Learning Objectives: Describe at least 3 interactive activities or techniques for integrating evaluation into youth prevention programs.
Abstract: PROBLEM: Evaluation is a core requirement for funding in tobacco control, yet youth and adult leaders often lack skills and capacity to conduct evaluation. This session will share successful strategies for integrating evaluation into programs, including a youth-led demonstration of program monitoring software.
METHODS: The North Carolina ?Y (Question Why) Youth Empowerment Centers incorporate evaluation into their empowerment model. Youth and adult staff participate in skill-building workshops ("Data Parties"), conduct community assessments, and use a computerized program monitoring system that links program theory to objectives and activities, with built-in reports on infrastructure and community events.
RESULTS: During Year One, three ?Y Centers logged 210 infrastructure building events (including 55 training/TA, 59 partnering, 73 planning and 23 recruitment) and 127 community events that contributed to initial intermediate outcomes: 8 activated youth groups working on tobacco in diverse community agencies, 4 school policy petition drives, 2 school boards approving diversion, 4 key leaders publicly supporting policy change, and 22 earned media spots. Annual reports provided insight into areas for growth, e.g., Centers incorporated more strategy on creating smoke-free environments into Year Two Action Plans.
DISCUSSION: Evaluation is often not an easy sell to youth or adults. Many are busy activists who prefer "getting to work" rather than collecting or analyzing data. Challenges to empowerment evaluation include determining meaningful ways to spend limited resources and generating interest among youth for follow-up, analysis, and planning. To make the effort worthwhile, evaluation should be integrated into programming and provide data for strategy and action.
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