Researching
what works.
Eleven.
Organizations (along the educational chain)
- wellcome
- Stiftung Fairchance
- EDUCATION Y
- Balu und Du
- Chancenwerk
- ROCK YOUR LIFE!
- START-Stiftung
- Die Komplizen
- Joblinge
- Kiron
Approach
We offer co-working space for well-established and growing mentoring organizations and comparable institutions that have either proven to be effective or are currently researching their effectiveness. We provide capacity-building opportunities through joint workshops, lectures, tailor-made development programs and consulting offerings. Following our overall goal to reach as many children, youth and families as possible as effectively as possible, we fund our organizations along pre-defined, measurable goals. And we initiate, support and finance independent research projects aimed at measuring impact.
Learnings
Measured impact, as determined by scientific research, is not yet a prevalent currency in the social sector. Many large organizations don’t want to assess their impact with scientific rigor, because they receive sufficient funding anyway. Many small organizations cannot prove their effectiveness, because they lack the necessary expertise or the financial means, or both. The recent uptick of the buzz-word "impact" in the social sector contrasts sharply with this situation. Unfortunately, the term’s oft-indiscriminate use has cheapened its meaning and, well, impact.
Results
Despite a chronic lack of funding, the organizations associated with Eleven have seen significant growth. By now, all organizations associated with Eleven have developed tools for impact orientation. A few are already assessing their impact, with impressive results.
To sum it up: Eleven is our contribution to more effectiveness in the social sector. Thus the name “Eleven”: In its English meaning, it refers to the eleven individuals that make up a soccer team. In its French meaning, it refers to “élève”, a “student”. This reflects the target group that Eleven and its partners in research and implementation focus on: children and youth in education.
