Evaluation Reports
“What if we really did line up together? And what if we really did embrace collective progress? What if we told the truth about what we're investing in and what our return is on those investments? We could change the way we move together and thereby get to this narrative shift in a much more New Orleans way. I could see second lines everywhere.”
— Youth Master Plan Partner
What is the Youth Master Plan Evaluation?
The evaluation approach to the 10-year Youth Master Plan centers collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, and Youth Voice. We will have successfully implemented the solutions in the Youth Master Plan when young people say they can feel it, and when system actors can demonstrate results with data.
Our coordinated efforts to transform systems and improve outcomes for our city’s children and youth include these elements for monitoring collective process and progress:
Comprehensive evaluation plan and pathway of change,
developed by Community Science in 2023
Initial year-long program evaluation to tell the results story of the Youth Master Plan to date and help guide forward direction, implemented by University of New Orleans (UNO) in 2023-2024
Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) for young researchers to analyze and report on the impact of the plan on young people, piloted by the Children & Youth Planning Board in 2023-2024
The New Orleans Youth Data Hub: coming soon
Sharing Evaluation Findings
The UNO Evaluation Team shared evaluation findings at the June 2024 Youth Master Plan meeting. Youth and adults who are active in developing, implementing, and monitoring the Youth Master Plan discussed the results and answered the central question: “How can we advance strengths-based youth narratives and shift mental models?”
A few central themes emerged, including:
Intergenerational collaboration and action
Intentional spaces to increase connections
Trainings, toolkits and shared learning
Supporting youth needs and interests; removing barriers
Embedding the Youth Master Plan into local funding processes
Special media engagement
“Youth Voice has the power to make a positive difference, and it takes adults willing to listen to youth voices to create that difference.”
— Youth Master Plan Youth Leader
“The Youth Master Plan is centered around collaboration…collaboration with adults, youth leaders, young people who aren't comfortable being leaders. I think collaboration among all walks of life is important for all the goals of the Youth Master Plan.”
— Youth Master Plan Youth Leader