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Step 8: Modify Practice
The evaluation results can help drive the modifications that you make
to your program.
For example:
- What areas emerged as the strengths of your program? How can you build
on those strengths to improve your program?
- What areas emerged as weaknesses of your program? How can you strengthen them?
- What concrete goals can you set for your organization in order to improve the programs and the
outcomes for participants, staff, volunteers, and communities?
- How can the evaluation findings be used to secure further funding or make an argument
for why others should support your program?
To use this information to modify practice you can:
- Set targets - Involve multiple program stakeholders in a planning process and decide where you want your program to be on core outcomes and indicators in one year and in five years.
- Make commitments - Set tangible and realistic commitments to meet the targets you decide on by changing necessary program practices.
- Develop an action plan - Create an action plan for achieving program improvement. Identify someone to oversee the process, set a timeline, assess the resources needed to bring about the change and put protocols into place for measuring achievement of targets.
Tools
for Modifying Practice:
The Reflect
and Improve tool kit is a resource for community-based organizations
looking to engage youth and adults in the evaluation of community and
youth development initiative. This activity is designed to help stakeholder
groups set targets, create action plans, and identify time frames for
reaching goals.
Also see http://www.theinnovationcenter.org
Innovation
Center for Community and Youth Development- Building Community:
A Toolkit for
Charting Assets amd Creating Change- Turning Vision into Action section (PDF)
This part of the Building Community Toolkit will help your organization
through visioning and planning for the future.
SPR Modify Practice Tool
SPR Modify
Practice PowerPoint
This tool that was created and/or adapted by Social Policy Research Associates
for Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development offers some tips
for setting program targets and commitments as well as a worksheet that your
organization can fill out.
SPR Strategic Planning Table
SPR Planning Worksheet
(PDF)
This worksheet developed by Social Policy Research Associates for Innovation
Center for Community and Youth Development offers your program the opportunity
to fill-in goals and next steps for modifying practice based on evaluation results.
SPR Action Plan
Action Plan worksheet (PDF)
This is a blank worksheet developed by Social Policy Research Associates for
Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development which allows you to
fill in commitments to changing practice based on evaluation results, as well
as the resources you will need to enact those changes.
Connect with others
Talk with others in the field
who are doing similar work or have experiences to share. Share your experiences
in Modifying Practice through the Practitioner
Database
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