Data is Power.Data tells the stories. Data builds the bridges from insights to information to activating change. Deciding what data is important, how it is being analyzed, and what conclusions are being drawn, speaks to core issues of equity and privilege. Clear, trustworthy data is crucial to obtaining funding and advocating with policymakers and cross-sector partners and adjacent sectors such as health and human services, juvenile justice, and workforce development.
Current InitiativesWhen YAIN extended services, expertise, and resources to youth-focused organizations across the Commonwealth and galvanized work with the wider national CYD field, we found a great need in two areas:
1. Outcomes: CYD Indicators- Youth Arts Impact Network Task Force One of key needs has been in developing thoughtful indicators for measuring outcomes for young people, with young people telling their own stories. In 2021 a CYD Task Force was formed to develop a set of priority indicators to align with not only research, but also with the lived experience of CYD organizations, alums, and young people. The indicators expand the common language for our field and are designed to inspire and support communities of young people to tell their story of agency, impact, and systems change. 2. Systems: 3C (Create Collaborate Catalyze) Data Alliance - National Advisory Board One essential need is sector-wider access to gathering and utilizing data including improved, equitable evaluation and data management tools and systems. Right now, there is unequal access, inconsistent approaches, and we have a long history of young people and organizations being prevented from claiming their data. Organizations not only need new systems for the gathering and analysis of data but also new ways to prioritize youth voice in building these systems. The 3C Data Alliance allows for EQUITY to be centered in the design of a platform where organizations of all sizes can track their own data, share their stories, document their impact, and improve their programs. This customizable user-friendly design will allow a wealth of data to be directly accessible to our organizations and staff, and with this, the possibility for developing a system for collective impact for our entire sector. At its center, the database will be a centralized platform where young people will have access to feeling empowered as creators, consumers, and as critical users of data. This initiative will also provide support for the implementation and development of tools and systems that can be used not only in MA but throughout the nation. Who Will Benefit from These Initiatives?1. CYD Organizations
2. Youth, Families and Program Alumni 3. The CYD field, cross-sector partners, and funders By having improved access to demographics and being able to further build a common list of indicators and language for our field, organizations will be better able to analyze surveys efficiently, and see paths to improvement. This new system will allow young people to feel seen, heard, and resourced with advocacy data for themselves and for the systems they wish to change. |
Convenings and TrainingsMarch 30, 2023
“Data as Power" Goal: Who is doing the counting, what is being counted, and why it is being counted are all aspects of data collection that historically have been used to tell stories that are not owned by communities and have often been used to cause harm. At this session, learn about new ways to collect data such as interactive storytelling and creating visual tools with an educational and civic purpose. What are new and emerging ways to share and collect data that is owned by and empowers communities?
November 9, 2022
BCAN Update on Indicators Presentation Goals: To update BCAN members on the work to date by the YAIN Impact Task Force on shared CYD indicators. To talk about how this collective impact project connects to regional needs and other efforts to meet those needs.
May 26, 2022 CYD Indicators and the Youth Arts Impact Task Force Goal: How can we boldly and efficiently capture, analyze, and communicate our impact effectively? Since fall 2021, six members of the CYD community have been meeting to create a system that can address the complexity of this work by offering indicators that directly relate to the outcomes and values of CYD. See how this Task Force has utilized previous frameworks such as the Boston Youth Arts Evaluation Project (BYAEP), built upon the CYD National Framework, and created youth-centered indicators to illustrate the outcome areas that are aligned with the Ten Dimensions of Powerful Arts Education Practice published by the Hewlett Foundation. Input is invited as the Task Force unveils a strategy and possible tools that can help define our impact and more powerfully describe the depth of our work.
August 18, 2021 Survey Design Goal: To look more deeply at survey design for event follow-up surveys to audience surveys and other data gathering.
June 8, 2021 Introduction to Logic Models Goal: How to get started with logic models and understanding their connection to grant writing and evaluation.
April 28, 2021 Evaluating as a Region Goal: Discussion with cultural organizations about the needs for evaluation in the network, regional data points, and relationships of evaluation to Creative Youth Development.
January, 15, 2020 Annual Reports Goal: Deep dive on annual reports discussing their content and effectiveness at communicating impact.
January, 25, 2019 Datathon 2: Data Usability and Organization Goal: Presenters will share approaches to collection, organizing, and analyzing data.
October, 2, 2018 Creating Collaborative CRM Goal: Describe an overview potential impact of a shared Collaborative CRM platform for organizations of similar nature to organization data, resources, and best practices to organize programs and relationships.
March, 23, 2018 Datathon: Putting Data to Work for Young People Goal: Presenters will share approaches to data collection, evaluation, and communicating impact.
Older YAIN Convenings
November, 10, 2015 Making Data Useful Goal: Rightsizing data to produce high quality data and accurately convey impact
October, 2, 2014 Boston Youth Arts Evaluation Project Goal: Reflection on BYAEP framework and how to better support organizations to maximize impact
May, 20, 2014 The Nuts and Bolts of Evaluation Goal: Gain understanding of basic evaluation terms and techniques. Discuss design and implementation of evaluation systems for programs and organizations
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