| Session Title: Youth Led Evaluation in Action: Stomping Out the Stigma of Mental Illness |
| Demonstration Session 504 to be held in Lone Star C on Friday, Nov 12, 9:15 AM to 10:45 AM |
| Sponsored by the Collaborative, Participatory & Empowerment Evaluation TIG |
| Presenter(s): |
| Cheri Hoffman, Centerstone Research Institute, cheri.hoffman@centerstoneresearch.org |
| James Martin, Mule Town Family Network, jmartin@tnvoices.org |
| Abstract: Youth from the Mule Town Family Network System of Care project in Maury County, TN are planning a week-long "research camp" for the summer of 2010. Professional evaluators will train 8-10 young people in a participatory program evaluation curriculum known as “Stepping Stones.” Community experts in poetry/spoken word, music and dance will join with youth to create a performance about the stigma associated with mental illness. Youth will present a community performance of their work, and then lead focus groups exploring the topic of stigma and how the artistic representations of youth's experience of mental illness has changed people’s perceptions. In this session, youth will share their experiences, the evaluation results of their project, and how initiating and carrying out an evaluation project has impacted their personal development. Staff will share the process of engaging youth in evaluation and the successes and challenges in completing a youth-led evaluation project. |