Evaluation Resources
Evaluation is an important, yet often overlooked, aspect of youth programs. Not only can program evaluations measure the outcomes of programs, answering questions about program effectiveness, but they also can guide program development and refinement , validating practice or bringing to light new issues that need to be considered. Grant and policy makers are putting increasing emphasis on demonstrated effectiveness in approaches, models, and programs regarding youth health and well being. The UNH Center on Adolescence recognizes the difficulty programs may have in designing evaluation plans and offers the following websites as resources to guide your efforts.
California
Healthy Kids Survey
The Healthy Kids Survey is a comprehensive and customizable youth self-report
data collection system that provides essential and reliable health risk
assessment and resilience information to schools, districts, and communities
Although this tool is not available without cost, the website provides
information about assessment and samples of reports.
Child
Trends
Child Trends is a nonprofit, nonpartisan children's research organization
that collects and analyzes data; conducts, synthesizes, and disseminates
research; designs and evaluates programs; and develops and tests promising
approaches to research. Among other resources, this website maintains
a series of “What Works” tables based on extensive review
of available research on youth development, including topics such as adolescent
sexual health, education, and mental health.
The
Community Toolbox
The Tool Box provides practical information to support work in promoting
community health and development. Tools and skill-building exercises are
included on a variety of topics including program planning, evaluation,
and community organizing for health.
The
Edna McConnell Clark Foundation
The Evaluation and Knowledge Development pages of the Edna McConnell Clark
Foundation website provided useful links to evaluation materials, publications,
and other assessment resources.
University
of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension
This on-line course on designing logic model provides information on developing
all aspects of program logic models, and includes links to other resources.
(also
from U of Wisconsin)
Provides information on logic models, evaluation designs, and assessment
tools.
W.K.
Kellogg Foundation
(Logic Model Publication- 72 pages)
Provides information about developing and using program logic models in
developing evaluation plans. It provides a tool and template for developing
logic models and identifying evaluation questions.
(also
from W.K. Kellogg)
Provides information on the evaluation process and other tools.
Innovation
Network
Innonet.org is the website of Innovation Network, a nonprofit organization
providing evaluation information for nonprofits and funders. Their website
states that they are “dedicated to developing and sharing evaluation
tools and know-how with nonprofits and funders, so they can do their work
more effectively.”
The United Way of the Greater Seacoast
The United Way’s website provides a variety of materials related
to outcome measurement, including key terms, logic model examples, and
links to other resources.
Tufts
University PERC: Planning and Evaluation Resource Center
This website presents options for conducting self-evaluations of youth
development programs. Also, the website includes tutorials and tools on
program planning and evaluation.
The Carsey Institute has developed an evaluation program to serve regional nonprofits and train graduate students in evaluation methods. Check out their website for more information about this exciting initiative.
Resources
Highlighted Program<
Community Resources
Youth organizations
Links/
University of New Hampshire - Pettee Hall - 55 College Road - Durham, NH 03824 5/23/08