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Skill Building Workshop

Youth Focused Evaluation

Evaluating WITH Youth: Strategies for Enhancing Youth Participation in Data Analysis and Meaning-making

Stream: International Evaluation, Diversity, and Specific Populations

Friday, October 25, 2024
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM PST
Location: Portland Ballroom 252
Abstract Information: What are the best ways to build trusting, equitable relationships in evaluation with youth and foster an inclusive environment where their voices are valued? How can we integrate and elevate youth perspectives in processing and interpreting data to inform decision-making and ensure programs align better with youth's aspirations and needs? How can we do better to build mentorship and leadership opportunities for youth in our meaning-making processes and as new evaluators? The AEA Youth Focused Evaluation TIG, along with our colleagues from the Senegalese Evaluation Association and EvalYouth North America, are excited to provide an opportunity to explore and practice facilitating participatory data analysis and meaning-making strategies to support ethical, equitable, and culturally responsive partnerships with youth in evaluation. We are building on a previous skill-building session. We welcome everyone to join, including adult and youth evaluators/researchers, program providers, direct service staff, youth workers, and funders. When engaged in thoughtful, equitable, and culturally responsive evaluation collaborations with adults, youth can gain new experiences, build skills, and strengthen social-emotional learning. In addition, youth-serving organizations gain new insights and a deeper understanding of young people's experiences, aspirations, and priorities. This understanding can be used to ensure that their programs are equitable and relevant to youth. Attendees will learn about the features, benefits, and considerations of using participatory strategies in youth-focused evaluation. We will begin with a brief introduction to adult-youth partnerships, which calls for different skills and capacities. Not all adults are willing to share power with youth or value their insights as much as they do those of adults or those with traditional academic qualifications. Then, we will review the activities available for hands-on practice, such as a group thematic coding process or the meaning and recommendation-making W3 activity. Each activity will happen concurrently and be led by one of the TIG's leaders or colleagues simultaneously. We expect up to five activity areas, each focusing on a different tool or approach to facilitate participatory data analysis and meaning-making with youth. Attendees can choose one activity area that aligns with the strategy they want to practice and join it. The session will conclude with a digital poll to identify what attendees gained from the experience, outstanding questions, and areas of curiosity. Attendees will have digital access to the materials via a QR code, including activity how-to guides from this season and the previous skill-building session.