Outcome Driven

We are outcome-driven, and beginning with baseline data collection and assessments, we measure the effectiveness of our activities through participatory performance-based evaluations. We involve participating youth in ongoing dialogue and conduct regular surveys to identify youth needs, service quality, and perceived benefits of participation. At the outset of the program we collected baseline information, incorporating relevant demographic data about the youth’s neighborhoods, cohorts, and backgrounds. We then conducted an evaluation at the end of the 3-month training period, utilizing the same indicators used for collecting baseline data upon intake.

Prior to leaving the rural community, the youth were responsible for conducting an evaluation, with the community and partners, using interviews and surveys. At the conclusion of the entire program, the youth completed another evaluation, again utilizing initial baseline and mid-term data, and comprehensively evaluating the specific outcomes for their Global Potential experience, their mentors, and our community partners. Evaluations are participatory and inclusive, quantitative and qualitative, and incorporate program participants and all stakeholders (community partners, parents, teachers, staff, home stay families, host organizations, and mentors).

Participants will also have an individualized aspect to the evaluation, depending on which vocational track they have chosen. There will be a specific set of 9 outcomes related to each track, designed by professionals within those fields (of these outcomes, 3 will ascertain impacts on the youth themselves, 3 on the rural community, and 3 on their home communities). For example, if the youth chose ‘Health’ for their track, one indicator for the end of the training period would be: How ready do you feel to conduct a community workshop about HIV/AIDS awareness? Or, for ‘Sustainable Construction’: Be able to come up with at least 3 potential projects that could physically improve the community you live in no matter how big or how small (more bus stops, recycling bins to the street, create more green spaces, etc.).

GP PROJECT OUTCOMES

1. Children’s Day Camp
Activities: Art, English, Sports, Dance, Games for pre-k children
150-200 children participated
2 times per week, 2 hours per day, 280 total hours

2. Global Awareness Workshops
Topics covered: Dominican migration, History of the D.R. and relations between the DR and Haiti, Race relations in the D.R., Social movement theory and social change, Critical pedagogy and community relationships, Women’s rights and gender roles in Batey 8 and the D.R.
6 sessions, 1.5 hours per week, 133 total hours

3. Construction of the Afterschool Classroom (Sala de Tarea)
Participants learned how to mix cement, lay bricks, create a building’s foundation, spackle walls, ceiling, use tools, shovels, wheelbarrows, and work with professional engineers and construction workers.
10 × 15 × 14 cement structure built
Average of 7 hours per day, 174 hours per participant, 2436 total group hours

4. Goat Project
Feeding/watering of goats, general maintenance and upkeep of stables, trouble-shooting with women over sickness of goats, brainstorming for how to improve Women’s group members’ participation
2-3 hours/day, 35 hours per week, 700 total group hours

5. Biodiesel Project
Youth participated in Batey 4’s Biodiesel project, which was being funded by IDDI (Dominican Institute for Integral Development). Participants learned about the importance of the creation of alternative fuels, and were able to plant seedlings which would eventually be converted in to biodiesel.
·10,000 pinon de leche seedlings planted
·over a period of 3 work days (3 hrs/day), total 12 hours
·4 participants

6. Community Discussions
Topics: Comparative Poverty, Racism & Possible Solutions to Racism
·3 discussions held, 2 hours each, 6 hours total
·14 GP participants
·25-40 Community members

7. Reproductive Health Issues with Youth Group
GP participants met on a weekly basis with the local Youth Group to brainstorm and plan for an HIV-testing campaign. Through the distribution of condoms to local youth, they were able to have conversations about safe sex and invite community members to get a free HIV-test in a nearby community.
530 condoms distributed
30 community members tested for HIV
7 GP members tested for HIV
19 hours, 190 total group hours

8. Mentors/Internships

The internships were multi-disciplinary, and included engineering, agriculture, health, education and development placements. Students and coordinators were free to organize their own schedule, but were expected to meet weekly. The internship pairings were meant to be a mutually enhancing educational experience for both participants, although the concrete benefit was intended to be increased skills and knowledge for the GP students.

Average of 8 hours per week per youth, 368 total hours

Local Government of Batey 7,8, & 9, Floribel Lopez Pena
Women’s Association ‘Altagracia Medina,’ Santana Perez
Youth Group President, World Vision Afterschool Teacher, Josue
Community Health Promoters, Rosa
Peace Corps, Kaveh Azimi
Developmet Committee, Domingo
Health Clinic, Dtra. Alcantara