Disabilities and Underrepresented Populations
Rucha Londhe, PhD
Senior Director, Equity
Abt Associates, Massachusetts, United States
Katrina Bledsoe, PhD
Principal Associate
Abt Associates, United States
Melanie Ward, PhD
Associate
Abt Associates, United States
Location: Room 201
Abstract Information: Storytelling is a powerful medium of collecting evaluation data as well as a tool to make meaning of the collected data. Communities and individuals with histories of trauma and inequity have complex, nuanced, and sensitive stories that are challenging to capture without intentional and authentic data collection approaches. Capturing these stories is critical to understanding the extent that programs reach and serve communities and to reshaping narratives that uphold and reproduce harm. Toward this end, data collection requires the use of equity-focused, trauma-informed approaches to research. This skill-building workshop focuses on such an approach and provides participants an opportunity to practice such equity and trauma focused data collection implementation strategies.
Relevance Statement: Storytelling serves a dual purpose within evaluation; it can be a powerful tool to conduct evaluations while at the same time serve as a product or outcome of evaluation. Stories not only help provide context for the evaluation data; they also serve as a means of human expression. Stories help with meaning making and allow us to go beyond the “what” of the data collected to answer the question “why”. This exploration is key to examining and understanding the experiences of communities with histories of trauma and inequity and potential disparities in program outcomes that impact them. The accuracy of the story our evaluation tells depends on the authenticity of the data we collect. To collect authentic data, we need to use an equity-focused, trauma-informed approach. This workshop will provide the participants with an understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of such an approach and an opportunity to practice various strategies to implement it. The workshop will begin with an overview of historical and current context of equity-centered and trauma-informed data collection (about 10 minutes). The next 20 minutes will focus on the tenets of equity-centered and trauma informed data collection and will include topics such as: A. Understanding how one’s positionality and bias can influence evaluation processes. B. Employing lenses and strategies to explore underlying contexts and causes. C. Engaging communities as partners in research and evaluation. D. Understanding the impacts of traumatic events and historical trauma on individuals and communities. E. Establishing safety and trust in the research/evaluation environment. F. Understanding when to change course to avoid re-traumatization in an interview or focus groups. The next one hour will be devoted to group discussions on practical strategies for applying the equity-focused trauma-informed data collected tenets in practice. Through activities like role-playing and scenarios, we will offer participants a chance to learn as well as practice equitable and trauma-informed data collection strategies. Participants will work within small groups supported by one of the three facilitators of the workshop. We will end the workshop with a promise to commit to regular self-reflection and self-care as evaluators.