Aberdeen-based Influence Charity has launched the second edition of Influence Magazine, inviting organisations across the public, private and third sectors to consider whether important voices, experiences and communities are missing from the evidence used to shape decisions.
The latest edition, The People Missing From The Picture, examines how organisations collect, interpret and use evidence when developing policies, delivering services and measuring outcomes. Drawing on publicly available information, including Freedom of Information responses, Equality Impact Assessments and official statistics, the publication explores whether some barriers and lived experiences remain under-represented in the data that informs decision-making.
Rather than advocating predetermined conclusions, the magazine encourages readers to ask critical questions about the quality, completeness and interpretation of evidence. Topics include housing, education, digital inclusion, equality, public participation and the challenges organisations face in ensuring that decisions reflect the experiences of the communities they serve.
Dr Abiola Abimbola, founder of Influence Charity, said: "Every organisation wants to make informed decisions, but good decision-making depends on more than simply collecting data. It requires us to ask whether the evidence truly reflects the communities we serve, or whether some voices remain unheard. Through this edition of Influence Magazine*, we hope to encourage constructive discussion about how businesses, charities and public bodies can strengthen evidence-based decision-making by recognising both what the data tells us and what it may not yet reveal."*
Influence Charity believes that organisations which actively seek diverse perspectives and continuously review the evidence underpinning their decisions are better placed to improve services, build public confidence and respond to changing community needs.
The publication forms part of the charity's wider commitment to promoting evidence-led discussion, public engagement and informed debate on issues affecting communities across Aberdeen and beyond.
The second edition of Influence Magazine is available to download free of charge at Magazine - Influence Charity. Businesses, community organisations and members of the public are also invited to contribute ideas and evidence that could inform future editions.