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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk
@theimpactlab.co.uk
23K followers 2.5K following 1.4K posts
Accredited Researcher l Director of Research at Trust Impact l Chair at Manchester Young Lives & Trustee at the YMCA l Masters athlete for England. I help charities measure the important stuff https://linktr.ee/ryanmiemczyk
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · 4d
Have you seen good models or bad ones? If you work with SRS or IDS UK, what do your approvals / data sharing agreements say about downstream use and public benefit?

#ONS #SRS #ADRUK #OpenData #DataEthics #UKData #SocialImpact #GovTech #DataPolicy
theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · 4d
My take:

✅ Yes to selling the value add
✅ Free: core indicators plus a short method note.
✅ Paid: faster updates, UX, support, API, bespoke analysis.

This keeps public benefit, and still rewards the work 💡
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · 4d
Question for the Researchers and Data folks:

Should companies be allowed to paywall ONS data (and not share the core results) despite access being granted on condition of 'benefiting the public?' 📊
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · 13d
Buzzing to be leading a couple of breakouts at The Future of Social Impact 🙌

⚡ How to design impact frameworks that actually get used
⚡ Data essentials for social impact

📅 Tues 18 Nov
🎟️ Tickets almost gone (<30 left)

👉 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-future...
The Future of Social Impact
Explore what it takes to create real impact. Join us for a day of honest talks, hands-on tools and bold ideas for meaningful change.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · 28d
I’m speaking at the @dsc-charity.bsky.social #GrantsUnlocked2025 conference this Thursday 🎤🚀

I’ll be sharing how to measure & report impact in ways people actually care about.

Cool tools + practical tips for charities 🙌

👉 dsc.org.uk/event/grants-unlocked-2025
Grants Unlocked 2025 - Online conference on Thursday 18 September 2025 - Directory of Social Change
Securing grants is more competitive than ever, with increasing demand for funding and shifting priorities from grant-makers. To succeed, charities must refine their approaches, tell compelling stories...
dsc.org.uk
theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Aug 29
I am speaking at the next @dsc-charity.bsky.social online conference on 'Measuring and Reporting Impact'.

I'm going to try and make it as practical as possible so people walk away with some actionable insights.

Pre-questions also welcome!

Details here: www.dsc.org.uk/event/grants...
Grants Unlocked 2025 - Online conference on Thursday 18 September 2025 - Directory of Social Change
Securing grants is more competitive than ever, with increasing demand for funding and shifting priorities from grant-makers. To succeed, charities must refine their approaches, tell compelling stories...
www.dsc.org.uk
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Aug 20
I’m currently looking for a panel member for a session I’m hosting at our conference on the 18th November.

I’m looking for an org that actively uses its impact framework as their North Star.

If you are or know someone, give me a shout!
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Aug 14
If your charity wants to use postcode data without the GDPR headaches, I’m happy to share how this works or help you build your own version ⚙️

DM me 📩 or reply 💬

#DataForGood #CharityTech #GDPR
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Aug 14
Why does “in the browser” matter? 🧐

Think of it like checking someone’s ID in their own house 🔑

You see it, take the info you need, and hand it straight back, nothing leaves with you.
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Aug 14
Keep the insights but ditch the risk by building a browser-based tool that:

🔍 Looks up the postcode locally on the user’s device
📤 Only returns postcode sector + LSOA name + LSOA code
🌍 Links straight to area-level stats like deprivation, health, education
✅ Ensuring no postcode leaves the device
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Aug 14
On average, a postcode covers ~15 homes 🏠

But there are:

🏡 Rural postcodes with just 2–3 houses
📮 55,000+ single-address postcodes in England & Wales
📦 Large-user postcodes for just one org or PO Box

In these cases, a full postcode can be identifiable data 🎯
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Aug 14
👋 Charity friends 👋

One of the top GDPR questions I get is "Can we collect postcodes?"

The answer: sometimes ✅ sometimes ⚠️

And the risks are bigger than most people think (especially in rural areas)
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Jul 24
Overall, I’m super impressed. DoE is showing that rigorous, transparent, and well-communicated impact measurement is possible at scale. They’re already doing so much right, but with sharper segmentation, they could lead the field even further. 🚀

(7/7)
theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Jul 24
Imagine the power of being able to say,

“Young people from high deprivation areas experienced this level of improved wellbeing compared to their peers from lower deprivation areas.”

That’s where the real story lies. 💡

(6/7)
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Jul 24
A key opportunity for improvement would be stronger segmentation of their impact data.

For example, we need to see how outcomes differ by demographics like deprivation level, ethnicity, or region this is critical to understanding equity of access and impact. 🔧

(5/7)
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Jul 24
However, there’s a challenge that stood out.

More than 50% of participants come from areas of low deprivation (IMD 8-10: likely affluent areas).

While that isn’t inherently a bad thing, it raises questions about whether the programme is reaching those who might benefit the most? 🏙️↔️🏞️

(4/7)
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Jul 24
I also love how upfront they are about the sample, both in terms of who responded and how representative it is. Too many reports hide this detail in footnotes or ignore it entirely. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is setting a standard here. 🏅

(3/7)
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Jul 24
They’re using validated questions (like those from ONS wellbeing measures), which is such a refreshing change from the vague and untested indicators we often see in the charity sector. ✅

This means their data has both credibility and comparability. (2/7)
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Jul 24
🧵Impact Report Best Practices ⬇️

Just finished reading the latest @dofe.org Impact Report and their Technical Report, and wow, the level of transparency and rigour in their measurement framework is impressive. 📊👏

https://impctlab.uk/DoEImpactReport
https://impctlab.uk/DoETechnicalReport

(1/7)
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Jul 18
🚨📊 The English #IndicesOfDeprivation2025 will be released in Oct/Nov this year.

This is huge! 🔥

#IMD underpins funding decisions, #research, #policy targeting, and #impact #measurement across England.

If you use #postcode #data, map #disadvantage, or care about place-based work, get ready. 🗺️
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Jul 18
Maybe the future of AI isn't just silicon 🤖.

Maybe it's squishier than we thought...

🧠💧

(7/7)
theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Jul 18
Especially if we want AI in the social sector to be part of the solution and not another source of extraction and harm. 🚩

Currently, we don't need to pick between ethics, climate, and innovation but we do need to ask questions about what our tech is doing to people and to the planet 🌍
(6/7)
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Jul 18
Could these organoids ever develop consciousness? 🧘‍♂️
What are the limits of using human tissue for computing? 🧬
Who owns a piece of lab-grown brain that's doing your data processing? 🧫

But it’s worth sitting with the idea that biological computing might be a path to more sustainable AI.
(5/7)
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Jul 18
A Swiss company called #FinalSpark is already renting out these brain organoids for around $500/month.💰

They use less energy and could be a low-carbon future for AI if the tech develops further. 🌿

Of course, there are big ethical questions 🚨
(4/7)
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theimpactlab.co.uk
Ryan Miemczyk @theimpactlab.co.uk · Jul 18
Because weirdly, there’s a growing field exploring the use of brain organoids as a form of biological computing. 🧬

Yes, you read that right: miniature brain-like clusters of human cells (nicknamed “wetware”) that can be used as a processor for things like AI.

This isn’t sci-fi 👽 (3/7)
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