Social Return on Investment Analysis: Strong Culture, Strong Community Program

Research Report

This 2016 report measures the impact of Community Arts Network’s Strong Culture, Strong Community program in Narrogin, Western Australia, specifically focusing on youth programs at Narrogin Senior High School (NSHS), 2010–2015.

The objective of CAN’s Strong Culture, Strong Community program was to improve wellbeing and resilience within First Nations communities, through participation in culture and the arts. Numerous programs were delivered to the Narrogin and Southern Wheatbelt communities, but the report analyses the impact of projects involving NSHS students, particularly those delivered in partnership with NSHS: Noongar Pop Culture and Noongar Pop Fashion.

The method used to analyse the impact of the program is Social Return on Investment Analysis (SROI), a framework for accounting for and measuring social value.

The SROI analysis found that the Strong Culture, Strong Communities projects had benefitted the Narrogin community in numerous ways. The projects were instrumental in encouraging Noongar students to return to high school and re-engage in the learning process; increased student confidence to make new friends and learn new public performance skills; reconnected Noongar students with their Aboriginal culture; provided Noongar students with opportunities to enable them to improve the perception of Noongar students amongst their non-Noongar peers, which increased their pride and confidence. Parents and guardians believed that the projects made their children more resilient. The projects established a model for using arts and culture to engage Noongar students in the long term, aligning with the priorities of the Federal Government of the day.

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