We partner with leaders and organizations
to center community perspectives
in measuring and learning
from change efforts.
All in Case study
We have long supported Waltham Partnership for Youth in implementing the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) so that decision-makers could use survey findings to inform important decisions. In 2023, we balanced involving youth in participatory instrument review while respecting community input from prior years. While we believe that our efforts fostered authentic student responses, we are reminded that participatory methods require significant investments of time and attention to do well.
When we began partnering with the coalition in 2017, it was in the early stages of defining its work in this space and auditing its own internal practices using Jones & Okun’s White Supremacy Culture document as a guide. As a part of this process we considered ways in which white supremacy culture showed up in the coalition’s evaluation framework and practices, and identified alternative ways to loosen its grip.
A youth-serving organization in Massachusetts wanted to prepare a Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) report that would be easy for youth, parents, and community members to digest. We designed a report that aims to make the data accessible to all by using consistent visual elements, easy-to-read charts, and color-coded sections to simplify navigation.
At the end of a 4-year behavior change project, an international NGO in Thailand wanted to understand which of its interventions made the biggest difference to the desired outcome. We designed a mixed methods evaluation that used qualitative comparative analysis to identify pathways to successful outcomes.
A community health coalition in Massachusetts wanted to understand its outcomes in promoting cross-institutional learning and collaboration. We used social network analysis to map levels and types of collaboration among coalition members.
A youth-serving organization in Waltham, MA wanted to understand the transportation challenges of youth and families across the city. We conducted a transportation equity study using targeted community engagement strategies to ensure the inclusion of voices that are traditionally underrepresented in community surveys.
