52 - Re-Imagining Youth-Led Programs by Centering an Evaluation Framework in a Peer-to-Peer Learning Environment

Abstract Information: In an ever-evolving environment, we may find ourselves feeling challenged to uphold what we have always done and even questioned how to be successful with the same tried-and-true tools that we have used in the past. What do you do when it is time to re-imagine how to approach the work you have done for years? The Ohio Adult Allies Initiative is a network of adult allies who facilitate and advance youth-led programs that create an environment for young people to be empowered to identify and address community issues of importance to them. Through this community-based process, adult allies guide young people in creating and implementing strategic plans using evidence-based strategies to foster healthy communities. The work is implemented using two frameworks: the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) and the Youth Empowerment Conceptual Framework (YECF). The Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) allows adults to guide youth in strategic planning while the Youth Empowerment Conceptual Framework (YECF) creates the overall structure and climate of youth-led groups to support planning. Throughout these last few years, the Ohio Adult Allies Facilitation Team has witnessed disruption in the form of turnover and changes in adult staff roles, youth-led groups pressing pause on their projects with young people, and others disbanding altogether in the face of a new normal. As such, the facilitation team was inspired to create a space for adult allies across Ohio to come together to evaluate their youth-led programs to see opportunities for change and to re-center elements that contributed to successful implementation in the past. Through a virtual learning community called the Ready to Refresh Series, the facilitation team led a guided process where participating adult allies engaged in micro-learning and reflection activities to re-envision their youth-led groups. The main goal of the series was for participants to evaluate the structure and function of their youth-led programs to better reflect their new context. In addition to the facilitation team, the Ohio Adult Allies Regional Learning Collaborative, a cadre of experienced adult allies who formally serve as mentors and support the work at the regional level, also engaged in the series to provide peer mentoring throughout the process. This session will explore opportunities to build upon existing strengths of individuals and organizations to increase their capacity for internal evaluation through peer-to-peer learning. Learning is a communal act and when individuals approach issues as both a teacher and a learner, the possibility for change in practice is enhanced.