Exploring how young people can contribute meaningfully in project evaluation

1. Engaging Young People
in Evaluation
SMRITI BHATTARAI
EDRD 6000
UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH

2. Youth Engagement in Evaluation- What
does it mean?
 A process of involving young people in knowledge development at the community
level.
 Taking an approach in which young people are active participants in defining the
problem, gathering the information, and using the results.
 The model of engagement/role varies depending on the level of involvement
Consultation/Young Advisor: one-off/few meetings at key stages
of the research/evaluation
Collaboration/Young Researcher: active, on-going participation
Young People Led: locus of power is with young people

3. History/Origin
 Fairly recent and increasingly visible phenomenon
 An evaluation paradigm employed to give youth voice
 Builds on Article 12 and 13 of “UN Convention on Rights of Child” i.e. Freedom to Expression and
Involvement
 Builds on Theoretical perspective
- Involving those on whom research focuses on can have a positive
impact on what is researched, how research is conducted and the
impact of research findings (Staley, 2009)
- Shift from seeing CYP as subjects of research/ objects of enquiry
towards a view of CYP as social actors with right to active
participation (eg Grieg et al, 2007; Prout, 2002)
- Increasing acknowledgement of their competence to do so and the
power of the ‘child voice’ in research (eg Alderson, 2001; Powell & Smith, 2009).
 Is based on the principles agreed in “Wingspread Declaration of Principles for youth participation
in community research and evaluation” -2002

4. Principles
Wingspread Declaration of Principles for Youth Participation in Community Research and Evaluation
 Youth participation in community research and evaluation transforms its participants. It transforms our ways of knowing, the strategies we devise, the methods we
employ, and our program of work.
 Youth participation promotes youth empowerment. It recognizes the experience and expertise of all young people, and respects their leadership capacities and
potential contributions.
 Youth participation builds mutually liberatory partnerships. It values the assets of all ages, and fosters supportive and respectful youth-youth and youth-adult working
relationships.
 Youth participation equalizes power relationships between youth and adults. It establishes a level playing field in which participants are clear about the purpose of the
process and the power imbalances between groups. It structures environments that respect the involvement of young people, and train adults in supporting genuine
youth decision-making and leadership development.
 Youth participation is an inclusive process that recognizes all forms of democratic leadership, young and old. It involves diverse populations and perspectives,
especially those who are traditionally underserved and underrepresented.
 Youth participation involves young people in meaningful ways. Young people participate in all stages of the process, from defining the problem, to gathering and
analyzing the information, to making decisions and taking action.
 Youth participation is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. Participants continuously clarify and reflect upon its purpose, process, and content. Research and
evaluation are viewed as an integral part of knowledge development, program planning, and community improvement

5. Ladder of engagement of Young
People in Evaluation
 Working with adult partners
to define the focus of the evaluation
 Designing instruments and collecting data
 Serving as informants
 Analyzing data
 Reporting findings to stakeholders

6. Process

7. Youth Friendly Qualitative Evaluation
Tools
 Documents Review
 Observations
 Interview
 Focus Group Discussions
 Debriefing
 Participatory Mapping
 Photo Novella
 Media Analysis

8. Benefits of Youth Engagement in
Evaluation

9. Challenges/Limitations
 Availability
 Age and accrual
 Informed consent and the role of gatekeepers
 Safeguarding and child protection vs rights to participate
 Resource implications
 Lack of experience
 Power issues
 Quality and ethics
 Skepticism from researchers and research bodies

10. Scenario- Youth Engagement in
Evaluation
 Heartwood Centre for Community Youth Development in Nova Scotia, Canada,
supported youth to do community asset mapping. The project identified assets
(people, material resources and networks of relationships in the community) and
gaps in what is needed for young people in the community in lead of young
people using qualitative technique. Visit Heartwood sites for details.
http://heartwood.ns.ca/
 The Unity Circle used participatory action research with Iraqi boys and girls living
as refugees in Amman, Jordan. The young people identified challenges and coping
strategies using their own words and images. The key informants were the young
people themselves identifying their issues and how those could be best addressed.
Again the method used here is a qualitative technique
http://iicrd.org

11. Let’s Discuss
In what ways youth engagement in evaluation has the potential
 to shift and heal the conventional youth adult relationship to partnership in
project evaluation?
 greater youth engagement in community development?

12. References
 Sabo Flores, K. (2008). Youth participatory evaluation: Strategies for
engaging young people. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons.
 School of Social Work, University of Michigan. (2002). Wingspread
symposium on youth participation in community research: Summary of
proceedings. (PDF)
 Checkoway, B., Dobbie, D., Richards-Schuster, K. (2003). Youth
engagement in community evaluation research. CYD Journal, 4 (1).
 Sabo, K. (2003) Youth participatory evaluation: A field in the making. New
Directions in Evaluation, 98. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass