At AKA we are busy closing out the fiscal year. Summer interns have returned to college, prevention activities are winding down, and we are celebrating the work we have completed in the communities we serve. As an evaluator, one of the most common questions that I get asked is, “Has our project or intervention made a difference?” At the core of evaluation, this is the one question that we wanted to be answered.
The nature of our evaluations at AKA is not always straightforward, sometimes the difference a project or intervention has made is not obvious. That is, we do not see the difference in p values and baseline vs. follow-up data. I am learning that the difference is not always obvious, that we must look at unconventional sources of data for these answers. It takes multiple perspectives to evaluate the difference a project has made on intended outcomes—the voice of youth, leaders, elders, staff members, and community members must be included.
Together, we can have an impact on the world. Our work does make a positive difference in the communities we serve. – Allyson Kelley
You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make—Jane Goodall
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