This session seeks to instruct and train students who want to further engage their service with policy-oriented solutions. This session will cover the ways students can begin to seek impactful evidence-based practices to inform the policies that lead to social change.

1. Policy-Oriented
Solutions
Bonner Congress 2018
Jasmine Rangel, Berry College ’17
Kai Mangino, The College of New Jersey ’19
Judith Carrillo, Allegheny College ‘20
Grow Justice, Grow Peace.

2. Introductions & Ice Breaker
Grow Justice,
Grow Peace.

3. Introductions &
Ice Breaker!
Name
Institution
“What was one moment you
felt like you were making the
most impact as a Bonner?

4. 321
Understand the
purpose of
knowing your issue
S E S S I O N
G O A L S
Understand service
programs and how
they relate to policy
(evidence-based)
Learn how policy
research may
effectively inform
change
Grow Justice,
Grow Peace.

5. S E S S I O N
A G E N D A
1. Purpose of Knowing Your Issue
2. Topic Possibilities
3. Root Into Policy!
4. Future Potentials
5. Try it Out!
Grow Justice,
Grow Peace.

6. Know Your Issue Modules
Grow Justice,
Grow Peace.

7. Know Your Issue
Modules
• Purpose: Provide Bonners with
the ability to critically assess
the scope of the issue area
under which they serve by
understanding impact of past
and current policies
For Bonner Students:
• Outcomes: Understand the
value that comes with
compiling an issue brief.
• Skills: Interview, Research,
Writing

8. Know Your Issue
Modules
For National Network:
• Outcomes: Information-
sharing to the Bonner Network
• Information: examples,
opportunities
• Improve services administered
to local communities

9. What is an Issue-
Brief?
Example: Career Development
Programs for Youth - Trenton, NJ

10. What is an Issue-Brief?
• Focuses on a specific and
local, community issue
• Answers:
What is the nature/extent of
the issue?
What has been tried in the
past to address it?
What is currently being done
to address it?
What are the different ways
organizations/individuals are
addressing the issue?
GOAL STATEMENT
SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM
PAST POLICY
CURRENT POLICY
MODEL PROGRAMS
KEY ORG./INDIVIDUALS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Key Elements:

11. What is an Issue-Brief?
GOAL STATEMENT
SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM
PAST POLICY
CURRENT POLICY
MODEL PROGRAMS
KEY ORG./INDIVIDUALS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gives purpose and direction to research accomplished.
Should be a response to the overall issue.
Hard data surrounding the issue area.
Previous programs/policies implemented to combat the
effects of the issue area.
What is currently being funded or implemented locally?
Different approaches communities & organizations are
working to solve problems.
Those who are involved with the issue area in some way.
References of all information!

12. Why do I need to
know my issue?
Impact &
Social Change
How do you define impact? How does this turn into policy?
Knowing Your Issue provides an in-depth
wealth of contextual and systemic knowledge
on a specific issue area.

13. Why do I need to know my issue?
Potential Outcomes to be achieved:
Be informed about:
How my issue affects other areas of the country and
what communities are doing to alleviate it
How to improve services provided (funding,
programmatic changes, etc.
Contextual information on the community
Policy-changing opportunities

14. Why do I need to know my issue?
Impact &
Social Change
M Y S E R V I C E Impact
Sustained Impact
through Policies

15. Brainstorming Topics
Grow Justice,
Grow Peace.

16. What social justice
issue(s) motivate you
to take action and
find solutions?

17. What is your service site?
Do you know how your
community is solving a need?

18. Choosing & Narrowing Your Issue
Goal Statements/ Issue-Brief Topics:
•Must be created to frame and give purpose to your
research.
•Establish goals as a response to the overall issue and
solution-oriented.
What is my overall issue area?
Starting Issue:

19. Choosing & Narrowing Your Issue
Brainstorm Your Topic:
Is my topic real?
Does my topic matter to someone? Who?
Will it be useful to do research and collect data on
this topic? Why?
Does this topic allow for community members to
provide feedback?

