DATA FOR

IMPROVEMENTPractical strategies

to strengthen your impact

Presented by Dale A. Blyth and Brandi Olson

SESSION GOALS:

Get clear on why data matters more today

Know where you are going with data

Use data to learn, adjust, and tell a better story along the way

Name

Organization

Relationship status with data No interest in a

relationship

Never Met

Flirting

Dating

Broken Up

It’s Complicated

Committed to Making it Work

GET CLEAR

ON WHERE

YOU ARE

GOING.

EVIDENCE SUGGESTS WE

NEED TO MOVE THE FIELD

From a “PROVE it or lose it” approach

To an “IMPROVE it to Move it” Approach

DATA IS

USED IN MANY WAYS

As a tool for decision making

As a tool for accountability

As a tool in battle for resources

As a tool to tell your story

As a tool for improvement

THREE KINDS OF DATA

USE

1. Positioning(make the case)

2. Performance(improve how you do it)

3. Proof(demonstrate your impact)

From Charles Smith, Weikert Center

TODAY We want to focus on PREFORMANCE –

Using data as a tool for improvement.

What is a specific program area that you want to improve?

What questions do you have about using data to navigate this area of

improvement?

5 RULES

FOR ACTION

1. Don’t just admire the problem.

• Move from Defining to Analyzing and Understandingthe problem

• Work to Frame the problem in new ways that suggest strategies

2. But also don’t just leap into action

• Restrain the “just do it” approach

• Sometimes doing something is not better than doing nothing

• Reflect and Respond – neither is sufficient by itself

3. Do set measurable goals.

• Name specific pieces you can work on

• Could set goals around • Aspects of participation

• Youth engagement

• Quality components

• Skills and outcomes desired

4. Do improve intentionality of your practice.

• Intentional goals

• Intentional strategies

• Intentional implementation

• Intentional measurement

• Intentional reflection

• Intentional adjustments

5. Create a culture with a dynamic improvement approach.

• One that recognizes and uses multiple types of data

• One that includes expertise and experience

• One that engages young people as co-creators

USE WHAT

YOU AND

OTHERS

KNOW

TOWARD A FORMULA FOR

UNDERSTANDING YOUTH PROGRAM

IMPACT

RI = A x P x D x Q x YE

Where

RI is Real Impact Experienced

A is Access to Program

P is Participation

D is program Design

Q is Quality of Practice as Delivered

YE is Youth’s Engagement in Program

3 - Strengthen

DESIGN

1 – Increase

ACCESS

4 - Improve

QUALITY

5 - Enhance

YOUTH

ENGAGEMENT

YOUTH

OUTCOMES

6 Upgrade YOUTH WORKER EXPERTISE

SIX PATHS TO INCREASING

THE IMPACT OF YOUTH PROGRAMS

2 - Increase

PARTICIPATION

LEARN AND

ADJUST

ALONG THE

WAY.

LIKE GPS,

data can help you pinpoint your location.

LIKE A COMPASS,

data can help identify where you are going.

LIKE A MAP,

data can help you navigate around obstacles.

Use data from all of your tools to navigate on your journey.

And sometimes your most meaningful data source comes your own observations

plando

check

adjust

1. Look at the data and make sense of it (what is the story?)

2. Ask questions (find the mystery)

3. Dig deeper(look for clues)

4. Adjust the plan(change the storyline)

SCI-FI AFTERSCHOOL

• 11 sites

• 750 4th-8th grade participants

• Goal: youth in our programs will identify an adult they can trust

Is there an

adult here

who…

No Mostly

No

Mostly

Yes

Yes

Is interested

in what you

think about?

6.05%

45

6.45%

48

35.62%

265

51.88%

386

You can talk

to when you

are upset?

7.8%

58

8.06%

60

29.84%

222

54.3%

404

Helps you

when you

have a

problem?

4.6%

34

7.8%

58

33.3%

248

54.3%

404

You will listen

to and respect2%

15

4.17%

31

25.8%

192

68%

506

Supportive Adults-SAYO

Youth overwhelmingly have a trusted

adult at SciFi Afterschool.

Is there an adult here who you will listen to and respect?

Is there an adult here who helps you when you have a problem?

Is there an adult here you can talk to when you are upset?

Is there an adult here who is interested in what you think about?

Some youth are not connected to a

caring adult.

Is there an adult here who you will listen to and respect?

Is there an adult here who helps you when you have a problem?

Is there an adult here you can talk to when you are upset?

Is there an adult here who is interested in what you think about?

WHAT IS THE STORY HERE?

1. Look at the data and make sense of it (what is the story?)

2. Ask questions (find the mystery)

3. Dig deeper (look for clues)

4. Adjust the plan (change the storyline)

Youth overwhelmingly have a trusted

adult at SciFi Afterschool.

Is there an adult here who you will listen to and respect?

Is there an adult here who helps you when you have a problem?

Is there an adult here you can talk to when you are upset?

Is there an adult here who is interested in what you think about?

PILSEN YOUTH CENTER

• Neighborhood afterschool program

• 65 elementary youth

• Goal: reduce the number of fights between youth

Total fights in a 2

week period

35

fights

40

30

20

16

12

Total fights in a 2

week period

Conflict

resolution

instruction

starts

March April May

Instruction time

changes

QUESTIONS?

SUMMARY

REFLECTIONS

RESOURCES

http://www.brandiolsonconsulting.com

Slide deck available on website

Logic Models, Data-Resources, Impact + Measurement Newsletter

http://www.extension.umn.edu/youth/contact/dale-blyth/

blyth004@umn.edu