Youth should be involved throughout the entire process in a collaborative relationship with adults. They can engage by helping think of research questions, issues, focus groups, and observation. It is key to make sure youth aren’t just saying what they do and don’t like but actually making decisions. Adults can help in this process by building their youth engagement skills through exposure to youth culture.
When entering into a new setting the best way to get results is to start with respect, and engagement in the evaluation can be a good way to do this. Key people who know the community can be good people to ask who should be part of the evaluation. People that live and have a commitment to the community know the ways something can be done better than a research team, and they want to feel empowered and part of the process to develop a meaningful outcome and understand its impact.
When a program is evidence-based, it has been through an experimental design, shown to work, and evaluated at a rigorous level. A research-based program means the incorporated content of a program is supported by current research. Model programs are listed on a website called Blueprints shown with the best evidence of effectiveness, but qualifications can vary by website.
Evaluation is key to knowing, especially for participants, that differences are being made in terms of program quality and outcomes. Funders want to make sure they are putting their money to good use in a sustainable program. Evidence of change being made also helps the program tell its story and get its message across.
When reporting results identify the audience and what they need to know in order to make a decision by using bullet points and putting findings within the context of similar findings. Usually a less biased person that is an advocate for the program that the audience will listen to is a better choice than the researcher who conducted the study. Some general rules when conveying results: simple is always better, pictures help clarify, and use multiple perspectives.
Outcomes can occur at different levels; activities, participants, and system wide outcomes. Process evaluation looks at what went on in the program that is helping achieve the outcomes. Outcome evaluation looks at what is expected to change in the participants when going through the program and why.
With the explosion of online learning opportunities, it is important for educators to build safe online learning environments for young people. The aim of this webinar is to teach risk management policies and practices that promote online youth safety. Dr. Skuza will share examples from the Minnesota 4-H Youth Development program. Learning Objectives: Promote online safety for youth. Develop a practical skill set that can be used in most online learning environments with youth. Promote adult and organizational capacity to ensure the safety of youth. Dr.
The 2018 CYFAR Annual Report provides an overview of the accomplishments of the Children, Youth, and Families At-Risk community-based programs.
Data is a powerful tool that can be used to guide program improvement, educate stakeholders, inform decision makers, and motivate funders. This webinar accomplished the following: highlighted online sources of children’s health data; shared resources for promoting good nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and limited screen time; explained tools offered by the CYFAR PDTA Center to assess children’s health behaviors and deliver impactful education and outreach; and demonstrated how to use health statistics to influence local policies and make a case for funding.
Participants learned: (a) Why social responsibility (commitment to others and the greater good) and civic action (e.g., volunteering, community connections) are critical aspects of child and adolescent development; (b) Malleable features of youth-adult relationships and program settings that nurture social responsibility values and civic action; and (c) Concrete activities and practices for leveraging youth-adult relationships to deepen youth’s community connections, voice, and social and civic commitment.