20. Choosing & Narrowing Your Issue
Example:
What is my overall issue area?
Starting Issue:
Immigration
Rights of
Undocumented
Workers
Psychological effects
of immigration
College Access for
Immigrant youth
Path to citizenshipPoverty status of
immigrant youth
DACA Awareness & Bipartisan Immigration Reform

21. Choosing & Narrowing Your Issue
Example:
What is my overall issue area?
Starting Issue:
Poverty / The Working Poor
Education
Opportunities
Transportation Access
& Availability
Neighborhood Crime
Reduction
Healthcare Access
Housing Security
“Developing Transportation for The Working Poor”

22. Choosing & Narrowing Your Issue
Example:
What is my overall issue area?
Starting Issue:
Environmental TopicsRecycling/Trash
Environmental
Media
Fracking
Urban SprawlWater Quality
Industrial/
Consumer
Influence
Environmental
Movement
“Regulating Fracking in NWGA”

23. Choosing & Narrowing Your Issue
Example Topics:
•Career Development Programs for Youth
•Increasing Child Care Subsidies for Neighborhood
Residents
•Preventative Health Services for Low-Income Residents

24. Now it’s your
turn!
Try to come up with your
ideal topic / goal
statement!

25. Theory of Change & Logic Models
Grow Justice,
Grow Peace.

26. Evidence-Based Programs
START Desire to alleviate community challenges.
Challenges can range:
Hunger Health
Housing Education
Theory of Change

27. Evidence-Based Programs
Theory of Change
Defines a cause-and-effect relationship between a specific
intervention/activity and an intended outcome.
Community
Problem / Need
Specific
Intervention
Intended
Outcome
1. 2.3.

28. Evidence-Based Programs
Theory of Change
Gather local data on extent and severity of issue.
Community
Problem / Need
Specific
Intervention
Intended
Outcome
1.
Data/Facts that document the need for assistance:
• How many individuals are affected?
• What’s the severity of issue?
• What will happen if nothing is done to alleviate the issue?
• Why does the need exist?

29. Evidence-Based Programs
Theory of Change
Evaluate the intended outcome -
What is the change you hope to make?
Community
Problem / Need
Specific
Intervention
Intended
Outcome
• Change can be thought of as:
• Change in Knowledge
• Change in Behavior
• Change in the Environment
• Change in Policies
2.
Long Term
Goal!

30. Evidence-Based Programs
Theory of Change
Find interventions to achieve
the goal.
Community
Problem / Need
Specific
Intervention
Intended
Outcome
Interventions: most
effective set of activities to
deliver or implement within
the community that will
likely lead to the intended
change.
3.

31. Evidence-Based Programs - Review
Theory of Change
Community
Problem / Need
Specific
Intervention
Intended
Outcome
Families suffer from
poor nutrition-related
health problems
Nutrition Education
and Referral
Services
Healthier Families
Example:

32. Evidence-Based Programs - Review
Theory of Change
Defines a cause-and-effect relationship between a specific
intervention/activity and an intended outcome.
Community
Problem / Need
Specific
Intervention
Intended
Outcome
Statistics documenting
and outlining the
community need
Evidence
Guides choice of
intervention
Supports cause-effect
relationship

33. Evidence-Based Programs
Logic Model
The visual representation of the intended theory of change in action.
Inputs Outputs Outcomes - Impact
What is being
invested?
What do we
do?
Who
participates?
What are the short term
results?
What are the medium
term results?
What is the ultimate
impact sought?

