.
What this means for you
All new participants of CRCS’s seniors programs will be asked some baseline questions about wellbeing, this will then be followed up in six months including some questions on engagement satisfaction, and then twelve months thereafter.
Our existing participants will be asked wellbeing and engagement satisfaction questions as part of their 12-month review process. These can be provided to you in a format that is suitable to you, could be a conversation, email or hard copy for you to complete at your leisure.
Participating in this project will allow us to measure how we are making a positive difference, which will help us do our job better, show our value and keep improving.
Other ways we collect information
Social impact analysis is about understanding the collective outcome that a service offers a community, not about an individual’s specific experiences. We will continue to regularly engage with participants across our programs to ensure that identified outcomes, such as reduced social isolation, improved self-determination or independence, or delivery of compassionate care, are achieved and sustainable.
You can always provide individual feedback through our existing feedback process by visiting https://crcs.com.au/about-crcs/feedback/
Contact
If you would like to learn more, please get in touch with Deborah Bampton, deborah.bampton@crcs.com.au, or Ruth Jalloh ruth.jallohe@crcs.com.au
Recent News Stories
Following on from the signage placed around the Belconnen Community Centre and notices distributed to participants, we are sharing this update to confirm that the Swanson Court carpark has now permanently closed as of Tuesday 2 April 2025, due to a new development at the site by JWLand.
Young people in Belconnen now have easier access to free, confidential health and wellbeing support with the arrival of the T25 Clinic at Belconnen Youth Centre. Every Thursday from 2pm to 5pm the T25 Clinic van, Mini Pat, will be on-site offering a safe and welcoming space for young people aged 12 to 25. There’s no need for an appointment – just drop in when you need support.
The Canberra Day Appeal 2025 has wrapped up for another year and we are grateful to everyone who contributed, either by making a donation or helping to spread awareness. Thanks to the generosity of our community, employees and corporate supporters, we raised an amazing $6,736.40 – an increase from $5590 in 2024. These funds will go directly towards recruiting, training and supporting more volunteer transport drivers, ensuring people in our community can get to their essential medical appointments for chronic health conditions such as cancer and kidney disease.
Patsy is a lifelong storyteller and a creative spirit. For nearly 20 years, she was a storyteller at early childhood education centres, captivating children with her tales – sometimes using handmade props to bring them to life, other times sharing stories she wrote herself. Creativity has always been second nature to her, and when she’s caught up in a project, time flies by often leading to late nights. Though she recently stepped away from storytelling, she continues her creative pursuits, including a quilt project through Involve (stay tuned!).
For Therese Beckmann, sewing isn’t just about fabric and stitches – it’s a way of telling stories, bringing people together and creating something meaningful. After 30 years of working in sewing, dressmaking and teaching, she realised she wanted to take her skills beyond the retail space and into the community. She had always felt drawn to the senior age group, especially after hearing students in her art classes say, “This is better than therapy.” Hearing it over and over made her realise just how powerful creativity could be in bringing people together and improving wellbeing.