Making Meaning: Practical Qualitative Data for Real Impact

In a context of ever-diminishing public funding and increasing demand, organisations must find effective ways to use their experience, knowledge and skills to demonstrate impact and influence decision-making.

If you are interested in learning how to:

1. Ensure your organisation is responsive to need
2. Amplify the voices of your service users
3. Help funders and policymakers understand why your service is essential 

Join us for a dynamic, hands-on session exploring how to gather, analyse and present qualitative data that brings your organisation’s impact to life. We will explore ethical, creative and inclusive ways to capture meaningful stories and experiences — particularly from people who may not engage with traditional evaluation approaches.

Why attend?

• Gain skills in telling the story of your work within an evidence-based practice framework
• Build capacity within your organisation for in-house research, evaluation and strategy development
• Develop confidence in collecting rich, meaningful qualitative insights
• Learn how to work safely and respectfully with diverse and vulnerable groups
• Turn lived experiences into clear themes that support learning and improvement
• Strengthen reporting for funders, boards and communities
• Support stronger strategic decision-making using people-centred evidence 

What you’ll learn

A practical introduction to:

• Different sources of evidence (including demography, epidemiology and research)
• Simple, accessible approaches to gathering qualitative data
• Techniques for creating safe spaces where people feel heard and valued
• Straightforward methods for analysing stories and observations
• How to turn lived experiences into compelling impact narratives 

You will leave with practical templates, ready-to-use tools, and increased confidence in demonstrating the difference your organisation makes.

This session is delivered through the Impact Practice Network, in partnership with Sonrisa Solutions Ltd (led by Dr Una Lynch).

Dr Una Lynch is Director of Sonrisa Solutions Ltd and brings over three decades of experience in public health practice, research and policy across Ireland, Latin America, Africa and the World Health Organization. A registered nurse, midwife and health visitor, she has led European, national and international research projects. Passionate about social justice, her work focuses on supporting people to age with dignity across the lifespan.

Her career includes roles with Radio Santa Cruz in Bolivia, the European Poverty 3 Programme, academic positions at University College Dublin and Queen’s University Belfast, and policy work with WHO Copenhagen. She has also led a national community nursing strategy at the Department of Health in Dublin and worked as a senior COVID-19 response manager with Nottinghamshire County Council.

Dr Lynch has collaborated extensively with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland on the evaluation of the Arts and Older People Programme, as well as with a wide range of local voluntary and community organisations. She supports organisations to capture and use lived experience to strengthen ethical, person-centred evaluation and service improvement.