63 - Flip the Script: Honoring the power and desire of youth to tell their own story, how and why to make it happen

Abstract Information: This panel will share practical insights as well as deeper equity considerations for evaluators seeking to create a powerful opportunity for community members to share a story critical to them. From the point of identifying the story most valued by stakeholders through final production, the first panelist will describe the process of producing a set of video stories by and for youth. The second panel will highlight the critical equity principles at play, and how an evaluator honors those in the process. Using a recent state agency project with youth who have experienced out-of-home placement (e.g. foster care), panelists are partners - a Land Grant University Extension Education/LEEAD scholar evaluator and a small evaluation consulting firm. After identifying an initial need to improve communications with youth, youth leaders were centered in identifying what story to tell and how. Partners’ complementary strengths supported youth in telling rich stories of their experience and in translating that to a professional video with youth approving each step of the way. The product reflects important equity principles in addressing system failures, using methods responsive to communities, and supporting lasting effects in community.

Relevance Statement: Storytelling is a promising methodology that fosters capacity building and promotes ownership in research. Evaluators can listen closely to hear stories from community members about desired change; they can use storytelling to spread that story in a more meaningful and responsive way within communities. When this team engaged with youth who had experienced out-of-home placement about what would be helpful to them, the evaluation team heard about a gap in communication between the state’s intended interventions/services and youth experience of or access to those services. Even more, youth described what was important for their peers to hear, dramatically shifting the initial narrative that the evaluators raised as the communication gap they saw. Hearing about a need or gap in services for a community is a common position for evaluators. Often, the evaluator will create a report, turn it over to the funder, and maybe send links for reports out through the usual communication channels without testing the narrative with those who provided the data. Indeed, the information that youth needed about services was not new and had been documented or shared before. Using a storytelling approach opened new doors not only for more powerful delivery but also richer and more relevant content focused on what youth needed to hear.
Community members – youth - decided what, when, where, and how information was to be promoted. The Extension Education Evaluator/LEEAD Scholar led the team to engage youth and social workers in the system more deeply to inform the messaging of the video. Because of this approach, the story was driven by youth perspective on the systems they interact with, giving guidance, inspiration, and advice for other youth about how to get the most out of systems and resources. Because it was a story, the content switched from reporting on usage and gaps to a story centering youth voices and leadership in shifting the knowledge of their peers. The process itself built collective awareness. Storytelling moved this project from research to service.
While many evaluators might appreciate the benefits of a storytelling approach, the unfamiliar skills and process may prove to be a barrier. The kinds of skills needed range from the active listening and relationship building of powerful qualitative practice to the scaffolding of video production. In additional to practical process grounding, evaluators also need to pay attention to how critical equity principles are put into practice, ensuring these are not overlooked in the technical process of preparing stories to share widely. From honoring relationships and community leadership to maintaining a system focus, choices within the process can strengthen or undermine these important principles.