This document describes small group activities to help participants assess a youth program's readiness for outcome-based measurement. The activities focus on a case study of a program called New Possibilities Youth Services that provides leadership and employment skills development for newcomer youth. Participants discuss questions about the clarity of the program's description and theory, the realism of its strategies and intended outcomes, and key elements of a measurement plan for the program, including anticipated challenges in implementation. The goal is to help participants evaluate if a program's design supports outcome-based evaluation and determine appropriate outcome measures and indicators.

1. Outcome-Based Measurement from Theory to Implementation
Small Group Activities
Yonatan Ghebray
Ghebray Consulting
647-823-5402
ghebrayconsulting@rogers.com
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2. Activity One (10 minutes)
Clear program description is essential for implementing outcome-based measurement. Think of a
program you are familiar with and use the following questions to assess if you think the program is
ready for outcome-based measurement. .
1. How well does the program define the problem/issue?
2. Are program interventions feasible and practical given the problem/issue the program intends
to address and the target population?
3. Is there clarity and logical link between the resources invested, program interventions, and
expected outcomes?
4. Is there a clear and implicit program theory or causal assumptions between resources
invested, program interventions (activities/strategies) and expected outcomes?
5. Are there reasonably clear performance measures or indicators of program outcomes and
outputs?
6. What is the capacity, experience or authority of program leaders to facilitate and act on
findings?
Activity Two – Program Description (20 minutes)
Case #1
New Possibilities Youth Services is a grassroots and youth led organization with a strong commitment
to engage youth in the community. The agency has been engaging youth over the past ten years with
a focus on getting them ready for adulthood by involving them in leadership and employment skills
development. The agency’s reputation among funders and other community stakeholders has
particularly grown over the past three years. The agency received an award for its innovative work in
youth leadership and employment skills development and has become a partner of choice for many
agencies in the community. Recently, the agency received additional funding from a community
foundation to expand its innovative youth leadership and employment skills development work to
engage Newcomer Youth. The agency partnered with a local trade union that brought
expertise/experience in skills training.
In developing the program, the agencies started with the following basic assumption. Newcomer
Youth have multiple pressing issues (e.g. limited community & social support, generational conflict
with parents/caregivers, and limited access to employment) and other systemic issues that require
ongoing support. If these aspects of their lives are not taken into account, the program supports they
receive are not likely to lead to leadership development and community engagement.
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3. Therefore, the agencies decided to have one component of the program dedicated to providing
ongoing support to Newcomer Youth. The ultimate goal of the program was to enable Newcomer
Youth to develop personal & organizational leadership skills as well as employment skills. The
program had the following components:
1. Ongoing support, such as informal counseling, information & referral and other personal and
social supports to ensure full participation in the program
2. Life skills training (i.e. trades skills, financial literacy/management, job search strategies) to
ensure job readiness
3. Leadership development training (i.e. conflict management skills, teamwork skills, camp
leadership certification) to develop personal and organizational skills
The program team include a settlement worker, youth outreach worker, program manager, life skills
coach, and trades skills specialist.
Discuss the following questions in duos or trios.
1. Thinking about your role, what is missing in the program description?
2. Is the program theory clearly articulated?
3. Do program strategies/interventions and intended outcomes seem realistic?
4. What strategies/interventions and outcomes would you add?
Activity Three (20 minutes)
Building on your small group discussion, take a moment to think about measurement plan and
implementation. Work in duos or trios to discuss the following questions.
1. From your perspective, what would “success” look like for this program?
2. What specific measures or indicators (i.e. scope & reach, program quality, outcomes for
clients) would you identify in your measurement plan?
3. Thinking about your role, what difficulties would you anticipate in implementing your
measurement plan?
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