34. Evidence-Based Programs
Logic Model
Inputs Outputs Outcomes - Impact
Resources Activities Outputs Outcomes/Impact Long-Term Goal
Certain resources
are needed to
operate your
program.
Utilize
resources to
to
accomplish
your planned
activities
Accomplish
planned
activities,
deliver
amount of
services
intended
Accomplish
planned
activities to the
extent intended,
participants will
benefit in a
certain way.
If benefits to
participants are
achieved, certain
changes in
organizations,
communities, or
systems might
be expected to
occur.
Planned Work Intended Results

35. Evidence-Based Programs
Logic Model
Inputs Outputs Outcomes - Impact
Resources Activities Outputs Outcomes/Impact Long-Term Goal
• Money
• Time off of work
or school
• good weather
• good hotel
• transportation
(drive or fly)
• Book flights,
hotels,
transportati
on
• create trip
itinerary
• Flight, hotel,
confirmation
• Money
saved
• Friends, family,
or I enjoy
vacation
• Helping mental
health by
taking a break
from work/
school
Trip Planning Intended Trip Results

36. Evidence-Based Programs
Logic Model
Inputs Outputs Outcomes - Impact
Resources Activities Outputs Outcomes/Impact Long-Term Goal
? ? ? ? ?
Baking Cookies Cookies Baked for Craving
I’m craving cookies. How can we combat my cookie craving?

37. Evidence-Based Programs
Data Collection
Based off of parameters set in theory of change & logic model.
Inputs Outputs Outcomes - Impact
Community
Problem / Need
Specific
Intervention
Intended
Outcome

38. Evidence-Based Programs
Data Collection
Inputs Outputs Outcomes - Impact
Community
Problem / Need
Specific
Intervention
Intended
Outcome
Design of program

39. Evidence-Based Programs
Data Collection
Inputs Outputs Outcomes - Impact
Community
Problem / Need
Specific
Intervention
Intended
Outcome
Dosage of program

40. Evidence-Based Programs
Data Collection
Inputs Outputs Outcomes - Impact
Community
Problem / Need
Specific
Intervention
Intended
Outcome
Outcome goals of program

41. Evidence-Based Programs
Evidence-Based Practices: rigorously evaluated
in experimental evaluations - randomized
controlled trials - shown to make a positive,
statistically signifiant difference in important
outcomes.
Measurable, reliable, viable.

42. Now it’s your
turn!
Try to create the Theory
of Change and Logic
Model for your service
site!

43. Application Practice
•Who are you serving? why?
•What are the ways the program is changing the status of the need?
•What are the specific implementation parameters of the program?
•What is the long-term impact sought by the program /by the
organization?
Use the handout provided!

44. Additional Reflection
•What are your overall observations from this activity?
•What need did you observe?
•Give a brief synopsis of what you presume to be the theory of
change in your service.
•What data does your site collect? If it does not collect any, what
data could they collect to measure impact?
•Are there any service sites here that overlap in their theory of
change or intervention? Which ones? How so?

45. Future Potentials
Grow Justice,
Grow Peace.

46. Future Potentials
Government
Policies
?
Impact &
Social Change
Bipartisan
Support
Effective
Programs
Funding
IMPACTFUL PROGRAMS

47. Future Potentials - Evidence-Based Policymaking
1) Build evidence on what works
2)Monitor program delivery / use impact evaluation to
measure program effectiveness
3) Use evidence to improve and scale programs or
redirect funds
4)Encourage the testing of new innovative approaches

48. Making Plans for Future Research
Grow Justice,
Grow Peace.

49. Follow this process when researching:
Conducting Research
My Issue at the
National Level
My Issue in
Past/Present
My Issue at the
State Level
My Issue in
Past/Present
My Issue at the
Local Level
My Issue in
Past/Present

50. Jasmine Rangel
NJ Bonner
Program Associate
jasmine@bonner.org
Kai Mangino
TCNJ
Senior Intern
mangink2@tcnj.edu
Judith Carrillo
Allegheny College
BAB Member
carrilloj@allegheny.edu
Q u e s t i o n s ?

51. Thanks for attending!
Grow Justice,
Grow Peace