What is the Power of Events?
The Power of Events is an interactive learning resource designed to help you plan events that build social connection and cohesion. It’s made up of two parts:
Part 1: The Power of Events
A step-by-step guide to planning inclusive events that bring people together in meaningful ways. Through guided learning and interactive exercises, you’ll create a Theory of Change for your event which you can use to maximise your impact.
It focuses on how to build social cohesion through your event, but you’ll also find extra tools and links in the additional resources section.
Part 2: The Belong Social Value Estimator
This estimates the social value of your event, including how much wellbeing it could generate through social cohesion. It uses your own event data to generate a report. For the most accurate results we recommend you complete part 1 first.
Why use this resource?
When events are done well, they can bring people together to hold conversations, bridge divides, and foster a sense of belonging. But there’s also a risk that events contribute to divisions in a place.
This guide is based on evidence from Spirit of 2012’s ten-year archive showing what works in using events to foster social cohesion. The estimator is based on methodology used by governments, researchers and funders to understand social value.
Who is it for?
- Event organisers looking to connect communities
- Funders and local authorities commissioning events
What’s involved?
Part 1 includes five short modules with real-world examples and practical exercises. As you go, you’ll learn how to create the conditions for cohesion and build a custom Theory of Change for your event which you can download to discuss with your team. Part 1 takes between 1 and 2 hours to complete, depending on how familiar you are with social cohesion.
In part 2 you’ll enter some facts and figures about your event to estimate its social value. If you have all your event details ready, it will take around 10 mins to complete if you go straight to the Estimator.
The full resource takes around an hour to complete.
Our partners
This resource was developed in partnership with Spirit of 2012, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games social legacy organisation. Their research, learning and insights from over a decade of funding projects to inspire a social legacy is available at www.spiritof2012.org.uk.
Our expert Advisory Panel brought their knowledge, experience and expertise to help shape this resource. The Panel included Department for Culture, Media and Sport and local authority officers, funders, researchers and community practitioners.
