A few days ago I wrote the following:
It never fails to disappoint me the way money is thrown at areas of deprivation by central government, local councils, housing associations, quangos, charitable trusts and the Big Lottery.
There is a method of determining the value of investment in areas of deprivation. It is called Social Return on Investment (SROI). SROI can be used to scrutinise previous investment and also the value of proposed investment.
The impression I gain is that a lot of money spent already has produced a poor social return. One effect of SROI should be a greater sense of realism in proposed projects
It is essential proposed projects deal with causes of deprivation rather than dealing with symptoms. This is even more vital in the current economic climate. We need to place emphasis on lasting solutions, not short-term palliatives, although it has to be recognised that the latter will still be essential during the transition from where we are to where we wish to be.
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