From the Harvard Pilgrim Growing Up Healthy conference (11/4/09)

1. Evaluating Change Karen Horsch Evaluation Consultant

2. We are experiencing epidemic rates of childhood obesity that have long-term consequences for health and well-being of individuals and society It’s getting worse, not better What we know:

3. Reversing this trend in a sustained way is going to take fundamental changes to the way we think and act: we cannot program our way out of this Reversing this trend in a sustained way is going to require that we build a movement What we know:

4. We need to shift perceptions such that physical activity and healthy eating are the social norm We need to establish environments that make individuals’ default decisions healthy What needs to happen:

5. They raise issues of urgency (identify problems) They build a base of interested and motivated individuals and coalitions They educate and raise awareness They advocate for positive changes in policies and institutions They identify and promote promising interventions and programs (show what’s possible) What movements do….

6. How does evaluation fit in?

7. Data about the movement (is the movement moving?) Data to build the movement Two levels of evaluation when building a movement:

8. So how do we evaluate whether we are building a movement?

9. NOT: What did we accomplish? BUT: Did we accomplish what we set out to accomplish? Why or why not? Start with the right evaluation question:

11. Intermediate term

13. Grassroots organizing/mobiliz-ation

14. Leadership development

15. Advocacy training

16. Media advocacy

18. Strong and diverse network of advocates

19. Strengthened alliances

20. Increased media attention to the issue

23. Reductions in obesity rates

25. Who the public is

26. Who partners might beBeing clear about:

28. Number and type of people who receive information

29. Attendance at meetings/events

30. Website hits

32. Number and type of people taking on leadership roles in advocacy

33. Number of new advocates

34. High profile people who adopt the issue and publicly advocate for it

36. Number of press releases Number of op-eds/letters to the editor published Number of articles covering the issue Relationships with the press How the issue is framed in media Increased media attention to the issue:

37. Visits to decision makers Number of decision makers attending events related to issue % of phone calls returned by decision makers Established relationships with decision makers:

38. Number of decision makers and/or opinion leaders who express support for the issue Policy makers’ press releases and comments in legislative hearings Policy maker attendance at hearings related to the issue Increasing support for:

39. New policy proposals New policies passed Policies expanded/or not reversed Implementation of policies Improving Policies:

40. Balancing the data collection effort with the utility of the information collected It’s not all countable: the importance of qualitative data Data Considerations

41. So what data do we need to build the movement?

42. Obesity as connected to environments and not solely individual behavior Role of government in this Importance of prevention rather than long-term health consequences Data that helps to reframe the issue:

43. Population-level data collection Community mapping and other visuals The cost of doing nothing Data that points to the urgency of the issue and its causes:

44. What programs work and how well How many they serve The outcomes they achieve What programs cost or save Data about what works (Program Evaluation)

45. “Policy change occurs when community leaders receive credible and reliable data and research AND community members provide personal stories and advocate for change.” -- Kay Monaco, New Mexico Voices for Children

46. Policymakers receive a lot of information Easy visuals: mapping, metrics, summaries Personal stories and testimonials matter Timeliness and credibility are critical Policymakers as Audience

47. Climate ready For change Source: PolicyLink