Hello, my name is Kim Sabo Flores and I am David White. We are honored to serve as co-chairs of the Youth Focused Evaluation Topical Interest Group (YFE TIG). As we prepare for the 2014 conference and our annual business meeting, we have to acknowledge how truly remarkable it is that a loosely knit group of like-minded individuals could grow into a burgeoning group of over 300 individuals who have begun to define and unify the field and practice of youth focused evaluation within the Association. As a group, we are exploring evaluations focused on youth and positive youth development in a variety of settings. However, at our core, many of us are interested in the practice and outcomes of youth participation in evaluation. This focus has been a key part of our history as a TIG because we understand youth participation to be a pillar of positive youth development.
Hot Tip: Youth-Adult Partnerships
When youth are equal partners with adults in the evaluation process, they share equally the decision making power and responsibility. What does this look like? Here are a few key considerations:
- Evaluation questions are jointly developed.
- Evaluation activities are performed by youth and adults.
- Data are analyzed by youth and adults.
- Youth and adults receive significant benefit from involvement and from the evaluation findings.
Rad Resource: Youth-Adult Partnerships in the Evaluation Process
This 2005 chapter from the Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development outlines best practices in youth youth-adult partnerships in evaluation.
Our TIG is taking the first of several steps necessary to provide a genuine, inclusive, and participatory space for all evaluators, regardless of age. The TIG will host two sessions at AEA this year designed to ignite conversation about how to best include youth in our yearly conference.
See you in Denver!
The American Evaluation Association is celebrating Youth Focused Evaluation (YFE) TIG Week with our colleagues in the YFE AEA Topical Interest Group. The contributions all this week to aea365 come from our YFE TIG members. Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this aea365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the aea365 webpage so that we may enrich our community of practice. Would you like to submit an aea365 Tip? Please send a note of interest to aea365@eval.org. aea365 is sponsored by the American Evaluation Association and provides a Tip-a-Day by and for evaluators.